- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 July 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 18 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to extend the powers of fishery boards and if so, when and what the details of its plans are.
Answer
A consultation paper outlining proposals for possible legislation to enhance conservation of salmon was issued on 5 June. Against the background of worrying stock declines, the proposals envisage the extension of the management powers of District Salmon Fishery Boards and, as a fall-back, those of the Scottish Executive.
Copies of the consultation paper are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. Comments have been invited by 2 August.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 18 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the names of the chairmen of each of the water authorities specifying in each case their salaries, any pension or other benefits received, the overall cost of these positions to the water authorities, and whether any of the chairmen are members of any political party and, if so, which party.
Answer
Information on the level of each Chair's remuneration is set out in the table below. Information is not held on membership of political parties. On appointment, water authority Chairs are, however, required to declare any political activity within the past five years. Robert Cairns, Chairman of East of Scotland Water, is a Labour Councillor on Edinburgh City Council. Colin Rennie, Chairman of North of Scotland Water was a Labour Councillor on Dundee City Council until May 1999.
Authority | Chairman | Annual Salary | Annual Benefits |
| East of Scotland Water Authority | Councillor Robert Cairns | £27,000 | £1,648 pension contribution |
| West of Scotland Water Authority | Professor Alan Alexander | £25,000 | £4,000 pension contribution |
| North of Scotland Water Authority | Colin Rennie | £27,000 | £3,000 pension contribution.£8,000 taxable benefit to meet commuting and subsistence costs between Dundee and the Head Office in Inverness. |
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 18 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive who the new chief executives of the water authorities are, what the current value is of their individual salaries and benefit packages and what the last place of employment and former job title was of each.
Answer
All three chief executive appointments were made following open competition. Two new chief executives were appointed by the North and East of Scotland Water Authorities and will take up post in July 2000. West of Scotland Water Authority re-appointed their incumbent chief executive. The information requested is as follows:
| Water Authority | NoSWA | ESWA | WoSWA |
| Chief executive appointed | Katharine Bryan | Jon Hargreaves | Ernie Chambers |
| Basic Salary | £105,000 | £130,000 | £120,000 |
| Performance-related bonus | Up to 10% of basic salary | Up to 10% of basic salary | Up to 10% of basic salary |
| Non-pensionable & taxable benefits | £10,000 | Nil | Nil |
| Pension contributions | 12% | 13.2% | 12% |
| Previous position | Regional Director, Environment Agency - South West | Managing Director, Northumbrian Lyonnaise International | Chief Executive, West of Scotland Water Authority |
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 18 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average age is of Scottish fishing vessels and how this compares with the average age of fishing vessels in other EU member states.
Answer
Data on the ages of active, Scottish-based fishing vessels are set out in Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics (table 5 and Annex A), the latest version of which was published in September 1999. Copies are available in SPICe and the Scottish Executive website.
Analysis suggests the average age of active Scottish-based vessels over 10 metres is just over 21 years. The Scottish Executive has not carried out any comparison with the average age of vessels in other EU member states' fleets, but the European Commission has published some data. I will have this placed in SPICe.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 12 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment there has been of the impact of fuel costs on the fishing industry.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has carried out no such assessment.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 5 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1652 by Henry McLeish on 11 May 2000, how many new posts are due to be created in the Department of Trade and Industry's Oil and Gas Directorate offices in (a) Aberdeen, (b) Glasgow and (c) elsewhere; how many of these posts are brand new jobs; where any transferred jobs are being transferred from, and whether it will provide details on the nature of all these new jobs.
Answer
The precise nature of these posts is a matter for DTI.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 4 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent the eco-system influences the framing of sea fisheries management policy by the Executive and in Europe; whether any developments are likely in this regard, and whether it is aware of any relevant research being undertaken on the link between sea fisheries management and the eco-system.
Answer
The integration of fisheries and environment policies is being actively pursued within the European Union and the general principle of applying the Ecosystem approach to fisheries management is now widely accepted. The Scottish Executive supports moves to safeguard the sustainability of fish stocks and the marine environment. The recent establishment of a closed area for sandeel fishing off the east coast of Scotland is an example of the application of the Ecosystem approach.
The FRS Marine Lab in Aberdeen has been engaged in a number of Ecosystem projects including the monitoring of biodiversity in the North Sea, the effects of large-scale industrial fishing on non-target species and the effects of fishing on the marine environment.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 3 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of financial assistance will be given towards investment in the water industry other than borrowing consent under the External Finance Limits in the next financial year.
Answer
£9.2 million is set aside for grant assistance to the water authorities in 2000-01. Like borrowing, the uptake of this grant is set against the authorities' External Finance Limits.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 3 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on salary levels and benefit packages for the chairmen of the water authorities.
Answer
Water authority Chairs are remunerated at a level appropriate for the responsibilities, duties and time commitment which they are required to take on.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 3 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what specific financial and other types of measures are available to assist fish processors to maintain and develop their businesses both at home and overseas.
Answer
Financial assistance may be available under the new Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) which we expect to open to applications later this year. Any scheme for processing and marketing will be competitive in nature, predominantly geared toward projects which add value and therefore provide an economic spin-off with the creation of jobs and deliver increased returns in the industry. This priority was highlighted by the industry in the consultation exercise undertaken on the new FIFG programme. Alternatively, with some financial assistance from the Executive or other UK Departments, bodies such as the Sea Fish Industry Authority (SFIA) and Seafood Scotland provide training and other assistance intended to promote best practice throughout the fishing industry, including the processing sector. Advice and assistance are also available from Local Enterprise Companies (LECs).
