Seòmar agus comataidhean

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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 3333 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S3W-22259

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 23 March 2009
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 9 April 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive, following cessation of the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative, what support will be available for householders who wish to take advantage of their homes’ microgeneration potential.

The Scottish Government''s householder and community renewables support programmes will run as two separate initiatives from April 2009. The new scheme for householders will be the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables “ grants. This will be delivered by the Energy Saving Trust.

Delivery through the Trust will increase the reach of the Energy Saving Scotland identity and so align this programme with the Energy Saving Scotland Advice Centres. As a result there will be a simpler landscape for consumers using Energy Savings Scotland managed programmes.

Question reference: S3W-22002

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 16 March 2009
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 1 April 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19776 by Richard Lochhead on 28 January 2009, what steps it has taken since 28 January 2009 to ensure that the next round of Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) payments and single farm payments can both be made in 2009.

In my answer to question S3W-19776, and in previous correspondence with the Member, I said that officials were already looking carefully at the payment positions for the 2009 Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS), and the 2009 Single Farm Payment Scheme (SFPS).

My officials will continue to examine the feasibility of combining LFASS and SFPS payments in the longer term; making those payments in parallel; or starting the 2009 LFASS payments in December, after the bulk of the SFPS payments have been made. However, I continue to support the view that early delivery of our SFPS payments must continue to take absolute priority, not least because that is where the bulk of the money lies and how we deliver the greatest amount of benefit to our farmers and crofters. Any move from that basic assumption would have major consequences for both SFPS and the wider SRDP delivery work as well. No solution has yet been identified to enable the combination of LFASS and SFPS this year or for them to be paid in parallel. However, we would aim to at least match our 2008 LFASS payment performance, which itself was an improvement over the 2007 scheme. For the 2007 LFASS, payments began to appear in bank accounts on 11 February 2008, and by 20 March, 95% of eligible applicants had been paid. New entrants waited until May 2008 before receiving payments.

By comparison, the 2008 LFASS payments started on 16 January this year, immediately after the EU Regulatory requirements had been met. By 31 January, almost 90% of eligible applicants had been paid, and by 23 March, this increased to around 95% of eligible applicants. Furthermore, eligible new entrants started receiving payment on 6 March, more than two months ahead of last year. These payments continue to roll out.

As for the SFPS, EU Regulations do not permit payments to be made before 1 December each year and, like LFASS, only then if we have verified that all eligibility requirements have been met. Our strategy for 2009 is to gear up to deliver the highest possible value of SFPS payments from the earliest date permissible.

Question reference: S3W-21840

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2009
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 25 March 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to prepare a detailed supply chain analysis for the marine renewables industry.

The need for a detailed supply chain analysis has been raised by the marine renewables industry within the FREDS (Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland) Marine Energy Group (MEG). The Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise are working closely with the marine renewables industry to consider the most effective way of taking forward this analysis.

When completed the findings of this analysis will guide the future actions of MEG and will also feed into the Scottish Government''s on-going work around the Renewables Action Plan to be published in June.

Question reference: S3W-21842

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2009
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 25 March 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will task Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise with preparing a detailed supply chain analysis for, and in close collaboration with, the marine renewables industry.

The Scottish Government and the marine renewables industry are working closely with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to consider how we collectively take forward a detailed supply chain analysis of marine renewables in the very near future. The need for this analysis has been identified as a short-term action point by the FREDS (Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland) Marine Energy Group (MEG).

Question reference: S3W-21841

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2009
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 25 March 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from the marine renewables industry about the need for a detailed supply chain analysis.

The need for a detailed supply chain analysis has been raised by the marine renewables industry within the FREDS (Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland) Marine Energy Group (MEG). As a short-term action from MEG, the Scottish Government and the marine renewables industry are working closely with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise in taking forward this analysis for both the marine renewables and offshore wind industries.

When completed, the findings of this analysis will guide the future actions of MEG and feed into the Scottish Government''s on-going work around the Renewables Action Plan to be published in June.

Question reference: S3W-22000

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 16 March 2009
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 March 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities employ fewer countryside rangers than they did two years ago.

Question reference: S3W-21999

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 16 March 2009
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 March 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive how many countryside ranger posts there are.

Question reference: S3W-21998

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 16 March 2009
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 March 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive how many countryside ranger posts there were in May 2007.

Question reference: S3W-22001

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 16 March 2009
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 19 March 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of the Scottish Countryside Rangers’ Association.

Question reference: S3W-21555

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 March 2009
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 13 March 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discussed the legality of its proposals on fishing quotas and licences with Her Majesty’s Government; whether a joint position was agreed, and, if so, what that joint position is.