- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 7 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive why Historic Scotland's application to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency for consent to discharge sewage into Loch Ness was not made prior to its application for planning permission for the proposed visitor centre at Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness.
Answer
Historic Scotland submitted a Notification of Proposed Development (NOPD) for the proposed visitor centre to Highland Council in May 1997. The NOPD contained details of the proposed method of disposal of treated waste water including the location of the proposed outfall. Following a public local inquiry approval was given for the project in February 1999. A consultant design team was appointed in April and a formal application was made to the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency in August at the earliest opportunity after the necessary design work had been completed.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 6 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether recent press reports that it has abandoned its plans to introduce road user charges are true; if so, whether the press was alerted to this change by an Executive spokesman or through other official means, and why this change in policy was not first announced in the Parliament in accordance with the way the original plans were announced.
Answer
On 4 November I announced to Parliament that, after extensive consultation, the Executive would not legislate in the forthcoming Transport Bill to permit motorway or trunk road charging on existing roads. Our proposals to allow local authorities, subject to the consent of the Executive in each case, to introduce local road user charges and workplace parking levies will still feature in that legislation, and this is entirely consistent with the original announcement which stated that we would undertake road user charging only where it was sensible to do so.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 29 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the costs incurred by the pig industry of compliance with regulations to eradicate BSE amount to approximately one tenth of revenue, and whether it considers that BSE cannot be transmitted through pigs.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is unable to confirm the estimate of the cost to the pig industry of compliance with the regulations to eradicate BSE. Any such estimates depend on a range of assumptions relating to costs and market returns.
A number of research projects on BSE and pigs have been carried out. Whilst not all of these experiments are complete, there is no evidence that BSE can be transmitted orally to pigs.The Scottish Executive remains of the view that it is in Scotland's interests to maintain vigorous and effective controls to eradicate BSE.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 29 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take steps to ensure that all GPs in Scotland have access to the best possible information on the available treatments for prostate cancer.
Answer
The treatment for prostate cancer involves a combination of surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormone therapy in different measures according to factors such as the stage of the disease and the patient's degree of fitness. GPs would not normally decide on the treatment, but appropriate GP involvement can be secured through referral protocols and communication. Through the provision of electronic links to all GP practices, steps have already been taken to ensure that GPs in Scotland have access to the best possible information about treatment for prostate cancer.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 29 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all public bodies and voluntary organisations whose representatives have (a) supported and (b) not supported the fuel duty escalator.
Answer
The Scottish Executive does not have the information requested as the fuel duty is a reserved matter.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 27 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 29 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the law relating to commercial leases in Scotland and, if so, whether it will consult all interested parties in relation to such review.
Answer
Section 65 of the Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc. (Scotland) Bill proposes a prohibition on leases for periods of more that 125 years. Apart from that we have no plans to review the law in relation to commercial leases.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 26 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the water supply at Bracara does not pose any health risk to consumers.
Answer
I am satisfied that the water supply at Bracara does not pose any health risk to consumers. The treatment necessary to protect public health has however resulted in some taste problems. The long-term solution to this is investment to improve the treatment works, in line with our programme for Government commitment.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 24 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing for those debtors whose total unsecured debts do not exceed a specified and relatively small limit, an alternative to sequestration such as the administration order which is available in England, or a procedure which provides a respite within which to determine whether a sequestration decree is necessary.
Answer
he Scottish Executive has no immediate plans to introduce such changes to the law, but will keep the matter under consideration.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 24 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received the annual report of the Accountant of Bankruptcy for 1998-99 and whether it is considering reform of the law of sequestration in relation to protected trust deeds.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has received the annual report of the Accountant in Bankruptcy for 1998-99 and is considering reform of the law of sequestration in relation to protected trust deeds.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 24 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive how many protected trust deeds were registered in the financial years 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99.
Answer
The number of Protected Trust Deeds registered in each of the years is:
1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 |
525 | 532 | 890 | 1,574 |