- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 15 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it intends to take to improve the standards of water quality in Scotland and within what timescale it intends to implement these measures.
Answer
Our
Partnership for Scotland statement aims for steady improvements in water quality, targeting all Scotland's beaches to meet clean water standards by 2005.
On environmental water, we are considering, with Scottish Environment Protection Agency, measures to tackle agricultural and industrial pollution. Over the next 3 years the Scottish water authorities will oversee investment in water and sewerage infrastructure of around £1.7bn. A substantial part of this will be aimed at waste water treatment, in particular to comply with the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.The new EU Drinking Water Directive sets tight standards for drinking water the majority of which are required to be met by December 2003. Under certain circumstances the Directive allows for the derogation of standards for up to 3 years. The Scottish Executive will obtain legally binding undertakings from the Scottish water authorities to ensure that they meet the new standards by the required dates.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 14 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the criteria used for selecting the members of the focus group created as part of Creating Scotland, the consultation document on a national cultural strategy, and why the focus group has no members who represent the North East of Scotland or any organisation based in that region.
Answer
Members of the group were appointed on the basis of their personal professional expertise in relation to the arts. The focus group will oversee the consultation process which aims to engage people, organisations and interests from all parts of Scotland.
- 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 Sarah Boyack on 13 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to improve standards of urban wastewater treatment systems as outlined in Making it Work Together: A Programme for Government.
Answer
The water authorities are undertaking an investment programme of £1.7bn over the next 3 years. The main purpose of this investment is to meet the requirements of the Urban Waste Water Treatment (Scotland) Regulations 1994, which will result in significant improvements to the quality of the discharges into our rivers, estuaries and seas around Scotland.
- 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 Sarah Boyack on 13 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to raise the quality of Scotland's drinking water as outlined in Making it Work Together: A Programme for Government.
Answer
The water authorities are undertaking an investment programme of £1.7bn over the next 3 years. Part of this will meet the investment needs of the European Drinking Water Directive (98/83/EC) that will introduce new quality standards from the end of 2003.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 12 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it intends to carry out in relation to improving standards of water quality in Scotland.
Answer
We are currently considering a range of measures designed to improve environmental water quality standards. We will consult widely on proposals once our considerations are complete.A full consultation is planned for spring 2000 on draft drinking water quality regulations. New regulations transposing the latest EU Drinking Water Directive into Scottish Legislation are required by December 2000.
- 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 12 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage the Marine Conservation Society and other agencies involved in beach award schemes to take into account sites which are not tested by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
Answer
Water quality at each locality is one of the fundamental aspects which interests the public in most award schemes. There is no merit therefore in encouraging such bodies to take into account sites which are not tested.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 6 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will state its response to compensation claims by fishermen whose livelihoods are affected by the ban on scallop fishing due to Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning, and when its policy on this matter was agreed.
Answer
It has not been the policy of successive governments to compensate for losses due to disease or other natural phenomena in the marine environment. The Scottish Executive is continuing to assess the economic impact of the ban, with the assistance of the catching and processing industries. I discussed this issue with the fishing industry at the recent meeting of the Scottish Inshore Fisheries Advisory Group. I agreed to consider any detailed representations made by the industry about the financial impact.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 6 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any plans to introduce a vaccine for Infectious Salmon Anaemia which has affected salmon farming and, if so, when it will be available
Answer
The Scottish Executive is aware that there is commercial interest in developing a vaccine for ISA. Any application would be considered by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate which is responsible for the authorisation of animal vaccines in the UK.Current EU disease control legislation prohibits the use of vaccines to combat ISA. Proposals have been submitted to the European Commission to have this prohibition lifted to make it possible for approved vaccines to be used in future as an additional tool within our eradication strategy.
- 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 Sarah Boyack on 4 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government regarding the technical difficulties being experienced with the new ADAS 2000 computer system planned for HM Coastguard in Scotland, with a view to ensuring that the new system will be in full working order from the date of installation and that HM Coastguard in Scotland remains fully operational and capable of delivering the required level of service at all times.
Answer
Maritime safety and the responsibilities of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) are matters reserved to the UK Government. The Scottish Executive maintains contact with the UK Government on the Agency's policy and strategy in Scotland and where operational issues relate to devolved responsibilities. Technical and operational computer matters are for the MCA but the questions raised have been drawn to the Agency's attention by the Scottish Executive.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Donald Dewar on 30 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any minutes taken during discussion with representatives of Her Majesty's Government in connection with the Memorandum of Understanding and related concordats.
Answer
No, but the texts themselves will be made public tomorrow and will be subject to debate in the Parliament before they come into effect. Copies will be available for Members in the Document Supply Centre.
