Questions and answers

Question reference: S3W-20625

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 February 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 2 March 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive how many responses it received to its consultation on Permitted Development Rights for Domestic Microgeneration Equipment.

Question reference: S3O-05926

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 February 2009
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 12 February 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in helping to facilitate the adoption of biomass boilers.

Good progress is being made. We offer support to a wide range of organisations, both public and private and at an individual household level to assist with the installation of biomass boilers.

The Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative has provided 245 grants to householders, totalling over £715,000 and 66 grants to communities, totalling over £2.5 million, to install biomass boilers.

The £7.5 million Scottish Biomass Support Scheme ran in the financial year 2007-08 and supported 60 projects. Building on that success, the Scottish Government launched the Scottish Biomass Heat Scheme in December 2008. The scheme is Scotland-wide, with funding of £2 million from April 2009 to March 2011.

Question reference: S3O-05780

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 February 2009
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 5 February 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial incentives it will bring forward for householders to stimulate a mass market for micro-renewable technology and energy efficiency measures.

Question reference: S3W-19857

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 30 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings its officials have had with representatives of Rothschild since May 2007 and what issues were discussed.

Question reference: S3W-19856

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 29 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings Scottish ministers have had with representatives of Rothschild since May 2007 and what issues were discussed.

Question reference: S3W-19611

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 27 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list its meetings with SEStran since December 2007 regarding the use of the Forth Road Bridge for public transport, also showing what was discussed.

The following meetings were held with SEStran to discuss developments with the Forth Replacement Crossing, including the use of the Forth Road Bridge (FRB) for public transport:

21 October 2008, meeting to discuss refined strategy including the use of the Forth Road Bridge (FRB) for public transport.

8 January 2009, Stakeholder Briefing Session to provide project update following decisions being made on the function of the replacement crossing, the use of the FRB, the proposed design of the new bridge, the road connections, and the funding, procurement and legislation of the project.

Question reference: S3W-19625

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 27 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what type of buildings or their subdivisions are exempt from the requirement to display an energy performance certificate under the Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2008.

I have to advise that I am not in a position to interpret the legislation that covers Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) in Scotland. Interpretation in the first instance is the responsibility of the local authorities and ultimately could be a matter for the courts to decide. I am in a position to provide informal advice on the intention behind the legislation and my response should be viewed with that in mind.

Due to the disparate nature of the public building stock in Scotland, it is not possible to provide a definitive list of exemptions. The Energy Performance of Building (Scotland) Regulations 2008 define a public building as a building with a floor area of more than 1,000m², which is occupied by a public authority or by an institution providing public services and which can be visited by the public. Guidance on the requirement to display an EPC is given as:

The requirement to display a certificate applies only to buildings which meet all of the following criteria:

the conditioned (heated/cooled) area of the building is over 1,000m²;

the building is occupied by public authorities or provides public services to a large number of persons;

the building is frequently visited, at least weekly, by members of the general public;

the public have a right of access to the building, or parts of the buildings providing services directly to the public, and

public funding, including part funding, is used to operate, for general upkeep, or to fund staff costs.

Examples include colleges, community centres, libraries, hospitals, benefit offices and crematoria.

Question reference: S3W-19612

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 27 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list its meetings with City of Edinburgh Council since December 2007 regarding the use of the Forth Road Bridge for public transport, also showing what was discussed.

The following meetings were held with officials from the City of Edinburgh Council to discuss developments with the Forth Replacement Crossing, including the use of the Forth Road Bridge (FRB) for public transport:

30 October 2008, meeting to discuss the refined strategy for the replacement crossing including the use of the FRB for public transport.

9 January 2009, Stakeholder Briefing Session to provide project update following decisions being made on the function of the replacement crossing, the use of the FRB, the proposed design of the new bridge, the road connections, and the funding, procurement and legislation of the project.

Question reference: S3W-19624

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 27 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, when a portion of a building is leased out, an energy performance certificate (EPC) is required under the Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2008 and, if so, whether the EPC should refer to the portion of the building leased out or to the building as a whole.

Question reference: S3W-19614

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 27 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list its meetings with City of Edinburgh Council since December 2007 regarding the Forth Replacement Crossing, also showing what was discussed.

The following meetings have been held with officials from the City of Edinburgh Council to discuss the Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC):

6 March 2008, Stakeholder Briefing Session to provide project update following decision to proceed with cable stayed bridge and to discuss stakeholder engagement

25 March 2008, meeting to discuss initial corridors for the connecting roads

17 June 2008, meeting to discuss road alignment options

30 October 2008, meeting to discuss refined strategy including the use of the Forth Road Bridge for public transport

9 January 2009, Stakeholder Briefing Session to provide project update following decisions being made on the function of the replacement crossing, the use of the FRB, the proposed design of the new bridge, the road connections, and the funding, procurement and legislation of the project.

Chamber and committees