Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty’s Government, the European Union and farming representatives about the review of EU Directive 91/414/EEC.

Richard Lochhead: I have been fully involved with Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Ministers in considering the impact of this review. We agreed a common UK line and expressed our concern at the June Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting. The main Scottish farming organisation supports our position.

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on concerns that the review of EU Directive 91/414/EEC, which restricts a number of pesticides currently used by farmers, will result in a significant reduction in crop production, especially in crops such as wheat, potatoes and brassica field vegetables.

Richard Lochhead: We share these concerns, and along with the UK Government will be continuing to make them known when the proposals return to the European Parliament. We will also seek clarification of the precise impact which the current proposals would have if they were to be adopted. We consider that any large-scale withdrawal of currently approved pesticides could have a significant effect on crop production in Scotland.

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on proposals, under the review of EU Directive 91/414/EEC, that might prevent the use of fungicides including triazoles, nematacides and the herbicide linuron.

Richard Lochhead: We consider that, taking into account the best scientific data on the safety of these products, the proposals go beyond what might be reasonably required to mitigate the risks which these substances pose under realistic conditions of use. The loss of triazoles, in particular, would present farmers in Scotland with severe difficulties in controlling barley and wheat diseases.

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to protect archaeological sites on farming land.

Richard Lochhead: The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 places a statutory requirement on Scottish ministers to compile and maintain a schedule of monuments of national importance. Once designated in this way, these monuments are protected under the provisions of that act.

Scheduled monuments on farming land are further protected through the Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition standards (GAEC) attached to Single Farm Payments. Under GAEC, farmers must avoid altering, damaging or destroying protected elements of the historic environment, including scheduled monuments.

The Scotland Rural Development Programme 2007-13 (SRDP) offers financial support for the management of archaeological sites under the Conservation and Upgrading of the Rural Heritage set of measures. In addition, agri-environment funding under SRDP Rural Development Contracts is on condition that recipients avoid damaging any feature or area of historic or archaeological interest. This condition applies to both designated and undesignated archaeological sites on farming land.

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to restore agri-environment payments to compensate farmers for not cultivating archaeological sites in arable areas.

Richard Lochhead: Under the 2007-13 Scotland Rural Development Programme, payments to land managers to protect archaeological sites are made under the Conservation and Upgrading of the Rural Heritage set of measures. The Scottish Government is aware that some stakeholders are in favour of moving some of these payments into the agri-environment set of measures, as was the case in the 2000-06 Scotland Rural Development Programme. The issue will be considered by the Scottish Government as part of its working towards a modification of the Scotland Rural Development Programme 2007-13 in 2009. Any changes to the programme will need to be agreed by the European Commission.

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits to agriculture it considers are derived from the set-aside scheme.

Richard Lochhead: Set-aside was introduced in 1992 as a tool for reducing surplus production in the arable sector, to permit better management of the market. Since then the Common Agricultural Policy has undergone significant changes which have largely removed the problem of surplus arable production. In addition to this primary function, set-aside has also produced environmental benefits.

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers exist to bring arable land that is not being used for agricultural production into use for that purpose.

Richard Lochhead: Land use decisions are a matter for individual land managers. Set-aside requirements have been suspended for 2008. If they are abolished as part of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy Health Check, then it is to be expected that arable land previously used for set-aside will be brought into or remain in production.

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-16043 and S3W-16044 by Richard Lochhead on 19 September 2008, what the difference is between the area claimed as set-aside in the table in the answer to question S3W-16043 and the area designated as set-aside (Ha) in the answer to question S3W-16044.

Richard Lochhead: The figures shown in S3W-16043 detail the set-aside land claimed on the area aid application 2003 and 2004 to support claims submitted under the arable area payments scheme and the set-aside land claimed on the single application form to claim payment on the set-aside entitlements allocated under the single farm payment scheme.

The figures shown in S3W-16044 are from the June agricultural census (JAC). And are generally higher than the land claimed for subsidy because the JAC figures can include land that has been voluntarily set-aside and is not subject to support scheme rules.

Animal Welfare

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when revised draft regulations on the licensing of dealers in puppies and kittens (a) will be laid before the Parliament and (b) are expected to come into force.

Richard Lochhead: The revised draft regulations on the licensing of dealers in puppies and kittens is expected to be laid before the Parliament in November 2008 and are expected to come into force in February 2009.

Bankruptcy

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been declared bankrupt in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.

Fergus Ewing: The Accountant in Bankruptcy maintains the Register of Insolvencies in Scotland and publishes statistics on personal insolvencies in Scotland by financial year, in their annual report.

Details of the numbers of bankruptcies are not available by local authority area, but are recorded by Sheriffdoms as all petitions for bankruptcy, prior to 1 April 2008, were considered by the Scottish Courts.

Since 1 April 2008, whilst creditor petitions are still considered by the sheriff, the Accountant in Bankruptcy has responsibility for debtor applications and records all awards of bankruptcy by Sherrifdom area.

The following table provides the number of bankruptcies for the financial years 2006-07 and 2007-08, and for the first quarter of 2008-09 (1 April to 30 June). There has been a significant increase in the number of people becoming bankrupt in Scotland in the first quarter of this financial year compared to previous years. This increase is due to the bankruptcy reforms contained in the Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Act 2007.

Further information including the annual reports is available on the Accountant in Bankruptcy’s website at www.aib.gov.uk.

Number of Awards of Bankruptcy by Sheriffdom and Sheriff Court

Source: Accountant in Bankruptcy.

Debt

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to deal with any social or economic impact of the credit crunch.

Stewart Maxwell: The most significant of our devolved powers are those relating to housing, and the provision of information and advice.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-16485 on 1 October 2008. 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./webapp/wa.search.

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to help people with unmanageable consumer debt.

Stewart Maxwell: We provide extensive support for money (debt) advice: through the local government settlement; by providing training and consultancy to help advisors deal with more complex cases; by helping fund National Debtline (a UK service) to ensure that advisors are aware of differences between Scotland and the rest of the UK, in particular, the legal side of debt problems (diligence and sequestration), and by funding Citizens Advice Direct, which provides advice by telephone and email rather than the traditional face-to-face model of bureaux, to progressively increase its coverage from its beginnings in Glasgow to the whole of Scotland.

We have announced a specific package of support for home owners in difficulty.

Environment

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it has undertaken with (a) the Deer Commission for Scotland, (b) Scottish National Heritage and (c) the Scottish Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals regarding Scottish and Southern Energy’s habitat management plan for the culling of deer on the site of the Gordonbush wind farm.

Michael Russell: Before Scottish ministers gave consent to the Section 36 application for the Gordonbush wind farm, the outline habitat management plan was made available as part of an addendum which was subject to public consultation. No representations were subsequently received from the Deer Commission for Scotland or the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

As a statutory consultee in all section 36 applications, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) considered the outline plan and lifted their objection subject to mitigation conditions being imposed safeguarding nature conservation interests. A Section 75 agreement has still to be agreed with the local authority and other stakeholders and will incorporate the final requirements of SNH.

First Minister

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many dinners and receptions have been held in Bute House by the First Minister in 2008, showing in each case (a) who the guests were, (b) what the cost was and (c) who the caterers were.

John Swinney: The information regarding dinners and receptions held in Bute House by the First Minister for the period 1 January to 1 July 2008 and which have been receipted is detailed in the following table. The table is arranged by: event name, date of the event, overall cost of the event, including catering, staff costs, equipment hire, printing, entertainment and flowers, and the name of the caterer that provided the catering. The guest lists of those who have attended events hosted by Scottish Government ministers are routinely published on the Scottish Government website on a quarterly basis.

Food

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has concerns that the review of EU Directive 91/414/EEC has implications for food supply and food security issues in this country.

Richard Lochhead: Yes. We have concerns that the outcome of the review could bring about a reduction in crop yields in future years, by removing many currently available pesticides without securing any meaningful benefit in terms of consumer safety.

Health and Safety

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is undertaking work in conjunction with the Health and Safety Executive to increase employee on-site safety in Scotland’s open cast coal mines and, if so, what the nature is of this work.

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is carrying out work in conjunction with the Health and Safety Executive to reduce and minimise company safety failures on opencast mines and, if so, what the nature is of this work.

Stewart Stevenson: Health and safety regulation and enforcement is a reserved matter. The Scottish Government is however aware of, and supports, the action taken by the Health and Safety Executive to improve safety at all Scotland’s opencast coal sites following the tragic accident at a site in 2007.

The Scottish Government has been working with the Health and Safety Executive and other organisations within Scotland’s health and safety system on the implementation of the Scottish Action Plan on Health and Safety which contains a range of measures to support improvements in health and safety in Scotland. Copies of the action plan are available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 46565).

We are also taking forward proposals to transpose EC Directive 2004/35/EC on the management of waste from the extractive industries. The purpose of this Directive is to ensure that mineral waste is managed in a way that reduces as far as possible risk of damage to the environment or human health. However, the Directive’s requirements in relation to on-site safety are already adequately covered by existing health and safety regulation.

Housing

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of repossession decrees led to property repossessions in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.

Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not held centrally.

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are estimated to have sub-prime mortgages, broken down by local authority area.

Stewart Maxwell: The Financial Services Authority (FSA) defines "sub-prime" mortgages as those "targeted at consumers with impaired or low credit ratings who may find it difficult to obtain finance from traditional sources".

Data are available for those with impaired credit ratings but not for those with low credit ratings. For Scotland as a whole, in the period April 2005 to June 2008, the FSA found that 21,130 mortgages arranged in Scotland were in cases where the main, second or other borrower had an impaired credit history. This represents 3.4% of the total number of mortgages (630,334) issued in Scotland over this period.

Similar figures have been calculated for local authority areas. The proportion of mortgages to borrowers with impaired credit histories ranges from 1.4% (in Shetland) to 4.4% (in North Lanarkshire).

Source: FSA Product Sales Data, available at postcode area level for number of regulated mortgages (including remortgages) advanced on properties in Scotland from April 2005 to June 2008. Approximate mapping to local authority level done by Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government would discourage borrowers from taking on unsustainable mortgage commitments and to seek help from their lender if they are having trouble repaying their mortgage.

Police

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional police officers were delivered through recruitment in 2007-08, compared with numbers in May 2007.

Kenny MacAskill: We are committed to recruiting 1,000 additional police officers during the lifetime of this Parliament. 150 centrally-funded officers were recruited in 2007-08 and an additional 450 will be recruited during this financial year. A further 200 officers will be recruited in each of the two subsequent years. As the member knows, police numbers in Scotland are at record levels with some 16,339 whole time equivalent officers in post at 30 June, an increase of 118 since the previous quarter. It is not for the Scottish Government to dictate to chief constables what size their forces should be, but these figures are set to increase substantially as forces, such as Strathclyde, plan to increase their total complements to unprecedented levels.

The key to the police service’s ability to respond to the demands placed upon it is not just about its size, but its capacity. That is why we are working closely with our partners in COSLA, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland and with police boards, to ensure that we have the right people with the right skills in the right place at the right time. Our focus has always been, and will continue to be, on building the capacity of the police service.

Public Appointments

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which of its appointments to boards, funds, trusts or other bodies set up since May 2007 have been made without adherence to the Nolan principles.

John Swinney: OCPAS (Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland) regulated appointments and most unregulated appointments follow Nolan principles.

Some bodies, both regulated and unregulated, require appointments to their boards to be made on a nomination basis. This is due to the statutory requirements of the founding legislation of these bodies. Nominations would be made, for example, by local authorities or relevant representative groups or bodies. Ministers will formally approve many of these appointments.

The number of appointments that have been made without adherence to Nolan principles since May last year is thought to be small. Specific information on this is not held centrally.

Roads

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what programme of investment there is to replace broken cat’s eyes on the trunk road network.

Stewart Stevenson: The programme of investment in the replacement of road studs, commonly known as cat’s eyes, is assessed each year along with other condition assessments, such as signs, footways and drainage. Funds are then prioritised across all these competing needs.

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-4193 by Stewart Stevenson on 18 September 2008, when it expects the feasibility study looking at the provision of traffic signals at Cadham junction to be completed.

Stewart Stevenson: I expect the traffic signal feasibility study at Cadham to be finalised by the end of October 2008.

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-4193 by Stewart Stevenson on 18 September 2008, when consideration of further possible low cost improvements in the vicinity of the Cadham and Tullis Russell junctions will be completed.

Stewart Stevenson: I have instructed the operating company, BEAR Scotland Ltd, to undertake this study, which will include consultation with the Glenrothes Area Futures Group. I expect the report to be concluded by mid-January 2009. In addition, the study will also consider the Balfarg junction.

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-4193 by Stewart Stevenson on 18 September 2008, what it regards as low cost improvements and up to what value such improvements could reach.

Stewart Stevenson: Low cost improvements in this context would include measures aimed at improving the operation and safety at these junctions, for example signing, road markings, lighting, and visibility. I have asked the operating company, BEAR Scotland Ltd, to look at how both junctions operate and bring forward recommendations. It is not possible to estimate the cost until BEAR has concluded this study.

Schools

Gil Paterson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools use biometric fingerprinting for pupils, broken down by local authority.

Gil Paterson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools plan to introduce biometric fingerprinting for pupils, broken down by local authority.

Gil Paterson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many PPP schools use biometric fingerprinting for pupils, broken down by local authority.

Gil Paterson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-PPP schools use biometric fingerprinting for pupils, broken down by local authority.

Maureen Watt: We do not hold that information centrally. However, we know that currently there are 12 local authorities using biometric technologies in their schools.

Scottish Government Finance

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-13380 by John Swinney on 3 June 2008, what the underspend or overspend was for each directorate for the financial year 2007-08.

John Swinney: Based on provisional outturn figures announced on 19 June 2008, the underspend/overspend for each portfolio for the financial year 2007-08 is shown in the following table:

Scottish Government Staff

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been paid from public funds for parking fines incurred by its employees since May 2007.

The Executive has supplied the following corrected answer:

John Swinney: The Scottish Government staff handbook makes it clear that staff incurring car parking fines for parking illegally whilst on official business will not be reimbursed from official funds.

However there are occasions when circumstances arise which are beyond the control of officials and which prevent officials returning to parked vehicles in time to avoid incurring parking fines. Such occasions are very rare but do sometimes arise. An example would be where there is a meeting between a minister and the public, supported by an official, which overruns the scheduled time allocated.

Since May 2007, four occasions have arisen where the Scottish Government has reimbursed officials for car parking fines incurred, at a total cost of £110. A clear audit trail outlining the individual reasons for applying for reimbursement is held on file for audit inspection.

Information about parking fines is contained in the following table.

Teachers

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many teaching graduates who have completed their probationary year are currently looking for full-time employment in Scotland.

Maureen Watt: The information requested is not held centrally. Results from the survey carried out by the General Teaching Council for Scotland on the previous cohort of post probationary teachers suggested that by April 2008, 92.7% had gained employment as a teacher in Scotland on a variety of contracts.

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many teaching graduates have applied for a single primary school vacancy in North Ayrshire in 2008, also expressed as a percentage of all applicants for primary school vacancies during that time period.

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many teaching graduates have applied for a single secondary school vacancy in North Ayrshire in 2008, also expressed as a percentage of all applicants for secondary school vacancies during that time period.

Maureen Watt: The information requested is not held centrally.

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how long on average it takes a primary school teaching graduate to find a job from the point when their probationary year is completed.

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how long on average it takes a secondary school teaching graduate to find a job from the point when their probationary year is completed.

Maureen Watt: The information requested is not held centrally. Results from the General Teaching Council for Scotland survey of the previous cohort of post probation teachers indicated that by April 2008, 92.7% were in teaching posts in Scotland.

Transport

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15925 by Stewart Stevenson on 16 September 2008, why it is unable to indicate at this time whether Transport Scotland has delivered its initial findings from the strategic transport projects review to ministers and when it will provide a substantive answer to the question.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15925 on 24 September 2008. 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/webapp/wa.search.

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it places on ensuring good transport links between North Ayrshire and the rest of Scotland.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government has established its key purpose as increasing the nation’s sustainable economic growth. The Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR) will prioritise those nationally significant transport interventions that best contribute to achieving that purpose for North Ayrshire and the rest of Scotland. Drafting of the STPR summary report is progressing well. The Scottish Government will update the Parliament on the emerging findings before the turn of the year.

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with stakeholders in North Ayrshire on the upgrading of the A737.

Stewart Stevenson: The A737 forms part of the national strategic corridor linking Glasgow to Ayrshire which is being considered as part of Transport Scotland’s Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR).

During the STPR process, Transport Scotland has been engaging with a range of key stakeholders through focused reference groups with senior representatives of organisations with considerable knowledge, experience and understanding of the transport issues involved. This has included discussions with Strathclyde Passenger Transport on the importance of good transport links to the Ayrshire ports.

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it places on the upgrading of the A737 in supporting the recovery of the North Ayrshire economy.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Executive acknowledges the importance of the A737 in supporting the North Ayrshire economy.

In examining the longer term needs of Scotland’s nationally strategic transport network, Transport Scotland’s Strategic Transport Projects Review will lead to a transport programme for the period 2012 to 2022 targeted at facilitating better movement of people and goods across Scotland to increase wealth and enable more people to share fairly in that wealth.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner

David Whitton (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body when the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner’s annual report for 2007-08 is expected to be laid before the Parliament.

Mike Pringle: The Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner laid his annual report for 2007-08 on 1 October 2008.

The following questions were given holding answers:

S3W-16383

S3W-16387