- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 28 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government concerning the proposed introduction of an electronic identification system for sheep and what the terms were of any representations
Answer
The Scottish Governmentcontinues to work with Her Majesty’s Government and indeed the rest of the UK asregards the introduction of electronic identification (EID). Part of that workwas the submission of the UK Evidence Report which highlighted the findings oftrials within the UK and urged the Commission to take account of thesefindings in seeking a delay to the introduction of EID on 1 January 2008 (aslaid out in EU Council Regulation 21/2004). It is believed that the extensivelobbying by the Scottish Government, Her Majesty’s Government and industrystakeholders resulted in the Commission recommending that the introduction ofEID be delayed until 31 December 2009. A qualified majority vote on the implementationdate of 31 December 2009 was secured by the Portuguese Presidency at ECAgriculture and Fisheries Council on 17 December 2007. The Scottish Government will continue to work with Her Majesty’sGovernment other UK Departments to make representations at EU Working Groupsand to try find a workable and affordable EID system for the UK industrytaking account of the unique stratified nature of the sheep movement system inthe UK.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 28 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from the manufacturers and suppliers of electronic identification systems for sheep and what the terms were of any representations.
Answer
No. Representations have beenreceived by the Scottish Government from manufacturers and suppliers of electronicidentification systems.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 28 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the European Commission concerning the proposed introduction of an electronic identification system for sheep and what the terms were of any representations.
Answer
The Scottish Governmentprovided submissions to the Commission as part of the UK Evidence Report whichhighlighted the findings of trials within the UK and urged the Commission totake account of these findings in seeking a delay to the introduction ofelectronic identification (EID) on 1 January 2008as laid out in EU Council Regulation 21/2004. We believe that followingextensive lobbying by both the Scottish Government and industry stakeholdersthe Commission recommended that the introduction of EID be delayed until 31 December 2009. Aqualified majority vote on the implementation date of 31 December 2009was secured by the Portuguese Presidency at EC Agriculture and FisheriesCouncil on 17 December 2007. A UK delegation, headed by the Chief Veterinary Officerfor Scotland, visited the Commission in July 2007 to seekapproval to continue to work with them in order to find a workable andaffordable EID system for the Scottish industry taking account of the uniquestratified nature of the Scottish sheep movement system.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 24 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received the Scottish Law Commission’s report on its review of aspects of the law on time bar relating to personal injury claims and, if so, when both the report and the Executive’s response to any of the commission’s recommendations will be made public.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has receivedthe Scottish Law Commission’s (SLC) report on Personal Injury Actions: Limitation and Prescribed Claims. The report was published on 5 December 2007 and canbe viewed on the SLC’s website at:
http://www.scotlawcom.gov.uk/downloads/rep207.pdf.The Scottish Executive is currentlyconsidering the recommendations in the report.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-101 by Richard Lochhead on 7 June 2007, what progress has been made on the review of the EU agricultural subsidies appeals procedure; what the membership is of the group undertaking the review; what bodies or individuals have been consulted by those undertaking the review; whether the remit of the review includes consideration of the scale of the penalties applied, and when the outcome of the review is expected to be announced.
Answer
I have now set up an independentpanel to review the current EU agricultural subsidies appeals process. It held itsfirst meeting at the end of November 2007.
The panel is chaired by JohnKinnaird, a past President of NFU Scotland. The other members are Sheriff RoddyMacLeod from the Scottish Land Court, Professor Julie Fitzpatrick, Chief Executiveof the Moredun Foundation and Mrs Isobel McCallum, vice president of the Black IsleFarmers Society.
The review will be wide rangingand cover all aspects of the current process including the legislative framework(which sets out the level of penalties) within which panels have to operate.
As part of its considerationthe panel has also invited the industry to provide its views and opinions on thecurrent procedure.
I expect to receive the findingsin May.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 17 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish ministers have had discussions with their UK counterparts on (a) how any nuclear power stations will be funded, (b) whether the UK Government will be investing any public money in new nuclear power and (c) whether the UK Government will match incentives offered to companies funding nuclear power stations with incentives for the renewables industry.
Answer
We have had no discussions withUKministers on any aspect of the development of new nuclear power stations in Scotland. However,we provided a full response to the UK Government’s consultation on nuclear power,which is available from the Scottish ParliamentInformation Centre. More generally we have made our position clear – Scotland does not want or neednew nuclear power stations and therefore such discussions are not necessary.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 December 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 13 December 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of entitlement to free travel for holders of national entitlement cards, under the national concessionary travel scheme, on ferries operated by (a) Caledonian MacBrayne, (b) Northlink, (c) Orkney Ferries, (d) Shetland Islands Council and (e) Argyll and Bute Council, in each case showing (i) who is entitled to free travel, (ii) any limits on the entitlement and (iii) how the cost of the free travel is funded.
Answer
Residents of WesternIsles, Orkney and Shetland who meet the eligibility criteria for Scotland-Wide FreeBus Travel for Older and Disabled People are entitled to two free return ferry vouchersfrom their place of residence to the Scottish mainland each financial year, providedthey have applied for and received a national entitlement card. These services areoperated by Caledonian MacBrayne and Northlink.
The vouchers can beused at any time during the financial year and the scheme is funded by TransportScotland.
Orkney Ferries andthe ferry services run by Shetland Islands Council do not provide a service to the Scottish mainland and therefore do not participate in the national scheme but residentscan take advantage of a local ferry concession operated by the respective localauthorities.
Eligible island residentswithin the Argyll and Bute Council area have access to a local ferry concessionscheme operated and funded by the Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme JointCommittee and therefore do not receive ferry vouchers as part of Scotland-Wide FreeBus Travel for Older and Disabled People.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 6 December 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider setting up an independent review of the operation of the air ambulance service in the highlands and islands.
Answer
The Scottish AmbulanceService and its constituent operating divisions, which includes the air ambulanceservice, are the subject of continuous performance management by the Scottish Government.At present I see no need to commission an independent review, but we will continueto monitor the performance of the air ambulance service carefully.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 12 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 3 December 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the possibility of setting a higher target for electricity from renewable sources and when there may be an announcement in respect of this.
Answer
As part of therecent Spending Review we announced a substantial increase in the target forelectricity generated in Scotland from renewable sources, to 50% by 2020,as well as a new interim milestone of 31% to be achieved by 2011. Progresstowards these targets will be measured on the basis of whole consumption, whichis Scottish demand including losses.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 12 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 3 December 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on reaching the 40% renewable energy target by 2020.
Answer
Statisticsrelating to electricity generated and consumed in Scotland are published by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and are available online at:
www.berr.gov.uk/energy/statistics/publications/trends/index.html.We have recentlyannounced a significant increase in the target for the generation ofelectricity from renewables to 50% by 2020, as well as a new interim milestoneof 31% to be achieved by 2011. Progress towards these targets will be measuredon the basis of whole consumption, which is Scottish demand including losses.This means that meeting the targets will require notably higher amounts ofrenewable capacity and output than under the previous method of calculation.
Using the newmethod, in 2005, which is still the most recent year for which full generationand consumption figures are available, around 16% of electricity generated in Scotland came from renewable sources.
