- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 15 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-9274 by Jim Mather on 28 February 2008, when the proposed one-stop-shop advice network will go live.
Answer
The one-stop-shop advice network, known as the Energy Saving Scotland Advice Network, went live on 1 April 2008.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 15 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-9274 by Jim Mather on 28 February 2008, how the proposed one-stop-shop advice network will help householders to take action on energy efficiency.
Answer
The one-stop-shop advice network will provide free and impartial advice and practical support to householders on all aspects of sustainable energy including energy efficiency, renewables and transport. This will be achieved with a range of activities including telephone advice, home visits and marketing campaigns targeted at householders.
The network will help householders find the right solution for their individual needs, signpost them to any financial assistance that may be available and help them find suitably qualified trades people.
The network will also act as a gateway for other energy services and will make referrals to other programmes such as Scottish Government fuel poverty schemes and wider local authority carbon saving initiatives.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 15 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its report on the independent review of energy efficiency and microgeneration support.
Answer
The report on the independent review of energy efficiency and microgeneration support in Scotland will be published on the Scottish Government website by the end of April 2008.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 15 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will bring forward an energy efficiency strategy.
Answer
The consultation on the draft Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration Strategy closed on 12 June 2007 and individual responses have been published on the Scottish Government website. We have been analysing the response and will publish a summary report in spring 2008. This will give the government''s response to the consultation and outline our next steps.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 15 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will launch the £4 million energy efficiency fund for universities and colleges.
Answer
Managed by Salix on behalf of the Scottish Government, the energy efficiency fund for Scotland''s universities and colleges has been operational since January 2008. The original £4 million investment from government will leverage additional funding now bringing the total funding for energy saving projects to £6.7 million.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 15 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many farmers and crofters entered into Scottish Natural Heritage land management agreements which required them to reduce their livestock numbers and, of these, which were in operation for all, or part of, the 2000-02 single farm payment reference period, broken down by SGRPID area office area.
Answer
The number of farmers and crofters who had Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) land management agreements requiring a reduction in livestock numbers over the single farm payment (SFP) reference period of 2000-02 is shown in the first column of the following table. The second and third columns show the number of farmers and crofters who had SNH land management agreements over the same period which restricted proposed increases in livestock numbers, and those where there was a mixture of both. Some of these management agreements may have expired since the SFP reference period. The figures are broken down by SNH Area rather than SGRPID Area Office Area as this is how they are recorded.
Number of SNH Management Agreements with Farmers and Crofters that
Reduced/Restricted Increases in Livestock Numbers during the Single Farm Payment Reference Period of 2000-021
| SNH Area | Reduction in Livestock Numbers | Restriction of Proposed Increase in Livestock Numbers | Cases Where a Mixture of Both | Total |
| Argyll and Stirling | 2 | 18 | 0 | 20 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| East Highland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Forth and Borders | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Grampian | 0 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| North Highland | 0 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| Northern Isles | 4 | 69 | 3 | 76 |
| Strathclyde and Ayrshire | 4 | 19 | 0 | 23 |
| Tayside and Clacks | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
| West Highland | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Western Isles | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Total | 15 | 148 | 4 | 167 |
Note: 1. These figures are based on best available information held centrally by SNH.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 20 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is for the support and development of small craft businesses, such as those producing jewellery, ceramics, furniture, textiles and glass.
Answer
The creative industries are identified as a key sector of the economy in the Government Economic Strategy, and the Scottish Government wishes to strengthen Scotland''s reputation as a source of contemporary crafts of the highest quality. Advice and support to enable small craft businesses to network, to represent Scotland at key events abroad and to receive advice and training in business development, is available through the activities of the Scottish Arts Council, the Cultural Enterprise Office, the Business Gateway and others. Work is in hand in the context of the establishment of Creative Scotland to improve further the support provided to the creative industries.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 19 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it sought advice on the legality of its decision to favour a select group of islands when introducing Road equivalent tariff fares on ferry routes and what the terms were of any such advice sought on the matter.
Answer
The Scottish Government has significant legal advice at its disposal. The Scottish Government does not normally publish the legal advice which it receives.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 19 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has noted the results of Fife Council’s Migrant Workers Survey; whether it will support a similar study on a national level, and how it would deliver such a study.
Answer
The Scottish Government intends commissioning some research shortly to review and analyse data and evidence relating to migration which exists at both a national and local level to see what it can tell us about migration and its impact, and to identify information gaps which need to be addressed. This will include looking at local research and surveys, such as that carried out by the Fife multi-agency working group.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 19 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to match the plans of Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ministers who, as part of their Water Strategy, will convene a high-level meeting of stakeholders from all the relevant sectors to discuss how to make best use of anaerobic digestion to contribute to climate change and wider environmental objectives in a way that is cost-effective and beneficial to the environment.
Answer
There are no current plans to do so in relation to Defra''s Water Strategy. However, the Scottish government is keen to encourage the development of anaerobic digestion projects in Scotland.
I would refer the member to the answer to question S3W-10453 on 12 March 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
