- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Monday, 31 March 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 17 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the recommendation by the Advisory Group on Marine and Coastal Studies in its report of March 2007, what progress has been made in drawing together a Scottish set of marine ecosystem objectives as was to have been completed during 2007.
Answer
The Scottish Government set up a key stakeholder group, the Sustainable Seas Task Force (SSTF), with a view to taking forward the recommendations of the Advisory Group on Marine and Coastal Strategy and making recommendations for new, streamlined legislation to protect Scotland''s marine and coastal environment. The need for clear Marine Ecosystem Objectives (MEOs), within and beyond 12nm, has been highlighted by the SSTF. Proposals for MEOs will be developed as part of the Scottish Marine Bill.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Monday, 31 March 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 15 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what codes of conduct and practice were followed in the appointments to the membership of the Zero Waste Think Tank; what selection criteria were used, and who was responsible for making these appointments.
Answer
The appointments were made by the Scottish ministers. Members are appointed in their personal capacity and are not appointed to represent any particular organisation. Members will provide advice to the Scottish Government on how best to move forward towards zero waste. The Think Tank is not a non-departmental public body and is expected to have a relatively short life so the Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies in Scotland does not apply. During the forthcoming review of the National Waste Plan, I will consult widely, including with representative bodies.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 March 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 13 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1057 by Michael Russell on 27 June 2007, when it intends to transpose the EU environmental liability directive; whether it plans to consult on legislative proposals for this transposition, and when it intends this legislation to be introduced to the Parliament.
Answer
We intend to carry out a second public consultation exercise shortly and subject to issues arising during the consultation, introduce legislation with the aim of transposing the directive later this year.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 March 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 13 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1056 by Michael Russell on 27 June 2007, what progress has been made on analysing the responses to the consultation exercise, Strengthening and Streamlining: The Way Forward for the Enforcement of Environmental Law in Scotland; when such an analysis will be published, and when the Scottish Government intends to announce what steps it will take in relation to the issues covered in this consultation.
Answer
An exercise was completed to collate the responses received on the consultation document issued by the previous administration but it was decided not to proceed with a formal analysis of the responses. Any identified issues requiring attention in relation to environmental law will be considered in the normal course of government business.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 January 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 28 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it intends to set for domestic energy efficiency improvements, as referred to in paragraph 6.4 of Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration: Achieving a Low Carbon Future: A Strategy for Scotland - draft for consultation, March 2007.
Answer
We are already proposing a challenging target of 80% emissions reductions by 2050. The Scottish Climate Change Bill consultation seeks views on sectoral targets, including in relation to energy demand. The government is also considering the role for standards for existing non-domestic buildings and housing stock and it is the intention to consult separately on new policy proposals.
We will therefore consider the possible benefits of setting further targets for domestic energy efficiency improvements in this context and against the need for targets to have an impact on actual take-up.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 July 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 28 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the first round of grants to be awarded under the Energy Saving Scotland Boiler Scrappage Scheme.
Answer
As the independent environmental regulator, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) collaborates closely with Scottish Water throughout Scotland at both a local and national level. Regular liaison meetings take place and SEPA is closely involved both in the delivery of the capital investment programme and in relation to individual projects.
SEPA and Scottish Water have developed a Memorandum of Understanding which maximises the potential for connections to sewers. This is based upon SEPA''s understanding of environmental constraints and Scottish Water''s understanding of the capacity of their assets. This has been a very effective way of removing development constraints across Scotland, and particularly in more rural areas.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 January 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 26 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on assessing the potential for microgeneration targets, as referred to in Annex 1, paragraph 5.1 of Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration: Achieving a Low Carbon Future: A Strategy for Scotland - draft for consultation, March 2007.
Answer
We already have challenging targets in this area “ 50% renewable electricity by 2050 and our proposed target of 80% emissions reductions by 2050. The Scottish Climate Change Bill consultation also seeks views on sectoral targets, particularly in the area of renewables and energy demand. There are also proposed European and UK targets. We will consider the possible benefits of targets for micro-generation in this context and against the need for targets to have an impact on actual take-up.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 January 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 26 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on taking forward the findings of the joint Ofgem and Department of Trade and Industry review of distributed generation, as referred to in paragraph 1.23 of Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration: Achieving a Low Carbon Future: A Strategy for Scotland - draft for consultation, March 2007.
Answer
The Energy White Paper and the Review of Distributed Generation published alongside it, contained a number of proposals and measures to assist more widespread deployment of electricity and heat generation in the UK.
One of the key barriers identified was the costs and complexities associated with the technical and regulatory aspects of the electricity system. Ofgem and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) have since issued a joint consultation paper outlining a range of options for reducing these burdens.
The Scottish Government is also considering what action it can take to encourage greater distributed generation, particularly in relation to heat. In doing so we are taking account of the findings of the FREDS Renewable Heat sub-group (referred to in the answer to question S3W-9278 on 25 February 2008).
All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 January 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 26 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to publish its renewable heat strategy.
Answer
A report by the Renewable Heat Group of the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland (FREDS) was presented to Scottish Government and made available on our website on 5 February 2008. The report makes a number of recommendations on how to develop a renewable heat market in Scotland. We will consider its recommendations carefully in developing an action plan for renewable heat, which we expect to issue later this year.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 January 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 26 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the investigation into barriers to the take-up of home energy efficiency and consideration of options to help householders improve the energy efficiency of their homes, as referred to in paragraph 6.13 of Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration: Achieving a Low Carbon Future: A Strategy for Scotland - draft for consultation, March 2007.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9279 on 25 February 2008. A recently completed independent review of Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration Support has provided evidence into some of the barriers impeding the take-up of actions to improve home energy efficiency. These range from a lack of information, advice and finance to more complex matters such as existing housing that is hard to treat.
In line with findings we are taking additional action to help householders improve the energy efficiency of their homes, including:
A one stop shop advice network helping householders to take action on energy efficiency, microgeneration and transport. The new network, which goes live from April 2008, will have more challenging targets “ aiming to reach double the number of householders and producing four times more carbon savings as a result.
New steps to leverage in our fair share of funding through the UK Government''s Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT).
We are currently considering what further action we need to take including the role for standards for existing non-domestic buildings and housing stock and we will shortly be issuing a consultation paper on new policy proposals.
All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
