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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-01361

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 September 1999
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 17 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to increase funding to local authorities for the purpose of diversion from prosecution services for drug using offenders.

The Justice Department of the Scottish Executive is funding 18 pilot diversion schemes to 31 March 2000. Many of the schemes offer support to drug dependent offenders. A report on the evaluation of the pilots has been received and will be considered carefully before any decision is made on future policy and funding. We have announced that an additional £600,000 per annum is to be made available to local authorities for drug and addiction projects, including a major project in Aberdeenshire and Moray.

Question reference: S1O-00911

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 January 2000
Current Status: Answered by Donald Dewar on 13 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive when the First Minister next intends to visit the City of Aberdeen and with whom he intends to meet.

Question reference: S1W-03361

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Sam Galbraith on 11 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give statistics relating to absenteeism caused by stress related illnesses among teaching staff in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools by local authority area for each of the last five years.

Question reference: S1W-03363

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Wendy Alexander on 30 December 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide statistics relating to awards granted to organisations based in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow for the purposes of tackling poverty expressed on a per capita basis for each of the last five years.

Question reference: S1W-03364

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Wendy Alexander on 30 December 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to consider and respond to the findings of Deprivation amongst affluence: social exclusion in the City of Aberdeen by Professor Thomas Lange of the Centre of Public Policy and Management at the Robert Gordon University.

I have received a copy of Deprivation amongst affluence: social exclusion in the City of Aberdeen. The Scottish Executive recognises the disadvantage that exists in areas of Aberdeen. The Great Northern Partnership in the city has been designated as a Social Inclusion Partnership and is receiving funding of £819,000 in the current year. In November 1999 the Executive published our targets and milestones for tackling poverty in Scotland, and in spring 2000 we will publish our Action Plan setting out how we intend to deliver these milestones.

Question reference: S1W-02920

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by John Home Robertson on 16 December 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list those fisheries measures that will cease or be subject to budget reductions following the reduction in overall fisheries expenditure outlined in its recent spending plans.

Question reference: S1W-02921

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Wendy Alexander on 14 December 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make representations to Her Majesty's Government regarding reform of the severe weather allowance for pensioners in Scotland.

Question reference: S1W-02085

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 October 1999
Current Status: Answered by John Home Robertson on 13 December 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive what length of notice was given to prawn fishermen in the under 10m fleet before the recent prohibition was introduced in nephrops fisheries on 12 October.

Variations to licences to prohibit fishing for North Sea nephrops as of 12 October were issued by fisheries officers by post to owners of 10 metres and under fishing vessels from 6 October. In addition a press notice announcing the prohibition was issued by the Scottish Executive on 7 October. We are very pleased that the Executive was able to reopen the fishery subject to appropriate conditions on 25 October.

Question reference: S1W-02739

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 November 1999
Current Status: Answered by John Home Robertson on 7 December 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the forms, record sheets and any other paperwork, by fisheries sector, issued by its Rural Affairs Department and its predecessor departments which owners of fishing vessels are required to complete in order to comply with legislation and what plans it has to review any "red tape" in the Fisheries industry.

Documentation which the Rural Affairs Department may require fishing vessel owners to complete relates primarily to the licensing of fishing vessels, control and quota management. Most require to be completed only in specified circumstances. Owners are routinely required to complete an application for a fishing vessel licence (form AFL2), annually in the case of vessels over 10 metres in length and biennially in the case of vessels of 10 metres or under.We will continue to try to ensure a balance between the aim of minimising the bureaucratic burdens on the industry whilst securing an appropriate level of regulation in the interests of sustainable fisheries.

Question reference: S1W-02728

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 November 1999
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 7 December 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings it has had with the major supermarket chains to discuss Scottish agricultural produce and the promotion of Scottish produce, with whom it met, who represented it, when these meetings took place and whether the issue of supermarkets' profit margins on Scottish agricultural produce was discussed.

I met with the Technical Manager of Marks and Spencer on 7 August. I had also planned to meet the Chief Executive of Asda, but this meeting was postponed at the company's request following their take-over by Walmart.

On 10 November, the First Minister attended an event to discuss UK supply chain issues and met the Chief Executives of Sainsbury's, Asda and Somerfield, and the Trading Director of Tesco.The issue of supermarket profit margins and their impact on Scottish agricultural produce was not discussed at these meetings. Competition policy is a reserved matter and it would be inappropriate for the Scottish Executive to discuss such matters when the Competition Commission are actively looking at the supermarkets' competitive position.