Nora Radcliffe: To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-23582 by Ross Finnie on 28 February 2006, when it will publish the outcome of the review of the policy for management of solid low level radioactive waste.
Nora Radcliffe: To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to address the concerns highlighted in the summary report following the recent consultation on proposals to establish Scotland’s first coastal and marine national park.
Nora Radcliffe: To ask the Scottish Executive what decisions have been reached on future recycling rates and infrastructure to treat residual waste.
Nora Radcliffe: To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to promote better energy efficiency and encourage a greater uptake of microgeneration.
Nora Radcliffe: To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to support the processing and marketing of Scottish produce. (S2O-12309)
Nora Radcliffe: Does the minister agree that it is important to support and promote Scotland's food and drink producers, particularly primary producers, during the next few years of transition in the agriculture industry? Will he join me in commending the taste of Grampian initiative, whose eighth annual event will be held on 2 June at the Thainstone centre? The event, which will attract more than 100 food,...
Nora Radcliffe: To ask the Scottish Executive when the first annual report on Scotland’s climate change programme will be submitted to the Parliament.
Nora Radcliffe: This has been a short debate on an important agricultural sector. I am sure that Sarah Boyack's restatement of Executive support for the sector will be widely welcomed; her clear-sighted appraisal of the issues in the sector and how they can be met even more so. We noted the organic dram recommended by Richard Lochhead, but perhaps we need to look a little more deeply at the statistics,...
Nora Radcliffe: As much as is needed, in light of experience. Shall I reply in writing to the member? Although Eleanor Scott took a gloomy view of the statistics, funding allocation through the organic aid scheme has doubled since 2005. Andrew Arbuckle flew the flag for conventional farming and urged a realistic view of organic farming, while recognising that it is an important and growing sector that merits...
Nora Radcliffe: I thank the members who signed the motion and members who have remained in the chamber for the debate, and I repeat my commendation of the Aberdeenshire environmental forum and the city of Aberdeen environmental forum for their facilitation of a thorough discussion of the proposed north-east regional transport strategy. There is much cynicism about consultation, but the more people take the...
Nora Radcliffe: Apart from its welcoming the High Court judgment, of which I will say more later, the SNP motion is one that I could endorse. The difficulty that I have with the SNP is its somewhat erratic record on some environmental matters. It talks the talk on green energy but, with a few honourable exceptions, consistently opposes wind farms in its own backyards. The SNP supported the Edinburgh trams,...
Nora Radcliffe: I am sorry, but I have got a lot to get through in four minutes. Most important, building state-subsidised nuclear power plants will sap investment from the renewable energy industry. Scotland has the resources, the marine energy expertise and the manufacturing capability to develop a world-beating marine energy industry. Microrenewables also offer huge potential to reduce household bills and...
Nora Radcliffe: To ask the Scottish Executive how many sites of special scientific interest on land in its ownership, or in the ownership of any body accountable to Scottish ministers, have been damaged in the last five years for which figures are available, also indicating in each case of damage who owns the land, the agency responsible for the site and the action being taken to restore the affected area.
Nora Radcliffe: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the occasions, since 2000, on which damage has been caused to a site of special scientific interest by (a) a local authority, (b) a non-departmental public body, (c) Scottish Water and (d) any other statutory body or contractors acting on behalf of such bodies, also indicating in each case the agency concerned and any remedial action undertaken.
Nora Radcliffe: Crofting tenure has sustained rural communities in the crofting counties since the Crofters Holdings (Scotland) Act 1886 was passed and the legal concept of a croft has developed through several reforms since then, but there has been widespread consensus in recent years that further reform is needed to ensure that crofting tenure continues to sustain crofting in the face of modern pressures...
Nora Radcliffe: rose—
Nora Radcliffe: Post offices are the lifeblood of communities in both rural and urban areas, particularly when they are combined with other services, such as the local shop. However, over the past two decades they have been closing at a rate of more than 300 a year. In many communities in my constituency, the post office is the last remaining service—if we do not count the school—so post offices in my...
Nora Radcliffe: That is not worth answering. The UK Government will not extend its card contract beyond 2010, claiming that it never intended to renew the POCA contract. That was news to the long-suffering postmasters, who feel betrayed yet again. It was news to the users of card accounts, who have now got used to them, and it was news to the House of Commons. The Trade and Industry Select Committee pointed...
Nora Radcliffe: Post offices play a crucial role in the community, particularly in rural areas, and must be protected. Much could and should be done to maintain a unique network that is a valuable asset. If we do not use it, it will be lost and that will be a tragedy.
Nora Radcliffe: It is fair to say that the bill was introduced after a lot of good work had already been done to bring together the different interests of fish farming, shellfish farming and angling. The bill will provide powers to support the aquaculture industry and to ensure continued confidence in its products by giving statutory underpinning to the codes of good practice that have already been drawn up...
