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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S4W-06445

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 March 2012
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consult on simplifying the Carbon Reduction Commitment.

Yes. When introducing the CRC in the Scottish Parliament in February 2010, I said we’d keep it under review and amend if necessary. We have engaged with stakeholders and listened to their concerns. I am pleased to report that in partnership with the UK Government and the other devolved administrations, tomorrow we will launch a consultation on simplification of the CRC. Our proposals will reduce the administrative burdens for participants without undermining the energy efficiency and emissions reduction objectives of the scheme.

We plan to implement the proposals through amended legislation by April 2013.

Question reference: S4O-00866

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 March 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides to veterans.

Question reference: S4W-06262

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 March 2012
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Richard Lochhead on 16 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide an update on the Dounreay waste substitution policy for radioactive waste arising from overseas research reactor fuel reprocessing contracts.

I am pleased to announce publication today of the Scottish Government and UK Government’s policy on Dounreay radioactive waste substitution and also the response paper to the Dounreay Radioactive Waste Substitution Consultation.

The consultation, published jointly by the Scottish Government and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) in December 2010 proposed a means to deal with overseas reprocessing contracts through waste substitution. More specifically, it is proposed that approval be given for the substitution of:

Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) and cemented Materials Test Reactor (MTR) raffinate wastes from Dounreay with vitrified radioactive wastes from Sellafield, and

PFR raffinate waste at Dounreay with cemented MTR raffinate waste at Dounreay.

Having considered all the responses to the consultation, the Scottish and UK Governments have concluded that a waste substitution policy for radioactive waste arising from overseas research reactor fuel reprocessing contracts is an acceptable practice that the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) can adopt to deal with historic Dounreay contracts and return overseas waste.

The practice will help existing overseas contracts to be honoured at the earliest opportunity and provide greater certainty to the overall decommissioning schedule at Dounreay. The policy also rules out the need to design, build, operate, decommission and dispose of a vitrification facility at Dounreay. While the exact cost of a vitrification plant for Dounreay has not been determined, it is estimated to be in the order of several hundreds of millions of pounds.

In summary, the policy will help overseas radioactive waste currently stored at Dounreay to be returned to NDA’s overseas customers – in this case, Italy, Belgium, Australia and Germany. Any such shipments will be carried out in full compliance with international laws and regulations. Any shipment of radioactive waste to the overseas customers will be undertaken to these high standards and this will be the case whether the policy is implemented or not.

The Scottish Government has worked closely with a wide range of stakeholders to shape the final policy. One of these key stakeholders is SEPA who will, under this policy, need to be satisfied that the waste substitution arrangements between the NDA and its overseas customers result in environmental neutrality.

This is not a legacy that Scotland chose to have, however, the Scottish Government remains committed to dealing responsibly with this nuclear legacy that it has inherited.

Question reference: S4O-00815

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 March 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on the recommendations of the Commission on the Future Delivery of Public Services in relation to community planning.

Question reference: S4O-00732

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to promote economic activity in rural areas.

Question reference: S4O-00690

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how it will monitor the progress of its policy on zero waste.

Question reference: S4O-00657

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 2 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government on reducing the VAT rate for the domestic repair, maintenance and improvement sector, given the impact on small businesses.

Question reference: S4O-00576

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with Vector Aerospace regarding potential job losses at Almondbank.

Question reference: S4O-00558

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to raise awareness of the links between high blood pressure and other medical conditions.

Question reference: S4F-00291

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2011
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 November 2011

To ask the First Minister what representations the Scottish Government has made to the UK Government on the economy.