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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: S3W-17640

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 14 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the Bull Hire Scheme has made a positive impact on the quality of cattle produced in the Highlands and Islands since its inception.

The Scottish Government considers that the scheme at one time made a positive impact in terms of the maintenance of cow numbers, environmental benefits and local economic activity. However, the Scottish Agricultural College 2003 report (Bib. number 32088) concluded that the Bull Hire Scheme did not represent value for money in terms of genetic improvement of crofters'' cattle.

In September 2007, the Scottish ministers invited the Crofters Commission to undertake a formal appraisal of the investment that would be required to bring the facilities at Inverness up to scratch for a modern service. The options appraisal carried out by independent consultants is available on the Scottish Government website at www.scotland.gov.uk . The independent investment appraisal sets out detailed cost assumptions including estimated costs per hire of £2,318 (at 124 bulls). However, with an estimated current annual hire rate of 110 bulls, the appraisal''s hire cost forecasts, under different investment scenarios, rise to approximately £2,500. Beneficiaries should pay at least 50% of costs in order properly to satisfy state aids (de minimis) conditions. This results in the forecast charge of £1,250 quoted by me on 1 October 2008 (Official Report c.11309), an increase of 150% on current hire rates. Experience has shown that increasing charges results in significantly lower use of the scheme.

The Scottish Government did not consult formally on the future of the Bull Hire Scheme in advance of my statement, which responded to the Shucksmith Inquiry''s recommendations on its future. Veterinary issues were not seen as a major concern.

Question reference: S3W-17650

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 14 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what obligation private bull hire enterprises will have to provide bulls for hire to crofters in the most remote communities.

The Scottish Government has had no discussions with private hire companies about the market opportunities which will become available to them in future as a result of the removal of subsidised state hire provision. No obligation can be placed on such companies either to provide bulls for hire in remote areas or to ensure competition. However, assistance to mitigate the transport costs of private hire should ensure that hiring in remote areas is no more costly than on the mainland and thus encourage greater competition.

Private individuals or enterprises intending to offer bull hire services must comply with statutory requirements to provide appropriate care for livestock. The Scottish Government has no reason to consider that private commercial companies would be less than diligent in meeting such requirements.

Question reference: S3W-17636

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 14 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the proportion of cattle in the crofting counties that were in calf to a Crofters Commission’s bull in (a) 2003, (b) 2004, (ci)2005, (d) 2006 and (e) 2007.

Question reference: S3W-17649

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 14 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that there is competition in the private bull hire market in the most remote communities.

Question reference: S3W-17634

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 14 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive which (a) crofters, (b) grazings committees and (c) crofting communities hired a bull in (i) 2006, (ii) 2007 and (iii) 2008.

Question reference: S3W-17635

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 14 November 2008

The following islands received a bull or bulls in years 2006, 2007 and 2008

2006	2007	2008
North Uist	North Uist	North Uist
South Uist	South Uist	South Uist
Lewis	Lewis	Lewis
Harris	Harris	Harris
Skye	Skye	Skye
Tiree	Tiree	Tiree
Orkney	Orkney	Orkney
Shetland	Shetland	Shetland
Raasay	Raasay	Raasay
Jura	Jura	Jura
Barra	Barra	Barra
Mull	Mull	Mull
Isle of Ewe	Isle of Ewe	Isle of Ewe
Canna	Canna	Canna
Coll	Coll
Iona
Islay

Question reference: S3W-17632

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 14 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how many bulls the Crofters Commission owns and administers for hire to crofters.

In 2008, the Crofters Commission maintained a herd of 132 bulls to provide hire services to crofting groups. Details of hires in 2006, 2007, and 2008 are as set out in the table below. As hire groups are usually made up of a mixture of crofters, grazings committees and communities, more detailed breakdowns are not possible. Disclosure of personal details would contravene data protection legislation.

2006	2007	2008
124 hires	121 hires	119 hires
Townships
Abernethy	Achachork	Achachork
Achachork	Ahmore	Ahmore
Acharacle	Aird	Aird
Ahmore	Airds Kirkton	Airds Kirkton
Aird	Ardheslaig	Ardheslaig
Airds Kirkton	Ardnamonie	Ardnamonie
Airor	Arinackaig	Arinackaig
Ardheslaig	Back of Keppoch	Back of Keppoch
Ardnamonie	Balantrushal	Balantrushal
Arinackaig	Balavullin	Balavullin
Back of Keppoch	Baleloch	Baleloch
Balantrushal	Balemore	Balemore
Balavullin	Balephetrish	Balephetrish
Baleloch	Balmaqueen	Balmaqueen
Balemore	Balranald	Balranald
Balephetrish	Barrapol Tiree	Balvraid
Balmaqueen	Birichen	Barrapol Tiree
Balranald	Borve Barra	Birichen
Barrapol Tiree	Borve Berneray	Borve Barra
Birichen	Breakish Moss	Borve Berneray
Borve Barra	Brogaig and Sartle	Breakish Moss
Borve Berneray	Caligarry	Brogaig and Sartle
Breakish Moss	Clachan Sands	Caligarry
Brogaig and Sartle	Clashmore	Clachan Sands
Caligarry	Corpach	Clashmore
Callanish	Cullivoe	Corpach
Clachan Sands	Diabaig	Cosaig
Clashmore	Doll Brora	Cullivoe
Corpach	Dorback and Dulnain	Diabaig
Cullivoe	Drimsdale	Doll Brora
Diabaig	Drumuie	Dorback and Dulnain
Doll Brora	Dunans	Drimsdale
Dorback and Dulnain	Earlish	Drumuie
Drimsdale	East Brora	Dunans
Drumuie	Elgol	Earlish
Dunans	Eoligarry	East Brora
Earlish	Erisort	Elgol
East Brora	Erisort	Eoligarry
Elgol	Feorlig/Roag	Erisort
Eoligarry	Fetlar	Erisort
Erisort	Gesto	Feorlig/Roag
Erisort	Glaick	Fetlar
Feorlig/Roag	Glenelg	Garynahine
Fetlar	Glenhinnisdale	Gesto
Gesto	Glenmoriston	Glaick
Glaick	Grean and Cleat	Glenelg
Glenelg	Grenitote	Glenhinnisdale
Glenhinnisdale	Halladale	Glenmoriston
Glenmoriston	Harroldswick	Grean and Cleat
Grean and Cleat	Heaste	Grenitote
Grenitote	Hosta	Harroldswick
Halladale	Hougharry	Heaste
Harroldswick	Illeray	Hilton Of Embo
Heaste	Isle Ewe	Hosta
Hosta	Keoldale	Hougharry
Hougharry	Kilkenneth	Illeray
Illeray	Kilphedar	Isle Ewe
Isle Ewe	Kingsburgh	Keoldale
Keoldale	Kinloid	Kilkenneth
Kilkenneth	Knockline	Kilphedar
Kilphedar	Knockrome	Kinloid
Kingsburgh	Knockvologen	Knockline
Kinloid	Laxay	Knockrome
Knockintorran	Lee Knockan	Knockvologen
Knockline	Linicro	Laxay
Knockrome	Lotts	Lee Knockan
Knockvologen	Marwick Orkney	Linicro
Laxay	Mellon Charles	Lower Barvas
Lee Knock	Migdale	Marwick Orkney
Linicro	Milton	Mellon Charles
Lotts	Monkstadt	Middleton and Sandaig
Marwick Orkney	North Boisdale	Migdale
Mellon Charles	North Harris Group	Milton
Middlequarter	North Raasay	Monkstadt
Middleton	Ness	North Boisdale
Migdale	Newtonferry	North Harris Group
Milton	North Roe	North Raasay
Monkstadt	Old Corry	Ness
North Boisdale	Park Grazings	Newtonferry
North Harris Group	South Unst	North Roe
North Raasay	Satran	Old Corry
Ness	Scaristaveg	Ormiclate
Newtonferry	Scullamus	Park Grazings
North Roe	Skerray	South Unst( Uyeasound)
Old Corry	Sollas	Sanday, Canna
Park Grazings	Sorrisdale	Satran
South Unst	South Boisdale	Scaristaveg
Satran	Stenscholl	Scullamus
Scaristaveg	Stoneybridge	Skerray
Scullamus	Strathascaig	Sollas
Skerray	Strone and Craggan	Sorrisdale
Sollas	Tigharry	South Boisdale
Sorrisdale	Tomich	Stenscholl
South Boisdale	Tomich	Stoneybridge
Stenscholl	Torrin	Strathascaig
Stoneybridge	Totescore	Strone and Craggan
Strathascaig	Ullinish and Balgown	Tigharry
Strone and Craggan	Unakillie	Tingwall
Stronmilichan	Upper Barvas	Tomich
Tigharry	Vatersay	Tomich
Tomich	West Gerinish	Torrin
Tomich	West Sandwick	Totescore
Torrin		Ullinish and Balgown
Totescore		Unakillie
Ullinish and Balgown		Upper Barvas
Unakillie		Vatersay
Upper Barvas		West Gerinish
Vatersay		West Sandwick
West Gerinish
West Sandwick
WestEnd Iona

Question reference: S3W-17633

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 14 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how many bulls for hire were sent to (a) crofters, (b) grazings committees and (c) crofting communities in (i) 2006, (ii) 2007 and (iii) 2008.

Question reference: S3W-17647

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 14 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the giving away or selling of Crofters Commission bulls at below market rates raises any state aid implications.

Question reference: S3W-17653

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 14 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether applications to the Scotland Rural Development Programme that relate to the transport costs of bulls in a private bull hire scheme are guaranteed to be approved.