Questions and answers

Question reference: S4W-22962

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 4 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason fuel used by Marine Scotland when carrying out surveillance has been excluded from its carbon reduction targets.

Question reference: S4W-22561

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 September 2014
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 13 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Men's Health Forum Scotland regarding the future of the Men's 10k, which may close due to lack of funding, and what its response is to the petition on Change.org calling for investment in the future of the event.

The Scottish Government have not been approached by the Men’s Health Forum Scotland (MHFS) regarding the future of the Glasgow Men’s 10k run.

We recognise the importance of promoting men’s health and that’s why we provided over £500,000 to Men’s Health Forum Scotland between 2007 and 2012 through the Keep Well budget and Section 16b of the General Grants Scheme.

It has been highlighted to MHFS on a number of occasions that for any business to be sustainable central government funding cannot be relied upon given the economic climate. They have been encouraged to pro-actively seek alternative funding streams to help the organisation develop an effective sustainable business model.

I understand that there have been issues in securing funding for the 2015 Glasgow Men’s 10k event. This type of event can be a fun and visible way to promote causes such as better men’s health. It is essential however that such events be sustainable as well as successful. The Scottish Government provide funding to Jog Scotland who have provided expert advice and support to Men’s Health Forum Scotland in marketing the 2014 event and organising the associated 5k run. I have therefore asked my officials to meet with Men’s Health Forum Scotland to explore all options that would allow the 2015 and future events to happen successfully and sustainably.

Question reference: S4W-22605

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 September 2014
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 9 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the total aftercare and restoration liabilities of open cast coal operators for operational open cast coal sites.

There are currently twelve open cast sites in Scotland that are operational. Of those sites, nine are still producing coal and three are carrying out restoration and care/maintenance activities.

Restoration and aftercare arrangements including financial guarantees are agreed between the operator and the planning authority as part of the planning process on a site by site basis.

Issues of restoration and aftercare for open cast sites were addressed as part of the cross-party Scottish coal industry taskforce through Scottish Government’s consultation, Opencast Coal Restoration: Effective Regulation.

The analysis from responses received for that consultation was published in July 2014 and is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0045/00457043.pdf.

Two separate working groups have been established to take forward and develop and make assessment of the responses to the consultation. The output from the groups will be produced in a report with conclusions and recommendations to the opencast coal task force before the end of 2014.

Question reference: S4W-22604

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 September 2014
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 9 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many operational open cast coal sites there are in Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-22606

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 September 2014
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 8 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the total level of independent financial guarantees in place for restoration and aftercare of operational open cast coal sites.

There are currently twelve open cast sites in Scotland that are operational. Of those sites, nine are still producing coal and three are carrying out restoration and care/maintenance activities. Restoration and aftercare arrangements including financial guarantees are agreed between the operator and the planning authority as part of the planning process on a site-by-site basis.

Scottish Planning Policy states:

“Planning authorities should, through planning conditions and legal agreements, ensure that a high standard of restoration and aftercare is managed effectively and that such work is undertaken at the earliest opportunity. A range of financial guarantee options is currently available and planning authorities should consider the most effective solution on a site-by-site basis.”

Issues of restoration and aftercare for open cast sites were addressed as part of the cross-party Scottish coal industry taskforce through the Scottish Government’s consultation Opencast Coal Restoration: Effective Regulation, which invited views on revisions to planning policy and advice including Planning Advice Note 64: Reclamation of Surface Mineral Workings. The consultation closed on 27 February 2014.

The analysis from responses received for that consultation was published in July 2014 and is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0045/00457043.pdf.

Two separate working groups have been established to take forward and develop and make assessment of the responses to the consultation.

Question reference: S4W-22607

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 September 2014
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 8 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the risk of restoration and aftercare liabilities at operational open cast coal sites falling to the public sector if the operators go into liquidation.

There are currently twelve open cast sites in Scotland that are operational. Of those sites, nine are still producing coal and three are carrying out restoration and care/maintenance activities. Restoration and aftercare arrangements including financial guarantees are agreed between the operator and the planning authority as part of the planning process on a site-by-site basis.

Issues of restoration and aftercare for open cast sites were addressed as part of the Scottish Government’s consultation Opencast Coal Restoration: Effective Regulation, which invited views on revisions to planning policy and advice including Planning Advice Note 64: Reclamation of Surface Mineral Workings. The consultation closed on 27 February 2014. Two separate working groups have been established to take forward and develop and assess the responses to the consultation.

Question reference: S4O-03596

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of the lack of funding affecting the Men's 10k event in Glasgow run by the Men's Health Forum Scotland and what it can do to secure the future of the event.

Question reference: S4W-22398

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 11 September 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-15595 by Richard Lochhead on 24 June 2013, whether it will provide an update on its position on regulating pub companies.

Over the last year Scottish Government officials have discussed this issue with various interests both for and against the introduction of regulating pub companies and have called for empirical evidence to support any possible change. To date, the contributions received have not provided sufficient evidence to enable Scottish Ministers to come to a definitive view, though we remain open to consider further evidence from those parties who would be affected by any introduction of legislation in Scotland on this issue.

Question reference: S4W-22133

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 July 2014
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 4 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Police Scotland concerning Operation Lingle; whether it approved plans to extend surveillance of the general public under Operation Lingle, and what consultation was carried out prior to Police Scotland's proposal that members of the public be encouraged to report people they think may be sex workers.

Question reference: S4O-03438

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 July 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what legacy it expects to see from Pride House at the Commonwealth Games.

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