- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 24 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many scientists from the Fisheries Research Services are currently working on issues related to the future of the white fish sector.
Answer
It is estimated that the equivalent of some 40 staff are working on issues related to the management of stocks supporting the whitefish sector.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 24 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it, or Her Majesty's Government, has discussed with other northern member states of the European Union the imposition of additional fishing access restrictions on the Spanish fleet.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is not discussing with other member states any proposed fishing access restrictions that are specifically directed at Spain.Fishing access restrictions may not discriminate between the member states.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 19 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received about the accuracy of data supplied by other national governments to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea in order to prepare the recently published guidance on fish stocks.
Answer
The Executive has received no additional information on this issue. The first source of information supplied to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) is the official statistics from participating members. Specific national data supplied directly to ICES working groups may differ from official statistics and is often regarded as more reliable, but differences of this kind are not identified by nation within ICES reports.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 19 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what contingency measures it proposes to take should the EU Council of Ministers fail to take a decision to re-confirm Spain's northern access fishing rights before the end of 2002.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-31975 today. 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/search_wa.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 19 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government, with regard to the Act of Accession of the Kingdom of Spain and the Portuguese Republic to the European Community in 1985, to seek confirmation that Spain's northern European fisheries access rights expire at the end of 2002 and that, therefore, in the absence of an intervening formal decision by the Council of Ministers, no Spanish vessel will be able to fish in northern European waters from 31 December 2002.
Answer
As of 1 January 2003, Spanish and Portuguese vessels will, in accordance with the Iberian Act of Accession, enjoy the same access rights to Community waters as other member states.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 19 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is preparing to take to ensure that Spanish vessels will be removed from the Scottish sector of the EU fishing 'one from 1 January 2003, in the absence of an intervening decision by the Council of Ministers on the renewal, extension, or reduction of Spain's current northern European access fishing rights.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-31975 today. 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/search_wa.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 19 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the amendment of provisions of the Act of Accession of the Kingdom of Spain and the Portuguese Republic of 1985 to the European Union that were intended to permit European institutions to impose additional access restrictions on the Spanish fishing fleet to northern European waters, whether, if such amendment proved to be necessary to ensure the proper functioning of the Common Fisheries Policy, it has made representations to Her Majesty's Government to seek confirmation that the European Commission's treaty amendment procedures have not been used to amend such provisions.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-31975 today. 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/search_wa.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 December 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 19 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on sending referrals to solicitors on matters concerning the cross-border abduction of children.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32486 today. 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/search_wa.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 December 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 19 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on sending referrals to solicitors on matters concerning the Hague Convention.
Answer
The Civil Justice and International Division of the Justice Department supports the Minister for Justice as the central authority for the operation in Scotland of Hague Conventions on Child Abduction, Maintenance, Service and Evidence. Applicants under the former two conventions may need the assistance of a Scottish solicitor. Under Article 7 of the Convention on Child Abduction, central authorities are obliged to co-operate with each other and promote co-operation amongst the authorities in their respective states to achieve the objects of the convention. In particular, they shall provide or facilitate provision of legal aid and advice including the participation of legal counsel and advisers. Where the Scottish Executive receives a case from a central authority in another convention state and to fulfil its international duties as central authority, it asks the Law Society of Scotland to identify solicitors with expertise in child or family law and practising in the locality where the child or potential maintenance payer is thought to be. The case is then referred to a solicitor so identified.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 19 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on securing the future of fishing communities.
Answer
Ross Finnie is currently participating in the December Agriculture and Fisheries Council at which decisions about fishing quotas for 2003 will be taken. He will continue to emphasise that fishing is crucial to the economy of dependent communities in Scotland, and the need for decisions which strike an appropriate balance between stock conservation and socio-economic considerations.
