- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executivehow many meetings have taken place in the last two months between the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment and EU member state representatives regarding electronic identification for sheep.
Answer
Officials were in contact with other Member States in the lead up to the vote taken at the Standing Committee of Food Chain and Animal Health on 14 July. Direct interaction by myself and officials have been successful in obtaining concessions on the Regulations at this time. Following the UK''s agreement not to pursue any further concessions, further meeting have not been secured. Since then I have had no meetings with EU member state representatives.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executivewhen the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment last met European Union officials to discuss electronic identification for sheep and what action was taken as a result.
Answer
I met with Commissioner Vassiliou in March this year and the Director of Animal Health, Bernard Van Goethem, in June. I was informed that the principle of the Regulation would not be overturned. However I received assurances that the Commission were well informed of our issues and they would take account of these in development of the legislation, which they have duly done. I requested a further meeting in July with Commissioner Vassiliou, but due to other commitments it was not possible to secure a meeting with her.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the development of an emissions performance standard for power plants in Scotland.
Answer
The question of an emissions performance standard was raised in response to our consultation on draft thermal guidance last year. It was also discussed in the recent UK consultation on clean coal. Responses to this consultation have been copied to the Scottish Government. We are working closely with the UK Government on this matter and will consider our position once this process is complete.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how its plans for the development of carbon capture and storage and emissions performance standards for power stations take into account the emission reduction targets in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.
Answer
The climate change delivery plan sets out four transformational outcomes which the Scottish Government is working towards. The first of these is a largely de-carbonised electricity generation sector by 2030, primarily using renewable sources for electricity generation with other electricity generation from fossil fuelled plants utilising carbon capture and storage. The development of carbon capture and storage (CCS) is one of our ten energy pledges and CCS and other low carbon technologies will play a vital role in meeting that challenge.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason proposals for a coal-fired power station at Hunterston were not included in the public consultation on the second National Planning Framework.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-27009 on 18 September 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports a reduction in EU export refunds for the milk industry.
Answer
EU export subsidies are subject to restrictions, as agreed in the Uruguay Round of international trade negotiations. Further modifications may be agreed in the context of the current WTO Doha Round. In the meantime the government supports the European Commission''s approach of applying export subsidies on a case-by-case basis and in compliance with WTO rules.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executivehow many meetings have taken place in the last two months between the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment and farm industry representatives regarding electronic identification for sheep.
Answer
My officials regularly meet with key industry stakeholders regarding electronic identification (EID) and they keep me informed of these discussions. Over that last few months I have discussed EID with various industry members, amongst other issues, at meetings and events I have attended. I have also met with the Scottish EID Working Group on the 10 September 2009 to discuss this issue.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that milk production should be based on imported animal feed or grass-fed production.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not promote one particular feeding regime over another. The method by which dairy producers feed their animals is a matter for the farmer to determine.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list EU member state representatives with whom the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment has discussed electronic identification for sheep in the last two months and detail any action taken as a result of each discussion.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26957 on 18 September 2009 All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how it supports voluntary producer supply management in the milk industry.
Answer
In a deregulated dairy industry producers are free to make their own business decisions, including the volume of milk produced.
