- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 20 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that any amendments it intends to bring forward to the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill for Stage 3 will be lodged as soon as possible to allow all interested parties and groups time to consider them, to consult with their MSPs and to contribute to any consideration of issues relating to such amendments at Stage 3.
Answer
Yes. We are considering the Bill as amended at Stage 2 and confirm that we will bring forward any Executive amendments as soon as we can.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 20 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will introduce to put into effect the conclusions reached in paragraphs 78 and 88 of the Stage 1 Report by the Rural Development Committee on the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-20727.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 19 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will meet representatives of the Scottish Hill Packs Association to discuss the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill prior to the Stage 3 debate on the Bill.
Answer
I have no plans to meet with the Scottish Hill Packs Association, nor have I been asked by them to do so.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 19 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received a request from the Scottish Gamekeepers Association for a meeting with the Minister for Environment and Rural Development to discuss the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill prior to the Stage 3 debate on the Bill, and, if so, whether the minister will grant such a request.
Answer
A request from the Scottish Gamekeepers Association for a meeting with officials was made in November and that meeting took place on 13 December. The association subsequently asked whether I could attend that meeting also but other engagements prevented me from doing so. I have, however, asked officials to report the discussions of that meeting to me.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 19 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the contract with BEAR Scotland Ltd need to be reviewed and what penalties the Executive would incur should it decide to cancel the contract on the grounds of non-performance by BEAR Scotland Ltd.
Answer
The contracts with BEAR Scotland Ltd have been awarded for a period of five to seven years and do not need to be reviewed. The contractual performance of the Operating Companies on all four contracts is monitored on an on-going basis by Halcrow in association with PricewaterhouseCoopers (the Performance Audit Group) and the Scottish Executive. There are a range of corrective measures and financial sanctions within the contracts which the Scottish Executive can consider in the event of unsatisfactory performance by the Operating Company. Having exhausted these, the Scottish Executive can terminate the contract if serious non-performance continues to be identified. Costs would be incurred in relation to securing a new Operating Company.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 19 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether BEAR Scotland Ltd have been in breach of their obligations in respect of their duties in relation to the trunk road network.
Answer
BEAR's contract is complex and detailed and minor breaches will inevitably occur. However, there are set procedures for rectification of more serious failures. The first step of this procedure is to issue a default notice to BEAR to ensure the level of service is maintained.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 17 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to its news release SE4388/2001 of 21 November 2001, when it expects the first licenses to be issued for lamb exports from (a) Dumfries and Galloway and (b) the Scottish Borders.
Answer
The legislation permitting the slaughter of lambs from approved slaughter premises in Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders was introduced on 3 December. Licences for movements to slaughter were subsequently issued that day.The first export health certificates were issued on 4 December for shipment on 6 December.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 17 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a valuation of the land occupied by Drummond School, Inverness, has been obtained by the relevant local authority, or any other public body or agency, and if so whether a copy of the valuation will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer
Any arrangements concerning the valuation of the land occupied by Drummond School, Inverness would be for The Highland Council as the education authority responsible for the management of the school. Such arrangements do not involve the Scottish Executive or any public body or agency for which the Scottish Executive may have responsibility.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 17 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether BEAR Scotland Ltd have been in breach of their obligations under their contract in respect of the provision of clearing and gritting of trunk roads in the Highlands, in particular on the 8 and 9 November 2001.
Answer
BEAR's contract is complex and detailed and minor breaches will inevitably occur. There are set procedures for rectification of more significant breaches. The first step of this procedure is to issue a default notice to BEAR to ensure the level of service is maintained. The Scottish Executive has not issued default notices in relation to BEAR's performance concerning winter maintenance on 8 and 9 November 2001.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 17 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive which provisions of its contract with BEAR Scotland Ltd that are currently undisclosed will require to be made public on request under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Bill.
Answer
The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Bill has yet to complete its passage through the Parliament. In keeping with the approach under other statutory Freedom of Information regimes, it is envisaged that all requests for information would be considered on a case-by-case basis and, as such, it is not possible to anticipate whether any particular information relating to the Executive's contract with BEAR Scotland Ltd would be disclosed.
