Chamber and committees

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.

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Question reference: S2W-31478

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 5 February 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive why the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive was not implemented in Scotland on 4 January 2006, as required by Article 15 of that directive.

Question reference: S2W-31479

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 5 February 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has that Scotland does not have sufficient qualified or accredited experts for full implementation of the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.

I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard,Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. Hisresponse is as follows:

In the early years of Directiveimplementation, it is estimated that there will be around 250,000 energy performancecertificates required per annum. The calculation tools which support the methodologyrequired by the Directive 2002/91/EC wereonly finalised in spring of 2006. Also, the agency is in the process of settingup protocols with professional organisations who can accredit their members to dothe certification and inspection work. Clearly there are not yet sufficient expertsto do this work and enable full implementation.

Question reference: S2W-31480

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 5 February 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive when the European Commission was notified of Scotland’s inability to implement the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive on time and what reasons were given to the commission.

I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard,Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. Hisresponse is as follows:

The Directive was implementedin Scotland on time, on 4 January 2006.Notification of implementation to the European Commission was made in April 2006,to align with notification from England and Wales. As with the remainder of the UK, Scotland has chosen to derogate full implementation of Articles 7, 8 and9. The reason given to the Commission by the UK was on the basis of insufficient“Independent Experts” as required by Article 10 and permitted by Article 15.

Question reference: S2W-31481

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 5 February 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what the Scottish framework is for approval of independent experts, required under Article 10 of the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, and what the timetable is for approval of these experts.

I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard,Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. Hisresponse is as follows:

In broad terms, the framework is that the agency will enter into protocolswith professional organisations that can support their members by facilitating orapproving training in the calculation tools which support the methodology and theenergy performance certification procedures. These organisations then have the abilityto state who has completed courses and are therefore in a position to do energycertification. Another important aspect of protocol is that such organisations havea code of conduct for their members which includes:

a requirement that their members do not workbeyond their level of expertise, and

have disciplinary procedures for members thatbehave in a reckless manner.

Discussions on protocols so far, have been with the Chartered Instituteof Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT) and Royal Incorporationof Architects (RIAS). The agency, however, will be prepared to enter into protocolswith other professional organisations that can meet similar criteria.

The timetable forintroduction of energy performance certificates when buildings are sold (introductionin 2008) and when buildings are rented out (introduction in 2009) is sufficientto allow experts to become accredited.

Question reference: S2W-31147

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 2 February 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning graduates entered the (a) private and (b) public sector in each year since 1999.

The following table showsthe information you requested:

Estimated Number of PlannersGraduating from Scottish HEIs Working in the Public and Private Sectors Six Monthsafter Graduation

Year	1998-99	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05
Public Sector	45	55	60	30	30	35	25
Private Sector	80	80	95	80	60	55	50
Total	125	135	155	110	90	90	75

Source: Higher EducationStatistics Agency.

Notes:

Numbers have been rounded tothe nearest five.

Private Sector includes:manufacturing and construction, retail and leisure, transport andcommunication, finance.

Public Sector includes:public administration, education and health, social and community work.

The table includes graduatesfrom full-time planning related courses who found permanent employment sixmonths after leaving university. Graduates who continue their studies or havenot yet found permanent work are not included in the table.

Question reference: S2W-31146

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 2 February 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive how many graduates qualified as planners in each year since 1999.

The numbers of graduatesfrom Scottish Higher Education Institutions (HEI) in planning subjects in eachacademic year from 1998-99 to 2005-06 are given in the following tables.

Graduates from Scottish HEIsin Planning Subjects by Level of Qualification:

Graduates	1998-99	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06
Postgraduate	135	140	150	100	90	75	80	160
Undergraduate	105	120	135	115	80	130	95	80
Total	245	260	285	210	170	205	175	235

Source: Higher EducationStatistics Agency.

Numbers have been rounded tothe nearest five.

Question reference: S2W-31339

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 1 February 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive how many occupational therapy assessments were carried out by occupational therapists in acute hospitals in each year since 2000, also broken down by category of hospital ward.

Question reference: S2W-31342

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 1 February 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive how many assessments were carried out by dieticians in acute hospitals in each year since 2000, also broken down by category of hospital ward.

Question reference: S2W-31341

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 1 February 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive how many assessments were carried out by geriatricians in acute hospitals in each year since 2000, also broken down by category of hospital ward.

Question reference: S2W-31340

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 1 February 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive how many physiotherapy assessments were carried out by staff in acute hospitals in each year since 2000, also broken down by category of hospital ward.