- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 17 August 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, following the announcement by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 11 July 2006 of its intention to order 10 million additional doses of bird flu vaccine for possible use as a strategic control measure, these doses will be available in the event of an outbreak in Scotland.
Answer
The vaccine resource which Defrais procuring will be available to all UK administrations.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 17 August 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, following the announcement by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 11 July 2006 of its intention to order 10 million additional doses of bird flu vaccine for possible use as a strategic control measure, it intends to order vaccine in the pursuance of the same policy.
Answer
As noted in answer to questionS2W-27581 on 17 August 2006, Scotland will have access to the UK avian influenzavaccine resource, and there is therefore no need to develop a separate Scottishvaccine bank.All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 17 August 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it accepts the evidence-based case for the use of vaccine as a strategic control measure to slow the spread of bird flu in order to prevent wholesale and immediate slaughter of poultry in the event of an outbreak of the disease.
Answer
The culling of poultry on premisesinfected by avian influenza is a requirement of the EU Avian Influenza Directive.The Scottish Executive is working with the other UK administrations to make vaccinationa credible option for the control of avian influenza. However, substantial scientificand operational issues still need to be resolved, and it remains unlikely at presentthat vaccination could be used routinely as a disease control tool. High levelsof surveillance, biosecurity and rapid action, including stamping out, currentlyremain the most effective ways of controlling avian influenza.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 17 August 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many doses of bird flu vaccine it (a) has in stock, (b) has ordered and (c) intends to order.
Answer
No avian influenza vaccine iscurrently held in stock in Scotland, but, as stated in the answers to questions S2W-27581and S2W-27582 on 17 August 2006, Scotland will have access to the UK resource.All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 26 July 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-26818 by Tavish Scott on 23 June 2006, whether it intends to review Schedule 1 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 in respect of including harbour authorities or their public functions.
Answer
There are powers providedfor within the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 to review Schedule 1, and this was one of the topicswhich the Executive consulted on earlier this year as part of our currentreview of aspects of the legislation. It would not be appropriate to pre-judgethe outcome of the review by commenting on particular bodies.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 26 July 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-26818 by Tavish Scott on 23 June 2006, what guidance it has issued on the responsibilities of Scottish public authorities within the meaning of the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 and whether private companies with public functions have responsibilities under the regulations in respect of those functions which (a) are public functions and (b) may affect the environment.
Answer
The Scottish Executivepublished Guidance for Scottish Public Authorities and Interested Parties onthe implementation of the
Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations2004 in September 2005. Copies canbe obtained in the Blackwell’s Bookshop, South Bridge, Edinburgh or may be viewed on the Scottish Executive’s websiteat:
www.scotland.gov.uk.The definition of “Scottishpublic authority” may apply to bodies which are not public bodies but whichmeet criteria of control and public responsibility, function or service inrelation to the environment. The guidance discusses factors relevant toimplementation, including functions typically subject to the Regulations and thenature of control.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 23 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 24 July 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-26371 by Rhona Brankin on 8 June 2006, whether Forth Ports plc acts as a Scottish public authority in the exercise of its statutory duties as a harbour authority under Regulation 4 of the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 and, if so, whether Forth Ports plc, acting as a competent authority, is required to release information relating to the appropriate assessment of plans or projects under the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 under freedom of information legislation.
Answer
I refer the member to thequestion S2W-26818, answered on 23 June 2006. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility forwhich can be found at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 29 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-26369 by Rhona Brankin on 8 June 2006, whether Forth Ports plc, as competent authority, is required to consult on a revised Environmental Impact Assessment of ship-to-ship transfer proposals in the Firth of Forth and, if so, with whom.
Answer
It is for Forth Ports to determinewhat their responsibilities are. We would expect them to consult on this.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 23 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what consenting mechanism for a programme of ship-to-ship transfers in the Firth of Forth is available to Forth Ports plc as competent authority; whether consent can be given subject to conditions in order to safeguard the integrity of European wildlife sites, and whether such consent being given requires the agreement of Scottish Ministers.
Answer
It is for Forth Ports Authorityand ultimately the courts to determine what their powers are. The Forth Ports AuthorityForth Byelaws are made under powers conferred by Part VI of the Forth Ports AuthorityOrder (which was confirmed by the Forth Ports Authority Order Confirmation Act 1969).Byelaw 38 places masters of vessels under a duty to apply to the Harbourmaster foran anchorage, mooring or berth on arrival within the Forth and no vesselshall use moorings in the control or possession of the authority, except with thepermission of the Harbourmaster. Byelaw 39 states that no vessel shall anchor inthe Forth for the purpose of discharging or loading cargo, bunkering or taking waterwithout the permission of the Harbourmaster. Approvals or permissions given underthose byelaws are not subject to the agreement of the Scottish ministers.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 23 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-26369 and S2W-26371 by Rhona Brankin on 8 June 2006, whether a revised Environmental Impact Assessment of ship-to-ship transfer proposals in the Firth of Forth carried out, commissioned, or requested by Forth Ports plc, as competent authority, is covered by regulation 4 of the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004.
Answer
It is for Forth Ports Authorityand ultimately the courts to determine what their responsibilities are under theEnvironmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EISRs). Forth Ports plc is not a ScottishPublic Authority within the meaning of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act2002, although the definition of “Scottish public authority” in Regulation 2(1)of the EISRs can include certain organisations under the control of a public authoritythat have public responsibilities, functions or services in relation to the environment.
