- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 August 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 18 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether cement kilns when combusting waste known as "recycled liquid fuel" emit up to ten times more dioxins than purpose-built incinerators.
Answer
There is no evidence to indicate that higher levels of dioxins are emitted when recycled liquid fuel is used to provide energy in cement kilns compared with emissions from purpose-built incinerators. The use of this type of fuel in cement kilns is treated by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) as a process of co-incineration falling within the scope of the EC Hazardous Waste Incineration Directive. That directive requires a dioxin limit of 0.1 nanogrammes per cubic metre for hazardous waste incinerators. This is the same limit that SEPA applies to purpose-built incinerators.The recycling of waste products into fuels that are useable in processes such as cement production reduces the demand for raw materials and helps to conserve fossil fuel resources.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 August 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 18 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, following the spillage of 6,000 litres of ha'ardous liquid fuel at the Blue Circle factory near Dunbar last month, it is satisfied with production procedures at the factory.
Answer
The Executive is satisfied with the environmental and health and safety legislation which regulate the cement manufacturing process. Assessment of the effectiveness of pollution controls and health and safety procedures at particular sites is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Health and Safety Executive.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 August 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 18 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of the report in the Sunday Herald on 19 August 2001 regarding toxin emissions in cement production at the Blue Circle factory near Dunbar, it will commission a study into any impact on cows' milk, farm crops and other food, whether for human or animal consumption, produced in and around the area.
Answer
This area of work is now the responsibility of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) which informs me that it currently has no plans to commission a study of food and feedstuffs produced in the vicinity of the Blue Circle cement factory.However, I am advised that the FSA, in its role as a statutory consultee of the regulator SEPA (the Scottish Environment Protection Agency), will shortly be reviewing the operations carried out by Blue Circle at Dunbar in the context of the company's application for a permit under the terms of the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2000.If the agency has concerns about the impact of emissions on the foodchain, it will advise SEPA accordingly and will, if necessary, recommend that additional safeguards be instituted.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 18 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish Borders residents formerly employed at Viasystems' Scottish Borders plants will be made redundant in the event of Viasystems' North Tyneside plant closing.
Answer
The Scottish Executive does not have access to individual firms' employee residence data. However, I understand that Scottish Enterprise Borders estimates that around 12 such individuals may be made redundant.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 18 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1096 by Henry McLeish on 11 October 1999 and in the light of the recent announcement of redundancies at Viasystems' Tyneside plants and reports that it intends to close its UK operations, whether it plans to discuss issues relating to the award of regional selective assistance (RSA) with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in particular the award of RSA to Viasystems' North Tyneside plant and any impact this had on Viasystems jobs in the Scottish Borders, and, if so, what concerns it will be conveying to the DTI.
Answer
The Scottish Executive maintains regular contact with the Department of Trade and Industry with regard to the administration of Regional Selective Assistance and where necessary, discusses individual cases which may impact on employment in different regions of the UK.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus MacKay on 13 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of Scottish Borders Council and what issues were discussed.
Answer
There have been a number of recent meetings between Scottish Borders Council and officials of the Scottish Executive and associated agencies at which various routine business matters have been discussed.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 August 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 12 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many misconduct reports were logged at HM Prison Kilmarnock in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) 2001 to date.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-17666 on 6 September 2001.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 August 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 11 September 2001
To ask the Presiding Officer when a practice of flying the Saltire from the Parliament's offices on George IV Bridge at all times will be introduced.
Answer
The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body's policy is to fly both the Saltire and the Union flag on Committee Chambers on certain specified days only. There are no current plans to change this policy although the Corporate Body has agreed to consider the issue of a parliamentary flag in the context of the Holyrood Arts Strategy.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 August 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 10 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what the staffing levels have been at each house-block in each Scottish Prison Service prison for (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) 2001 to date.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:Information in the form requested is not readily available and could not be produced except at disproportionate cost. SPS staffing figures are given in Appendix 7 of the SPS Annual Report for the years in question, copies of which are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 August 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 10 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many acts of self-harm were logged at HM Prison Kilmarnock in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) 2001 to date.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:The numbers of acts of self-harm reported to SPS by Premier Prison Services Ltd, the operators of Kilmarnock have been:1999-2000: 202000-01: 132001 to date: 9
