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 3468 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S3W-26976

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 16 September 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that public money should not be used to promote the consumption of products that have a negative impact on climate change.

The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 demonstrates the Scottish Government''s commitment to tackling climate change. Policy options and public spending decisions are already contributing to reducing emissions. The Scottish Government has made a commitment to carbon assessment of the impact of its spending from 2010-11 and will report annually on emissions attributable to Scottish consumption of goods and services from 2010.

Question reference: S3W-26456

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 August 2009
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 11 September 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what incentives are in place for people to opt out of the electricity grid system and be entirely energy self-sufficient.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting and accelerating uptake of renewable energy technologies to allow people to tap into Scotland''s abundant local sources of renewable heat and power thereby helping them be more energy self-sufficient.

We have tripled support for community and microgeneration to £13.5 million per year and through our Energy Saving Scotland Home Renewables and Community And Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) grant programmes, provide funding and free independent advice to householders and not-for-profit community-based organisations to help them install renewable energy technologies.

We also offer financial help and free expert advice to small businesses who wish to be more energy self-sufficient through our Energy Saving Scotland small business loans scheme.

Question reference: S3W-26480

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 14 August 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 10 September 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what the start and finish dates were of the Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) pilot for which its news release of 3 August 2009 reported a 14% increase in passenger numbers and 23% increase in car traffic on the CalMac Ferries Ltd operated services to the Western Isles and what the percentage increase or decrease in (a) passengers, (b) cars and (c) freight was for the same time period on each of the ferry routes operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd or NorthLink Ferries not covered by the RET pilot.

The period over which the early results of the Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) were reported and monitored was 1 October 2008 to 30 June 2009. The comparison was with the period 1 October 2007 to 30 June 2008. The pilot commenced on 19 October 2008.

On the RET routes the change in the number of commercial vehicle ranged from 0.9% to 9% with an average increase of 2%. The following tables set out the percentage increases/decreases for the non-RET routes on the ferry services operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd and NorthLink Ferries Ltd.

CalMac Ferries LTD

Route	Passengers	Cars	Commercial Vehicles*
Wemyss Bay - Rothesay	+1%	+1%	-14%
Ardrossan - Brodick	-3%	-1%	-14%
Claonaig - Lochranza	0%	-3%	-16%
Largs - Cumbrae Slip	-3%	-8%	-13%
Colintraive - Rhubodach	-4%	-4%	-11%
Tarbert Loch Fyne - Portavadie	+5%	-4%	+18%
Mallaig - Armadale	+9%	+13%	-7%
Mallaig - Eigg/Muck/Rum/Canna	+4%	-14%	-7%
Tobermory - Chilchoan	+3%	+10%	-25%
Sconser - Raasay	+7%	+8%	1%
Berneray - Leverburgh	+3%	+7%	-16%
Ardmhor(Barra) - Eriskay	+23%	+14%	6%
Kennacraig - Islay	+4%	+3%	-4%
Oban - Craignure	+1%	+3%	-3%
Fishnish - Lochaline	0%	+1%	-24%
Kennacraig - Islay/Colonsay/Oban	-11%	-14%	-34%
Oban - Colonsay	-6%	-7%	0%
Oban - Lismore	+18%	+17%	-3%
Fionnphort - Iona	+1%	+5%	7%
Tayinloan - Gigha	+3%	+1%	-13%

Note: *Freight recorded as commercial vehicle numbers.

Northlink Ferries LTD

Route	Passengers	Cars	Freight**
Stromness - Scrabster	+2.6%	-2.2%	+28.4%
Aberdeen - Kirkwall	-1.4%	-11%	-0.8%
Kirkwall - Lerwick	-1.6%	-14.5%	-3.2%
Aberdeen - Lerwick	+5.7%	-1.5%	-2.6%

Note: **Freight recorded as lane metres.

Question reference: S3W-26879

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2009
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 September 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the UHI Millennium Institute to satisfy the criteria for achieving university status.

The Scottish Government, the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Scottish Funding Council are actively working with UHI Millennium Institute to assist it with its preparations for an application for university title. The QAA has in particular been working with UHI to discuss the criteria, documentation and scrutiny process that will be involved. However, the timing of an application to the Privy Council is ultimately a matter for UHI in light of its assessment of its ability to fulfil the quality and standards that university title in Scotland carries with it. UHI was granted taught degree awarding powers on 1 August 2008.

Question reference: S3W-26880

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2009
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 September 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the principal requirements that remain to be satisfied by the UHI Millennium Institute to achieve university status and what these requirements are.

Question reference: S3W-26878

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2009
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 September 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UHI Millennium Institute management regarding the Institute’s progress towards achieving university status.

Ministers and officials have had a number of discussions with the UHI Millennium Institute management regarding UHI''s progress towards achieving university status. The most recent of these was during a meeting with the Director of Lifelong Learning in Inverness in May 2009. Officials are continuing to work closely with UHI, Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, the Scottish Funding Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise in respect of UHI moving towards title.

Question reference: S3W-26984

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 9 September 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that EU assistance should be provided for the use of genetically modified organisms as energy crops.

No. The Scottish Government does not support the cultivation of genetically modified crops in Scotland. In addition, the recent Health Check of the Common Agricultural Policy abolished the Energy Crop Scheme (ECS) since the rapid growth in the bio-energy market means that there is no longer sufficient reason to continue to grant specific support for energy crops.

However, various forms of support are available, for example under the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP), to encourage the development of new farming ventures which could include renewable energy initiatives.

Question reference: S3W-26453

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 August 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 7 September 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will estimate the number of non-domestic properties that fall into each energy performance certificate rating, broken down by region.

Question reference: S3W-26452

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 August 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 7 September 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will estimate the number of dwellings that fall into each energy performance certificate rating, broken down by region.

The Scottish Government does not hold sufficient information on which to base an accurate estimate. The following table details Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) bandings for existing dwellings subject to sale or rental and excludes new construction subject to the building warrant application process introduced on 1 May 2007.

EPCs Lodged by Energy Rating Banding 1 December 2008 to 16 August 2009*

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G
Local Authority	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Total
Aberdeen City	0	563	2,149	2,348	1,333	593	184	7,170
Aberdeenshire	1	121	1,212	1,569	1,300	807	284	5,294
Angus	0	91	767	837	503	297	90	2,585
Argyll and Bute	0	72	410	645	684	435	198	2,444
Clackmannanshire	0	32	371	436	216	59	20	1,134
Dumfries and Galloway	0	41	487	794	813	543	230	2,908
Dundee City	0	227	1,393	1,449	903	455	152	4,579
East Ayrshire	0	130	1,321	1,131	446	147	36	3,211
East Dunbartonshire	0	41	436	713	372	118	24	1,704
East Lothian	0	136	712	865	438	189	62	2,402
East Renfrewshire	0	31	386	637	334	120	32	1,540
Edinburgh, City of	1	2,145	6,346	5,531	3,258	1,364	410	19,055
Eilean Siar	0	1	11	59	83	99	52	305
Falkirk	1	206	1,095	1,176	541	232	67	3,318
Fife	1	358	2,484	3,290	1,901	608	169	8,811
Glasgow City	0	2,763	8,890	6,215	3,011	1,009	305	22,193
Highland	0	161	930	1,391	1,371	933	314	5,100
Inverclyde	0	310	609	529	329	117	29	1,923
Midlothian	0	49	384	569	314	97	24	1,437
Moray	0	76	782	939	507	270	118	2,692
North Ayrshire	0	155	967	1,222	520	183	83	3,130
North Lanarkshire	0	315	1,848	1,999	854	264	71	5,351
Orkney Islands	0	1	36	137	157	95	46	472
Perth and Kinross	0	194	946	1,137	949	564	206	3,996
Renfrewshire	0	248	1,259	1,431	731	267	110	4,046
Scottish Borders	0	95	766	1,046	880	541	234	3,562
Shetland Islands	0	0	35	78	70	37	19	239
South Ayrshire	0	113	820	1,185	730	244	79	3,171
South Lanarkshire	0	479	2,240	2,546	1,411	512	138	7,326
Stirling	0	136	575	689	465	198	46	2,109
West Dunbartonshire	0	239	1,337	875	317	83	35	2,886
West Lothian	0	315	1,205	1,220	367	98	21	3,226
Grand Total	4	9,844	43,209	44,688	26,108	11,578	3,888	139,319

Note: *Estimate based on information submitted to the Energy Saving Trust Home Energy Efficiency Database. The information in this table should not be scaled up to represent either a regional or national picture of energy rating bandings.

Question reference: S3W-26454

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 August 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 7 September 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will estimate the percentage of dwellings being built, or built in the last 36 months, that fall into each energy performance certificate rating.