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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: S2W-30041

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 November 2006
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 4 December 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Advisory Committee on Sites of Special Scientific Interest may invite external advice and, if so, in what circumstances, how often it has done so and what steps are taken to ensure that those advising the committee have appropriate and relevant scientific qualifications and experience in relation to flora or fauna or the geological or geomorphological features of land.

The Advisory Committee on Sitesof Special Scientific Interest (ACSSSI) has invited external advice from specialistadvisers on eight of the 10 cases it has considered since August 2001. Specialistadvice is sought when the committee feels that it needs additional expert inputon specialist ecological and scientific issues.

All potential advisers are approachedto provide CVs, which are passed to committee members for consideration. Advisersare usually well-known to the scientific community as experts in their field. ACSSSIremains responsible for determining its advice after taking account of such additionalinput and is not bound to accept the advice of its specialist advisers.

Question reference: S2W-29924

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 November 2006
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 27 November 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-29350 by Ross Finnie on 10 November 2006, how many of the 65 detected incidents of pesticides exceeding the maximum residue level in 2005 were in produce originating or processed in Scotland and whether any enforcement action was taken.

The pesticide residues monitoringprogramme is UK-wide and it is not possible to determine origin within the UK from the informationavailable. Of the 65 incidents in 2005 where pesticide residues exceeded the maximumresidue level, seven involved produce labelled as UK origin.

Enforcement action has been initiatedin respect of one incident. The enforcement process identified that the producein question did not originate in Scotland.

The Pesticide Residues Committeepublish quarterly reports that contain brand names and details of produce that exceedthe maximum residue levels and any follow up action taken.

Question reference: S2W-29350

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 October 2006
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 10 November 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) reported cases of and (b) successful prosecutions for breaches of maximum pesticide residue levels in food there have been in each of the last five years.

Reported breaches of maximumresidue levels (MRLs) in the Pesticides Residues Committee’s UK pesticideresidues monitoring programme were as follows:

2001	29	(0.7%)
2002	40	(1%)
2003	27	(0.7%)
2004	42	(1.1%)
2005	65	(1.7%)

The UK has one of the lowestincidences of breaches of trading levels in Europe. Accordingly, prosecutions arenot routinely taken for minor infringements but are reserved for food safety issuesand the use of non-approved pesticides. There have been no prosecutions taken inthe last five years.

Question reference: S2W-29348

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 October 2006
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 8 November 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) incidence and (b) level has been of pesticide residue in food in each of the last five years.

The results of the UK pesticidesmonitoring programme overseen by the independent Pesticides Residues Committeehave shown over the last five years that around 70% of food tested contained nodetectable residues among those sought, around 29% contained residues withinstatutory maximum residue levels (MRLs) and around 1% exceeded MRLs. Theprogramme covers 3,700 to 4,000 samples each year for around 40 commodities. Fulldetails are publicly available on the Committee’s website at www.prc-uk.org.

Question reference: S2W-29349

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 October 2006
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 8 November 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the latest research published by the Pesticide Action Network in respect of pesticide residues in food.

The Pesticides SafetyDirectorate is responsible for the regulation of pesticides and monitoring ofpesticides residues in the UK and has considered the report by Pesticides ActionNetwork (PAN). The Pesticides Safety Directorate has access to the most up todate safety data for pesticides and is well placed to make judgments on therisk to consumers. It does not share PAN’s assessment of the data or theirclaim that UK food contains unsafe levels of pesticides.

Question reference: S2W-29347

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 October 2006
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 8 November 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the survey published by the Pesticide Action Network that found unsafe levels of pesticides in various foods and what plans it has to take action on the matter.

Question reference: S2W-29345

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 October 2006
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 8 November 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent research it has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the effect of exposure to unsafe levels of pesticide residues in food.

Nationally, a £2 millionprogramme of pesticide residue testing in food and drink is undertaken everyyear in the UK. This work is administered by the Pesticides SafetyDirectorate and overseen by the independent Pesticides Residues Committee whosemembers are appointed jointly by Scottish ministers and ministers from Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Department of Health and the other devolvedadministrations. No additional work on exposure has been commissioned.

Question reference: S2W-29346

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 October 2006
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 8 November 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what actions are being taken to address unsafe levels of pesticides in food.

The Scottish Executiveparticipates in a UK pesticides residues monitoring programme which isoverseen by the independent Pesticides Residues Committee and costs around £2million annually. The results indicate a high level of compliance withstatutory maximum residue limits and continue to demonstrate that food availableto UK consumers does not contain unsafe levels of pesticides. Full results ofthis programme are available on the PRC website www.prc-uk.org.

Question reference: S2W-29016

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 October 2006
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 7 November 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its announcement on 19 March 2006 that the six pathfinder Business Improvement Districts would each receive £50,000 to develop business plans over the course of one year, whether a decision been made to allocate additional funding over a longer timescale.

The Business ImprovementDistricts (BIDs) Steering Group, comprising representatives from across theprivate and public sectors, will make recommendations to ministers on theallocation of uncommitted funds for 2006-07.

In addition to the initial£50,000 provided for each pilot project, expenditure has also been committed whichwill be of benefit to all BID projects, including the employment of a projectdirector, a study tour to existing BIDs in England, and a new Scottish BIDswebsite which will promulgate best practice.

Question reference: S2W-29017

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 October 2006
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 7 November 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive, given that the pathfinder Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in Edinburgh and Glasgow have the potential to raise a higher business levy than the other pathfinder BIDs and given that they have secured in-kind support, whether it will grant their requests for additional funding.