- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 March 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 29 March 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how much time per annum is spent by each Scottish fishery patrol vessel in patrolling fishing grounds, also broken down into the time spent in each ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) square.
Answer
Fishery Protection Vessels (FPVs)operated by the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency spent a total of 1,117 dayspatrolling the fishing grounds in 2006.
A record of the time spent by individualFPVs in each International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) statisticalrectangle is not held centrally. The information requested could be estimated throughan analysis of available satellite monitoring data but only at a disproportionatecost. However, a record of the time spent patrolling fishing grounds in 2006 atthe next aggregated level, ICES sub area, is kept and is given in the followingtable broken down by each FPV:
| FPV | ICES sub areas | Total |
| IIA | IVA | IVB | VB | VIA | VIB | VIIA |
| Jura | 0.5 | 164.5 | 64 | 0 | 23.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 253.5 |
| Minna | 0.5 | 71.5 | 16 | 1.5 | 217.5 | 0 | 0 | 307 |
| Norna | 0 | 20.5 | 8 | 0.5 | 231 | 19.5 | 1 | 280.5 |
| Vigilant | 1 | 171 | 35.5 | 0.5 | 56.5 | 11 | 0.5 | 276 |
| Total | 2 | 426.5 | 123.5 | 2.5 | 528.5 | 31 | 2 | 1117 |
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 March 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 28 March 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how much and what type of housing has been built on Rum in each of the last 20 years, also giving the permanent population of Rum in each of these years.
Answer
This is a matter for Scottish Natural Heritage. The informationrequested is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 March 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 28 March 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate or best prediction is of the amount of end-year flexibility for 2006-07 and 2007-08.
Answer
The Scottish Executive does notforecast levels of EYF but provisional outturn data for 2006-07 on which EYF willbe based is expected to be announced in June 2007. Figures for 2007-08 can similarlybe expected in June 2008.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 March 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Robert Brown on 28 March 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in providing a single system of transcription of reading materials for blind or partially sighted people and whether it has been in contact with the RNIB on this issue and, if so, what response it has received.
Answer
The Centre for Communication Aidsfor Language and Learning, University of Edinburgh, was commissioned to conducta scoping exercise on accessible curriculum materials for all young people withadditional support needs, and to consider the need for a national transcriptionservice for curriculum materials. The final report, which sought views from organisationssuch as RNIB, was submitted to the Executive on 9 March 2007. Discussions on thecontent of the report took place with RNIB on 26 March 2007.
A stakeholder group meeting will be convened in May to considerthe report. RNIB will be invited to attend this meeting and to participate in discussionson the way forward.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 March 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 27 March 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to build additional housing on Rum in each of the next five years; what provision will be made for affordable housing on Rum, and whether, in the work being considered in relation to Kinloch Castle, the Executive considers that holiday homes or timeshare properties should be incorporated.
Answer
Scottish Natural Heritage are currentlyexploring a number of options with the Rum Community Association for the provisionof housing and hostel accommodation on Rum to meet its aspirations for communitydevelopment and tourism, including various options for development of Kinloch Castle.Any proposals would be subject to the normal planning processes.
A detailed planning application for the Greenhouse hostel buildinghas been submitted to The Highland Council and is currently under consideration.At this stage, this is seen as part of a larger project involving Kinloch Castle,the nature of which would be dependent on consultation with key partners and onthe availability of funding.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 12 March 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Des McNulty on 27 March 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that it is appropriate for national park authorities to grant planning permission for the building of residential property in areas where there is a risk of flooding once in every 200 years and whether the Cairngorms National Park Authority has a policy in relation to residential properties being constructed on flood plains.
Answer
It is for the CairngormsNational Park Authority to consider planning applications. If, however, theauthority wishes to grant permission contrary to the advice of the Scottish EnvironmentProtection Agency on flood risk, the application has to be notified to the Scottishministers who may call it in for their own consideration.
The consultative draftCairngorms National Park Local Plan contains policies in relation todevelopment on the flood plain.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 March 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 26 March 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish Parliamentary Information Centre all information that it received in relation to tail docking, including copies of any advice notes, aides memoire or notes of meetings held following a meeting in February or March 2007 with representatives of the Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association.
Answer
All responses to the consultation papers issued by the ScottishExecutive which dealt with tail docking have been placed in the Scottish Executivelibrary except where respondents specifically asked for their responses to be treatedconfidentially. There are no advice notes, aides memoire or notes of meetings heldfollowing the meeting with representatives of the Scottish Gamekeepers’ Associationwhich took place on 30 January 2007. There was no meeting with representatives of the Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association in February or March 2007.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 March 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 26 March 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to provide broadband access to locations defined as “non-spots” and what financial provision will be made for this purpose.
Answer
The Executive has already allocated£5 million funding to extend broadband coverage where it is currently unavailable.
We have now agreed with BT thatthey will increase broadband availability in at least 20 exchanges which have capacityconstraints, and this will extend broadband coverage to more businesses and householdsacross Scotland. This is being achieved using some of the £1.5 millionsavings from our existing BT contract.
An additional £3.5 million hasbeen allocated to support solutions for “not-spot” locations, and we are currentlyprioritising areas according to known demand as well as the costs of potential solutions.We are in discussion with the industry and are engaging with potential suppliersand broadband users in the “out of reach” clusters to ensure an appropriately designedfinal approach. Delivery will take place next financial year.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 March 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 26 March 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take steps to provide broadband access to Drimnin; what factors it considers to be relevant in reaching a decision on this issue; whether cost should be a factor, and what its estimate is for the (a) capital and (b) revenue costs for broadband users in the area.
Answer
The Executive is aware of thebroadband access issue in Drimnin and confirms that it is being considered as partof our wider policy approach on the reach issue. We will consider all relevant factors,including the levels of known unmet demand as well as the cost and value for moneyaspects of providing a solution. We are not currently in a position to estimatethe specific capital and revenue costs for potential broadband users in this area.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 March 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 26 March 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many over-15-metre vessels were boarded by Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency officers in each of the last five years, also showing the nationality of each vessel.
Answer
The number and nationality of over15 metre vessels boarded at sea by officers of the Scottish Fisheries ProtectionAgency in each of the last five years is given in the following table:
| | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| UK | 659 | 632 | 530 | 541 | 496 |
| Germany | 15 | 16 | 11 | 14 | 17 |
| Denmark | 84 | 62 | 28 | 9 | 11 |
| Spain | 52 | 31 | 24 | 48 | 42 |
| France | 66 | 45 | 47 | 50 | 38 |
| Faroe | | 5 | | 3 | 1 |
| Eire | 12 | 2 | 11 | 9 | 19 |
| Norway | 95 | 44 | 46 | 47 | 45 |
| Poland | | | | 2 | 1 |
| Russia | 5 | 2 | 10 | 13 | 8 |
| Netherlands | 11 | 17 | 11 | 10 | |
| Portugal | | | 1 | 1 | |
| Sweden | 4 | 1 | 9 | 1 | |
| Belgium | 2 | | 1 | | |
