- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 July 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 25 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will discuss with local authorities the influence which the provision of differing levels of beach facilities has on the number of beaches which pass the various beach surveys.
Answer
There are a number of beach survey schemes which are used to convey the standards of beaches to the public. Among these are the European Blue Flag, and the Seaside Award both of which are co-ordinated by Keep Scotland Beautiful. The Marine Conservation Society also publishes the Good Beach Guide.We are committed to improving Scotland's beaches and have had initial discussions with relevant parties. My officials plan further discussions involving local authority representatives and the organisations mentioned above. These discussions can be used to inform local authorities on the various requirements of organisations.
- 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.
- 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: Tuesday, 02 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 16 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to support the fishing industry's call for Government funding to be made available in Scotland towards the modernisation and renewal of the Scottish fishing fleet which will then allow access to specific European Union funding.
Answer
The measures referred to form part of the proposals for a new Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) which is the subject of ongoing EU negotiations. It is not yet clear to what extent eligibility for vessel construction and modernisation funding will be linked to Multi-Annual Guidance Programme targets and vessel capacity reduction criteria. I shall discuss with the industry priorities for FIFG expenditure.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 October 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 12 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the Deputy Minister for Rural Affairs on 28 October 1999, whether it will reconsider its decision not to make a Ministerial statement to the Parliament following each meeting of the EC Fisheries Council.
Answer
I intend to report to Parliament after every Fisheries Council. Whether this should be by oral statement, by written means, to the Rural Affairs Committee or indeed a combination of these will depend on the substance of what I have to report.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 October 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 9 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what was the level of Meat and Livestock Commission and other public sector grants awarded to bodies involved in the promotion of meat and associated products, such as the Scotch Beef and Lamb Association, in each of the last five years, giving the name of each organisation and the amount of each award granted.
Answer
The information is as follows:
| Year | Company | Grant Award (£) | Source |
1995-96 | SCOTMEX | 409,000 | Scottish Enterprise |
| | SCOTMEX | 88,176 | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 978,000 | Meat & Livestock Commission |
| | SQBLA | 31,740 † | European Commission |
| | SQBLA | 92,000 | Scottish Enterprise |
| | SPII | 16,416 | Scottish Enterprise |
1996-97 | SQBLA | 150,000 | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 150,000 | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 1,077,387 | Meat & Livestock Commission |
| | SQBLA | 133,212 † | European Commission |
| | SQBLA | 150,000 * | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 147,500 * | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 150,000 * | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 130,000 * | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 110,000 * | Scottish Office |
| | SPII | 180,000 | Meat & Livestock Commission |
1997-98 | SQBLA | 1,007,651 | Meat & Livestock Commission |
| | SQBLA | 85,589 † | European Commission |
| | SQBLA | 100,000 * | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 100,050 * | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 28,500 * | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 105,000 * | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 150,000 * | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 100,000 * | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 150,000 * | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 56,825 * | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 20,000 * | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 46,500 * | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 5,715 * | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 339,000 | Highland & Islands Enterprise |
| | SPII | 48,980 | Scottish Office |
| | SPII | 200,000 | Meat & Livestock Commission |
1998-99 | SQBLA | 1,115,837 | Meat & Livestock Commission |
| | SQBLA | 154,740 † | European Commission |
| | SQBLA | 6,500 * | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 150,000 * | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 150,000 * | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 40,000 * | Scottish Office |
| | SQBLA | 70,000 * | Scottish Office |
| | SPII | 50,192 | Scottish Enterprise |
| | SPII | 150,000 | Scottish Office |
| | SPII | 270,000 | Meat & Livestock Commission |
| | MLC | 581,000 | Highlands & Islands Enterprise |
1999-2000 | SQBLA | 150,000 | Scottish Executive |
(to date) | SQBLA | 190,000 † | European Commission |
| | SQBLA | 631,083 | Meat & Livestock Commission |
| | SPII | 270,000 | Meat & Livestock Commission |
| | SQBLA | 72,000 | Scottish Borders Enterprise |
* Awarded under the Scotch Beef Quality Assurance and Marketing Initiative which was a three year programme under the Marketing Development Scheme to develop quality assurance systems to recognised EU standards at all links in the production and marketing chain.
† Funding from EU routed through the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce and the Meat and Livestock Commission specifically for the promotion of European Quality Beef.
SQBLA (Scotch Quality Beef and Lamb Association)
SPII (Scottish Pig Industry Initiative)SCOTMEX (Scottish Meat Executive, which became part of SQBLA in 1996)
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 October 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 9 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive how much income has been generated by the collection of levies on each meat and livestock sector in Scotland by the Meat and Livestock Commission in each of the last five years.
Answer
The following table provides this information on a financial year basis.
| | Cattle | Sheep | Pigs |
1994-95 | £2.30 million | £1.90 million | £0.70 million |
1995-96 | £2.50 million | £2.10 million | £0.70 million |
1996-97 | £2.90 million | £1.80 million | £0.70 million |
1997-98 | £2.70 million | £1.50 million | £0.90 million |
1998-99 | £2.70 million | £1.50 million | £0.90 million |
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 October 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 9 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote the sale and consumption of Scottish meat in Scotland and internationally.
Answer
The Scottish Executive continues to support, both at home and abroad, the marketing and promotional efforts of Scotland's meat and livestock industry. The formation of the new Scottish Quality Meat Council, which I announced on 8 November, will strengthen the industry's ability to sell Scotland's quality beef, lamb and pork in existing as well as new markets.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 August 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 9 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made representations on behalf of the fishing industry to Her Majesty's Government in relation to the Scottish Waters Adjacent Boundary Order 1999 and, if so, when they were made, to whom, and whether any response has been received.
Answer
I have, as promised in the debate, written to the Minister of the Crown on these matters. The outcome of this correspondence, and any ancillary consultations, will be made known to the Parliament when they are concluded.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 October 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 8 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1665 by Mr Jim Wallace on 6 October 1999, whether it will define the area referred to as "part of this area is out with the sea area covered by the Scottish Adjacent Boundaries Order".
Answer
The southern boundary to the Scottish zone of British fishery limits in the North Sea is defined in the Scottish Adjacent Waters Boundaries Order 1999. The Civil Jurisdiction (Offshore Activities) Order 1987 defines a boundary further to the south in the North Sea running approximately due east at 55º50' N.
