- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 22 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on excluding tallow from the scope of the Waste Incineration Directive, in light of its support for the UK Government¿s representations to the European Commission on the matter.
Answer
I understand the European Commissionhas recently awarded a contract to examine whether there is scientific evidenceto support the exclusion of waste tallow from the Waste Incineration Directive onenvironmental and public health grounds. This study is expected to be completednext summer.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 December 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 21 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20176 by Rhona Brankin on 14 November 2005, to what species the 118 licenses issued under the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 relate and in how many instances each species was trapped for relocation or killed.
Answer
The 118 licences referred to in the response to S2W-20176 relate to the following species:
| Species | Number of Licences Issued | Number of Licences Permitting Relocation | Number of Licences Permitting Killing |
| Bats | 66 | | 1 |
| Otter | 30 | | |
| Natterjack toad | 2 | 2 | |
| Great crested newt | 5 | 5 | |
| Pine marten | 9 | 7 | 2 |
| Mountain hare | 6 | | 6 |
Bats, otter, natterjack toad and great crested newt are listed on Annex IV of the Habitats Directive. Pine marten and mountain hare are listed on Annex V of the directive.
In the case of natterjack toad and great crested newt licences, the animals were translocated a short distance to allow works to take place or were removed temporarily. In the case of relocation of pine martens, the animals were removed from occupied dwelling places and released into the immediate vicinity.
Although two licences were issued to permit pine martens to be killed, no pine martens were subsequently trapped. The licence permitting bats to be killed was issued recently and no action has yet been taken.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 December 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 15 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of vehicles crossing the Forth Road Bridge are single occupancy and whether it has any plans to address this issue.
Answer
Over 70% of cars crossing the bridge at peak times have a single occupant. This devolved government is working closely with the Forth Estuary Transport Authority and other stakeholders to address access and congestion issues associated with the bridge. We have made contributions to a number initiatives such as the expansion of Ferry Toll Park and Ride and the improvement of rail services across the Forth.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 October 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 14 November 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions it has issued licences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 for the control of species listed under Annex IV of the European Habitats Directive in the last 10 years.
Answer
Records of licences issued prior to 2000 are not available centrally.
From 2000 to date, the Scottish Executive has issued one licence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 for species listed under Annex IV of the European Habitats Directive. In 2004 a licence was issued to permit the trapping and relocation of an otter to prevent serious damage to livestock under section 16(3)(h) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as well as regulation 44(2)(g) of The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994.
Normally, licences relating to Annex IV species are issued under the provisions of The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 which transposes the Habitat Directive into UK legislation. 118 such licences have been issued for a number of specific purposes, and the protection of Annex IV species forms an important part of the conditions of these licences.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 October 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 26 October 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18697 by Cathy Jamieson on 26 September 2005, what the additional cost to it was, over and above the core cost, of the Airwave communications system being fully operational for the G8 summit at Gleneagles and what aspects of the network's use were not covered by the existing budget.
Answer
We have previously said that all reasonable additional costs incurred by Scottish police forces for policing G8 would be met. An announcement about these costs will be made later this year.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Johann Lamont on 27 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to reform the provisions that exist for third-party interests to influence decisions on planning applications for agricultural buildings.
Answer
There are no plans at presentto reform the publicity and consultation procedures specifically in relation toplanning applications for agricultural buildings.
However, our White Paper - Modernisingthe Planning System, published in June 2005, contains a package of reforms thatwill offer greater opportunity for local people to have stronger participation inthe planning process at earlier stages.
The white paper is availablein the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. number 36995) and on the internetat http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/06/27113519/35231.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Johann Lamont on 27 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions exist for third-party interests to influence decisions on planning applications for agricultural buildings.
Answer
The provisions covering publicity(neighbour notification and advertising) and consultation apply to planning applicationsgenerally. The publicity and consultation required in a particular case will dependon the circumstances of the case, e.g. whether the proposal is a departure fromthe development plan.
It is open to anyone to commenton a planning application and it is for the planning authority, in the first instance,to weigh up any competing considerations and reach a decision on the application.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 26 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 26 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the scale and location of chloramine-treated water discharges into the environment, both accidental, such as leakage, and deliberate, such as irrigation and flushes from industrial cooling systems, and whether it will publish this information and, if so, when.
Answer
The Executive does not hold this information.
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-18704 on 26 September 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa/search.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 26 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 26 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the effects of releases of chloraminated water into the environment, in particular on wild fish, freshwater invertebrates and soil invertebrates.
Answer
This is a matter for Scottish Environment Protection Agency, in the first instance. It monitors developments in scientific understanding of the effects of chloramines and other substances on the water environment. It has carried out an assessment of the risks to the environment arising from the use of chloramination in the disinfection of public water supplies. Current practice in Scotland reflects the results of this assessment
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 26 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 26 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what budget was allocated to meet the requirement for the Airwave communications system to be fully operational for the G8 summit at Gleneagles.
Answer
No separate budget was allocated for Airwave at the G8 summit. The core cost of the service (which for Scottish forces is paid by the Scottish Executive) covered most of the use of the network during G8.
