- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 20 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it will use in deciding whether to grant approval to proposed GM crop trial sites; in particular, how it will decide whether such trials pose a threat to (a) the environment and (b) public safety and whether it will make details of any such criteria public in advance of the formal notification of any proposed sites in Scotland.
Answer
Statute requires that decisions on whether to approve the growing of a particular GM crop on specific sites are based solely on scientific evidence. This has been made absolutely clear in all pronouncements made since the farm scale evaluation programme started last year. The decision to approve the sites for this year's programme was taken on advice from Scottish Natural Heritage, the Health and Safety Executive and the Food Standards Agency that this crop does not pose a threat to human health or the environment. The Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment also advised that no new evidence had emerged for it to amend its recommendation that these crops could be grown in safety.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 19 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the guidance, direction or advice given to (a) visitscotland, (b) Scottish Enterprise and (c) Highlands and Islands Enterprise regarding the way in which the additional funding for businesses affected by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak can be used and, in particular, whether direct financial aid to businesses has been ruled out other than by way of a refund of the subscriptions to area tourist boards paid by businesses.
Answer
I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-14552 and S1W-14860.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 18 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the total sums which will accrue to (a) lawyers and (b) accountants from the #5 million funding to the Enterprise Network for businesses hit by the consequences of foot-and-mouth disease.
Answer
Where possible, businesses affected by the foot and mouth outbreak will receive advice from the relevant Small Business Gateway and Local Enterprise Company advisers. However, if additional assistance is required, the extra funding for the Enterprise Networks will allow such advice to be provided. Highlands and Islands Enterprise has decided to make discretionary grants of up to £2,000 available to support businesses towards the costs of accessing survival experts. This may involve lawyers and accountants. As support will be demand driven it is too early to say what the relevant costs might be across Scotland as a whole.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 18 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated impact will be on the whisky industry of the implementation of abstraction controls on taking water from rivers.
Answer
We are developing our proposals for implementation of the EC Water Framework Directive. Those will include abstraction controls. It is too early to determine the impact on the whisky industry. We will ensure that the effects on business are fully considered as we develop our proposals.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 18 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to make whisky distilleries exempt from abstraction controls given that the Water Framework Directive enables member states to be exempt from abstraction controls or impoundments which have no significant impact on water status.
Answer
The EC Water Framework Directive requires member states to put in place a comprehensive system of controls on the abstraction of water from the environment. Member states can exempt from control abstractions that have no significant impact on the state of the water environment. We are currently developing our proposals for implementing the Directive in Scotland, including on abstraction controls. It is too early to say what form those controls might take. However, there is no scope within the Directive for exempting whole industries from the abstraction control regime.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 18 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the provision of up to #2,000 for the cost of advice from lawyers and accountants to businesses qualifying for relief under the aid package for businesses affected by the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease would be more effectively spent on direct financial assistance to businesses who have suffered total or near total loss of income.
Answer
This is an operational matter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 18 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive why abstraction controls have been placed on the whisky industry; whether any evidence exists to show that such controls are necessary and, if so, whether it will detail such evidence, and what criteria are applied in deciding whether such controls are necessary.
Answer
No controls on the abstraction of water by the whisky industry are currently in place. However, the EC Water Framework Directive requires the introduction of a comprehensive abstraction control regime. The Executive will bring forward proposals for controls in due course.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 18 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any communication from the Scottish Licensed Trade Association requesting it to make representations to Her Majesty's Government about the impact which the current level of VAT, cost of fuel and value of sterling have on the cost of holidays in Scotland and consequently on the tourism industry.
Answer
We have corresponded with the Scottish Licensed Trade Association on a number of occasions and about a range of issues. Alasdair Morrison met the SLTA's Parliamentary Consultant last autumn.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 18 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any evidence exists of environmental problems or water shortages as a result of water abstraction by whisky distilleries and, if so, whether it will detail such evidence and any instances or examples of such problems or shortages.
Answer
In its 1999 report on the state of Scotland's water environment the Scottish Environment Protection Agency identified water abstraction by distilleries as one of the pressures affecting water quantity. We will undertake a thorough assessment of the environmental effects of this and other impacts on the water environment in the implementation of the EC Water Framework Directive.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 17 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether livestock hauliers will be eligible for assistance and support under the emergency relief package announced by the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning on 28 March 2001.
Answer
Yes.
