- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Donald Dewar on 7 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2087 by Donald Dewar on 3 November 1999, when it expects to be in a position to make a further announcement about the information gathered on any possible relocation of its staff.
Answer
The Executive's policy on the location and relocation of public service jobs was set out in my reply of 15 September to Question from Duncan McNeil. My reply made clear that where new units or agencies are set up there will be a presumption against an Edinburgh location. Other relocation options outwith Edinburgh will be considered when appropriate opportunities arise. Costs in all cases will be taken into account in deciding on location, along with operational effectiveness and impact on the staff concerned.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 7 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings it has had with the major supermarket chains to discuss Scottish agricultural produce and the promotion of Scottish produce, with whom it met, who represented it, when these meetings took place and whether the issue of supermarkets' profit margins on Scottish agricultural produce was discussed.
Answer
I met with the Technical Manager of Marks and Spencer on 7 August. I had also planned to meet the Chief Executive of Asda, but this meeting was postponed at the company's request following their take-over by Walmart.
On 10 November, the First Minister attended an event to discuss UK supply chain issues and met the Chief Executives of Sainsbury's, Asda and Somerfield, and the Trading Director of Tesco.The issue of supermarket profit margins and their impact on Scottish agricultural produce was not discussed at these meetings. Competition policy is a reserved matter and it would be inappropriate for the Scottish Executive to discuss such matters when the Competition Commission are actively looking at the supermarkets' competitive position.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 7 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the forms, record sheets and any other paperwork, by agricultural sector, issued by its Rural Affairs Department and its predecessor departments which farmers are required to complete in order to comply with legislation or in order to apply for subsidies and grants.
Answer
Documentation which the Rural Affairs Department requires farmers to complete in order to comply with legislation relates to statistical surveys. The main survey is the agricultural and horticultural census carried out annually in June. Several other sample surveys are carried out for specific sectoral interests.
There are a number of schemes under which the farmer can apply to the Rural Affairs Department for grants and subsidy. Each scheme usually has its own explanatory booklet and forms. An overview of the schemes and material is given in the Scottish Agriculture - A guide to Grants and Services booklet.The Department aims to minimise the bureaucratic burden on Scotland's producers. As part of this process, an external review panel of farmers and crofters has recently been examining the form-filling burden on the industry. This panel is due to produce a report on their findings soon.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 7 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place and what measures it intends to introduce to consult specifically tenant farmers on legislation and measures that affect their livelihoods.
Answer
We consult as widely as possible when planning new administrative and legislative measures and make every reasonable effort to ensure that those likely to be directly affected by a proposal, in this case tenant farmers, have an opportunity to give their views. We handle each consultation in a way that best suits its circumstances.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 7 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage new entrants into farming.
Answer
The Executive's aim is to help create a strong and sustainable agriculture industry which will prove attractive to potential new entrants.The concept of financial incentives to encourage new entrants into farming received little support during a public consultation exercise earlier this year when it formed part of a package of possible measures under the Agenda 2000 CAP reform agreement. Although we have no plans to introduce such a measure, the land reform proposal to create new limited duration tenancies should have the effect of increasing the availability of farms to let, thus opening up additional opportunities for new entrants to get into farming.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 7 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to assist young farmers to remain in farming or continue their family's involvement in the industry.
Answer
The Executive is committed to help in the creation of a strong and sustainable agriculture industry. This will benefit farmers of all ages and give an incentive to young people to continue the family farming tradition.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 3 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to increase air support and surveillance resources for Scotland's police forces.
Answer
Air support and surveillance are operational issues and therefore matters for Chief Constables. The Scottish Executive does not provide resources specifically for air support or surveillance.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 25 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to promote boat building, particularly the building of fishing vessels, and to ensure the survival of the remaining shipyards in Scotland.
Answer
Action to assist shipbuilders in the UK is being developed through a UK-wide Shipbuilding Forum chaired by the Department of Trade and Industry, and in consultation with industry and trade union representatives. The Scottish Executive is represented at this Forum. Improvements have already been made in support for the mortgage financing of new vessels, and the industry is also being provided with support to help enhance its competitiveness through benchmarking audits.The Scottish Executive chairs a Scottish Shipbuilding Forum consisting of industry, trade union and public sector organisations which help ensure that specific Scottish considerations are fed into the UK Forum.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Donald Dewar on 25 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to allow MSPs to meet with Scottish Trade International without going through the office of the Minister for Lifelong Learning and Enterprise.
Answer
As the Civil Service Code applies to officials of Scottish Trade International, requests for contact should go through the Office of the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning. This is in accordance with the procedure relating to all officials to whom the Code applies.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 25 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all Scottish legislation and UK legislation as it effects Scotland, both primary and secondary, which has already been amended or will require amendment as a result of the coming into force of the Scottish Adjacent Waters Boundaries Order (SI 1999/1126); when such amendments, if any, were made and when it proposes to make any future amendments, and what assessment it has made of the implications of such amendments.
Answer
Some UK legislation was amended to take account of the creation by the Scotland Act 1998 of the Scottish zone of British fishery limits, the boundary of which zone is defined by the Scottish Adjacent Waters Boundaries Order 1999 (SI 1999/1126). The purpose of the amendments was to ensure that certain Ministerial functions transferred to the Scottish Ministers so far as exercisable in relation to the Scottish zone and to make provision consequential on the transfer of those functions.
Legislation affecting food safety, sea fishing and marine pollution have all been amended to take account of the Scottish zone. This legislation is set out in detail in two Orders: The Scotland Act 1998 (Modifications of Functions) Order 1999 (SI 1999/1756), and The Scotland Act 1998 (Consequential Modifications) (No.2) Order 1999 (SI 1999/1820).I am not aware at present of any plans to amend other legislation.
