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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S1W-03892

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 21 January 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 4 February 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the number of (a) registered dentists and (b) registered NHS dentists, by health board area for each of the last ten years.

Information on the number of registered dentists and the number of dentists practising outwith the National Health Service in Scotland (NHSiS) is not available centrally. The number of general dental practitioners practising within the NHSiS by health board area over the past nine years is shown in the table below:

General Dental Practitioners^{1, 2} Practising within the NHSiS by Health Board Area
	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999
Scotland	1,656	1,680	1,774	1,770	1,776	1,767	1,802	1,855	1,931
Argyll & Clyde	157	160	165	170	167	166	166	166	153
Ayrshire & Arran	118	120	126	133	126	128	133	138	127
Borders	32	34	40	35	38	35	33	34	35
Dumfries & Galloway	37	36	43	41	44	42	38	37	42
Fife	103	100	117	123	119	119	118	124	113
Forth Valley	80	83	79	77	77	81	82	92	96
Grampian	139	146	160	148	155	151	157	162	169
Greater Glasgow	340	348	358	347	356	341	355	354	413
Highland	63	68	72	77	79	71	81	80	85
Lanarkshire	147	141	147	148	149	161	161	172	170
Lothian	278	282	301	298	301	308	310	322	344
Orkney	3	4	4	10	4	5	4	5	6
Shetland	6	8	8	9	9	8	9	9	9
Tayside	142	140	145	141	141	139	143	148	157
Western Isles	11	10	9	13	11	12	12	12	12

Notes:

1. A small proportion of dentists work in more than one health board. In this table each dentist is counted only once2. Excludes trainees and assistants.

Question reference: S1W-03602

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 January 2000
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 28 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage the Automobile Association to include the promotion of Scottish tourist attractions in its Benefits Guide which is distributed to its nine million members.

Question reference: S1W-03605

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 January 2000
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 28 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3200 on 24 December 1999 by Ross Finnie, whether it plans to introduce any measures in connection with the labelling of meat and meat products with the country of origin and, if so, what form these measures will take.

As explained in my answer of 24 December 1999 to a related question from Irene McGugan, the Scottish Executive issued a consultation paper seeking views from interested parties on this matter. Responses to the consultation exercise are being considered with a view to amending the Guidance Notes on the Food Labelling Regulations to clarify and strengthen the guidance relating to country of origin. No change to the Regulations themselves is proposed.

Question reference: S1W-03604

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 January 2000
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 28 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give details of its response to the European Union proposal to delay implementation of the beef labelling system established under EC Regulation 820/97.

Question reference: S1W-03748

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 January 2000
Current Status: Answered by Wendy Alexander on 28 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the current method for calculating funding awards to tackle deprivation takes account of areas suffering from poverty that may be part of larger communities that are deemed to be affluent and, if not, what plans it has to ensure that such funding awards are made available to these areas.

I shall answer this and Mr Lochhead's subsequent question (S1W-3749) together.In the reply of 13 January to a similar question from Mr Lewis Macdonald (No. S1O-902) we be explained that there is no single method of allocating resources for tackling deprivation across the range of the Executive's programmes.The reply also pointed out that the Social Justice Report, published in November 1999, makes clear that we will exploring how planning systems can be developed to ensure expenditure is effective and relevant to the problems experienced by particular groups and communities.

Question reference: S1W-03749

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 January 2000
Current Status: Answered by Wendy Alexander on 28 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details on the methods, formulae, and criteria used to calculate funding awards for projects aimed at tackling social inclusion and whether it has any plans to make changes to ensure that all pockets of poverty are identified.

Question reference: S1W-03368

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by John Home Robertson on 25 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions took place, prior to 1 July 1999, between the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) and The Scottish Office on the definition of the Scottish fisheries 'one and whether, at any stage, MAFF suggested alternative boundaries other than that finally agreed and, if so, what were their co-ordinates.

Question reference: S1W-03367

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by John Home Robertson on 25 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre any correspondence or communication between The Scotland Office and/or The Scottish Executive and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on the subject of the Scottish fisheries 'one.

Mr Lochhead should direct his question about correspondence between the Scotland Office and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to the Secretary of State of Scotland.Regarding the correspondence between the Scottish Executive and other parties, Mr Finnie wrote to the Secretary of State about this issue on 20 June 1999. This letter has been lodged with the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Question reference: S1W-03642

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2000
Current Status: Answered by John Home Robertson on 25 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what the progress is of current research into seal populations including population dynamics and their impact on fish stocks and what its policy is on controlling the seal population.

Under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970, the Natural Environment Research Council is required to provide Scottish Ministers with scientific advice on matters related to the management of seal populations. In practice this advice is provided on an annual basis. I have just received the 1999 report and I will be considering its contents very carefully. I will ensure that a copy of this report is placed with SPICe.A range of individual research projects are underway to investigate different aspects of interactions between seals and fish, for example, seals and salmon on the River Conon and the feeding habits of seals in Lochs Shieldaig and Torridon.The Conservation of Seals Act 1970 already permits the shooting of seals, provided that an appropriately licensed firearm is used, during the open seasons; and limited shooting under licence during the close seasons for the prevention of damage to fisheries. Current policy recognises that control of seal predation on fisheries is best handled at the local level.

Question reference: S1W-03644

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2000
Current Status: Answered by John Home Robertson on 25 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to withdraw or relax any control regulations in the light of the introduction of satellite monitoring of fishing vessels and, if so, which regulations.

Satellite monitoring arrangements apply to fishing vessels over 24 metres in overall length and are intended to supplement existing control measures.

As yet experience has to be gained of the practical operation of satellite monitoring. However, the Community has amended the rules for the Shetland Box so that satellite position reports may be accepted as fulfilling the obligations on masters of vessels over 24 metres to notify entry into and exit from the Box.The implications of satellite monitoring arrangements have also been considered as part of a recent review of pelagic management arrangements undertaken by a joint industry/Fisheries Departments working group. The group's report recommended, and we have agreed, some consequential changes to the arrangements for the exchange and uplift of pelagic licences. A copy of the report has been placed in SPICe for information. The Fisheries Departments will be writing to pelagic interests shortly setting out detailed guidance on the new arrangements.