- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 9 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider delaying the public inquiry into the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route project in order to address significant public concern over the restrictive remit of the inquiry.
Answer
No.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 9 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how the benefit to cost ratio of 5:1 for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Project was calculated and what assumptions and evidence were used as a basis for the calculation.
Answer
The benefit to cost ratio has been evaluated over a 60-year period in accordance with current national guidance and methodology.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 9 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what target it has set for reducing greenhouse gas emissions over the period to 2011, and whether it intends to make this or other interim targets statutory as part of the forthcoming Climate Change Bill.
Answer
The Government Economic Strategy contains a purpose target to reduce emissions over the period to 2011. There are no plans to make this target statutory as part of the forthcoming Scottish Climate Change Bill.
We have consulted on whether statutory interim targets should be set and are currently considering the responses.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 21 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessments it has made of (a) Scotland’s and (b) global oil supplies.
Answer
The Scottish Government has made no specific assessments of Scottish or global oil supplies. However, we regularly monitor world energy markets, including future estimates of oil reserves prepared by the industry, international agencies, and the UK Government, to assess future security of supply. These estimates indicate that there will be sufficient supply in both the North Sea and globally over the next few decades to enable Scotland and the rest of the world to make the transition to a low carbon energy supply.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 21 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how its Government Economic Strategy will take into account the impact of peak oil.
Answer
On a global level, there has been considerable debate about whether peak oil has occurred. In any event, significant reserves remain in the North Sea and the Scottish oil and gas industry, which is of enormous economic importance to Scotland, will remain a vital sector of our economy for decades to come.
The Government Economic Strategy (GES) sets out how the government intends to create a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth. While the strategy will continue to evolve as economic conditions change, the strategy identifies the Scottish oil and gas industry as one of significant economic importance to Scotland. The strategy also sets out the desired characteristics of growth - one of which is sustainability - and sets challenging emissions targets. The GES identifies the energy sector (with a particular focus on renewables) as a key sector which has an important part to play not only in contributing to Scotland''s wealth but also in developing an energy supply that is diverse and sustainable and which supports the transition to a low carbon economy.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Tricia Marwick on 21 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will mark International Day Against Homophobia on 17 May 2008 by flying a rainbow flag from the Parliament building.
Answer
The request does not fall within the scope of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body''s agreed policy on flag flying. The Parliament routinely flies the Saltire, Union and European Union flags on a daily basis. In addition, the Parliament flies the United Nations and Commonwealth flags on United Nations Day (24 October) and Commonwealth Day (2nd Monday in March) respectively. Outwith these dates, the Parliament will also fly the relevant country flags for a visiting head of state and, on occasions, for a visiting Prime Minister or parliamentary speaker.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 16 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking in the transport sector to address the impact of peak oil.
Answer
On a global level, there has been considerable debate about whether peak oil has occurred. It is the case that significant reserves remain in the North Sea and that the Scottish oil and gas industry, which is of enormous economic importance to Scotland, will remain a vital sector of our economy for decades to come.
However, we are also clear that Scotland needs to make a transition to a low carbon economy, with an energy supply that is diverse and sustainable and which contributes to Scotland''s wealth. In transport, we are investing heavily in public transport to provide efficient alternatives to the car. We are proposing a rolling programme of electrification that will focus on the core route between Edinburgh and Glasgow (via Falkirk High) and also stretching as far as Cumbernauld, Dunblane, Stirling and Alloa. Transport Scotland is working closely with Network Rail and First ScotRail to deliver the programme of works by 2016.
We also promote and support cycling and walking through Cycling Scotland, Sustrans and local authorities. We are actively promoting and supporting Smart Measures such as eco-driving, travel planning and green-fleet reviews and we fund Energy Savings Trust and Regional Transport Partnerships to deliver this work. We have recently launched Smarter Choices Smarter Places to encourage more sustainable travel. This project will give a number of local authorities the opportunity to implement and test intensive packages of measures to increase healthy active travel and tackle transport emissions.
We also recognise the potential of new technologies to power vehicles without fossil fuels. Many show promise and we believe that a range of technologies and policies will be required to address the issues in relation to transport, such as lower emission vehicles, the potential of second generation biofuels and electric vehicles that could be powered by renewable electricity.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 16 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking in the agricultural sector to address the impact of peak oil.
Answer
On a global level, there has been considerable debate about whether peak oil has occurred. It is the case that significant reserves remain in the North Sea and that the Scottish oil and gas industry, which is of enormous economic importance to Scotland, will remain a vital sector of our economy for decades to come.
However, we are also clear that Scotland needs to make a transition to a low carbon economy, with an energy supply that is diverse and sustainable and which contributes to Scotland''s wealth. We have put in place a range of initiatives aimed at helping and encouraging farmers and other land managers to improve the efficiency of their operations and make more use of renewable energy, thereby reducing their use of oil and oil-based energy and products.
Under the Scotland Rural Development Programme, grants of up to 50% are available to towards the purchase and installation of renewable energy capacity to improve the efficiency and sustainability of the business. Similar grants are available for capital projects to improve business efficiency. Grants are also available to help farmer''s access specialist advice on reducing inputs and increasing the efficiency of their operation, under the Whole Farm Review scheme.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 15 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has undertaken, or plans to undertake, into the impact of peak oil in Scotland.
Answer
On a global level, there has been considerable debate about whether peak oil has occurred. It is the case that significant reserves remain in the North Sea and that the Scottish oil and gas industry, which is of enormous economic importance to Scotland, will remain a vital sector of our economy for decades to come.
However, we are also clear that Scotland needs to make a transition to a low carbon economy, with an energy supply that is diverse and sustainable and which contributes to Scotland''s wealth.
The Scottish Government has not undertaken any specific research into the impact of peak oil, however we keep a close watch on developments in world energy markets, including future oil supplies, which we believe to be secure for the medium term, enabling us to make the transition to a low carbon economy. The Scottish Government continually monitors developments which will impact upon Scotland and these impacts are picked up in our regular reporting of economic developments within the Scottish economy.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 15 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government on the impact of peak oil.
Answer
The Scottish Government has had no specific discussions with the UK Government on the impact of peak oil. However, there is frequent contact with the UK Government on a range of energy matters. From these discussions, we are confident that global oil supplies are likely to be sufficient to meet our demand in the medium term, enabling Scotland to make the transition to a low carbon energy supply.