- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 6 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on the revision of the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme so that it targets aid more effectively to peripheral areas.
Answer
I announced improvements to the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme for 2002 last week. These have been welcomed by the Scottish industry. The measures help farmers in all parts of Scotland's Less Favoured Areas, including those in our remote communities. They also represent an important step towards a longer-term support scheme.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 22 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 6 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that firms involved in the design, development and manufacture of renewable technology benefit from any increased demand created by the forthcoming Renewables Obligation (Scotland).
Answer
We have been working with Scottish Enterprise to encourage Scottish companies to diversify into the manufacturing opportunities which are arising from development of renewable energy sources under the Executive's proposed Renewables Obligation (Scotland). A roadshow on the subject was well attended by companies, and several of them are now pursuing opportunities for new business. We will continue to promote the renewables industry, to attract investment to Scotland and to help Scottish companies take advantage of this new business opportunity.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 21 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18745 by Ross Finnie on 30 October 2001, whether it will give comparative figures of the projected water charges over the next five years for average Shetland domestic and commercial consumers (a) under the proposed Scottish Water and (b) under the existing water authority if Scottish Water is not established.
Answer
As announced on the 12 November, I have agreed the revenue caps as advised by the Water Industry Commissioner. This means that provided the case for the creation of Scottish Water is agreed by Parliament, I expect domestic charges not to increase in the north next year. Domestic charges cannot be determined for the four-year period as a whole, however the Water Industry Commissioner's assessment that there will be no significant changes in the north is a reasonable one.Comparative figures cannot be given for the non-domestic sector owing to the differing natures of bills resulting from variety in size and type of businesses served.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 26 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 9 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many fishing boats fishing for shellfish within the six mile limit were boarded by officers of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency and how many of these led to prosecutions in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
Answer
I have asked Mr Paul Du Vivier, Chief Executive of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency to respond. His response is as follows:During the past five years the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency carried out 1,390 boardings, of fishing boats which were fishing for shellfish within the six mile limit. As a consequence of these boardings, five infringements of the rules were reported for prosecution. The table gives the details on a year by year basis.
Year | Fishing Vessel Boardings | Cases Reported for Prosecution |
1997 | 370 | - |
1998 | 412 | - |
1999 | 217 | 1 |
2000 | 248 | 3 |
2001 (up to 29/10/01) | 143 | 1 |
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 08 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 5 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the "power of well-being" provisions to be granted to local authorities under its proposed Local Government Bill will create a duty to clear rubbish off the foreshore.
Answer
The power of well-being will not place a specific duty on local authorities in this regard. We envisage the power as a general power to allow local authorities to do anything to promote or improve the well-being of their area, subject to certain safeguards. It will be for local authorities to decide how the power could best be used in responding to the needs and priorities of their area.Local authorities are principal litter authorities under section 86 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and have a duty, as respects their relevant land, to ensure that the land is, so far as is practicable, kept clear of litter and refuse.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 2 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the owners of fishing vessels who make an unsuccessful funding bid under the Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) (Scotland) Scheme 2001 will be provided with a clear explanation as to why their bid was unsuccessful.
Answer
The Regulations (The Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) (Scotland) Scheme 2001) provide that applicants shall be notified, in writing, of the results of their application for decommissioning grant. The intention is to advise unsuccessful applicants why their grant bid has not been successful.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 2 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total funding available under the Rural Stewardship Scheme is in the current financial year and what funding will be made available in 2002-03.
Answer
Rural Stewardship Scheme payments for the 2001-02 and 2002-03 financial years will be funded from modulation of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments in respect of 2001 and 2002 respectively. Since it is too early to know the total CAP payments for these years, the funding available for RSS cannot be established yet.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 2 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications (a) not exceeding #1,000, (b) over #1,000 but not exceeding #10,000, (c) over #10,000 but not exceeding #50,000, (d) over #50,000 but not exceeding #100,000 and (e) over #100,000 have been approved to date under the Rural Stewardship Scheme, broken down by each Environment and Rural Affairs Department area office.
Answer
No applications for the Rural Stewardship Scheme 2001 have yet been approved.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 2 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria will be used to rank the funding bids under the Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) (Scotland) Scheme 2001.
Answer
Applications will be considered in accordance with the arrangements set out in the Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) (Scotland) Scheme 2001 (SSI 2001/332) and associated scheme documentation. They will be evaluated and ranked having regard to:the cost of the bid;the level of capacity to be removed;the level of recorded landings of white fish (cod, haddock, whiting and hake), nephrops and scallops by the vessel concerned during 1999 and 2000;the level of recorded fishing activity (days on fishing trips) by the vessel during 1999 and 2000, andwhether or not the licence to be surrendered carries a scallop entitlement.The precise weight to be given to each of these factors in the evaluation process will be decided following analysis of decommissioning bids received.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 1 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a statutory obligation on Scottish Natural Heritage to undertake consultations with local people when proposing to designate areas of land and sea as (a) Sites of Special Scientific Interests, (b) Special Protection Areas and (c) Special Areas of Conservation.
Answer
There is no statutory obligation on Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) to undertake consultations with local people prior to notifying a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Similarly, there is no statutory obligation on SNH to undertake consultations with local people regarding Special Protection Area or Special Area of Conservation proposals.
