- 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: 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: Friday, 16 March 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 17 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to recently announced measures to contain foot and mouth disease, whether it will ensure that disinfectant barriers and rigorous enforcement of quarantine surround the areas within which sheep are to be slaughtered.
Answer
Strict controls are in place surrounding the areas within which sheep are to be slaughtered.A complete standstill of movement is imposed on infected premises (including the movement of people, animals, vehicles and products), and around the infected premises, 3 kilometre zones have been defined where no livestock movements are allowed.In addition, any vehicles or personnel moving on or off slaughter areas will be subject to thorough cleansing and disinfection.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 March 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 17 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, and on what basis, it is satisfied that it is not necessary to slaughter pigs or cattle as a measure to tackle foot and mouth disease.
Answer
All susceptible species e.g. cattle, sheep and pigs have to be slaughtered on infected premises. As a containment measure and because this disease is much more difficult to identify in sheep, it has been decided to remove all sheep in the infected areas. Cattle and pigs in other parts of infected areas, with the exception of those next to farms which became infected on or after 16 March which may well require to be slaughtered, are being kept under close surveillance.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 March 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 17 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether measures will be taken to ensure that the areas bordering the farms on which sheep are to be slaughtered in terms of the Ministerial Statement on 15 March 2001 are secured against further transmission of the foot and mouth virus.
Answer
Strict controls are being enforced to secure against any further transmission of the foot and mouth virus. On farms where slaughter is taking place there is strict control of the movement of people, vehicles and other equipment. Essential equipment or plant which has to be moved off a farm is cleansed and disinfected before being allowed.These measures aim to contain any further spread of the virus.
- 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.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 March 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus MacKay on 17 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors in Scotland regarding the use of section 25A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1966 to provide for the remission of rates on account of hardship in the context of the current outbreak of foot and mouth disease; whether it will recommend to local authorities that such remission be granted and, if so, in respect of which business premises.
Answer
We have received such representations from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Hardship relief is included in the Executive's package of assistance to help stabilise businesses affected by the foot and mouth outbreak. This was announced on 28 March in response to question S1W-14552. Guidance will be issued to local authorities.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 March 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 17 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning and the Deputy Minister for Sport and Culture will reply to my letters of 21 July 2000 regarding my constituent Dr Mike Langran.
Answer
Dr Langran received a response to his own approaches to the Executive direct from officials on 9 March. A copy of this response has been sent to you.
- 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 Ross Finnie on 12 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many livestock haulage businesses it estimates may have to cease trading in the absence of any immediate financial assistance and whether it will ensure that such assistance is made available.
Answer
I appreciate fully the impact which livestock movement restrictions and other foot-and-mouth disease controls are having on livestock hauliers' businesses. The relaxation in controls which I referred to in my Statement to the Parliament on 5 April should help these businesses recover. The financial impact of the foot-and-mouth disease on businesses generally is being assessed.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 March 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 11 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, in the event of the three water authorities being replaced by a single water authority for Scotland, whether the water charges for customers of the existing North of Scotland Water Authority are expected to reduce, increase or remain the same.
Answer
In advance of the Water Industry Commissioner's Strategic Review of Charges, it is difficult to predict precisely how water and sewerage charges will change. Given the need to invest, as set out in the Quality and Standards consultation paper, it is unlikely that charges in the north will fall. It is, however, the case that if a single water authority for Scotland is established, then we would expect that charges in the north would need to rise far less sharply than if the three authorities remained separate.
