- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 June 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 17 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-13505 by Michael Russell on 4 June 2008, whether the working group to develop the detail of new legislation to regulate the use of snares will be the same group as the PAW (Scotland) Legislation, Regulation and Guidance sub-group referred to in Natural Justice: A Joint Thematic Inspection of the Arrangements in Scotland for Preventing, Investigating and Prosecuting Wildlife Crime and what the membership and specific remit of that group will be.
Answer
The PAW Scotland sub-group which “Natural Justice” recommended should be established would be an appropriate group for examining detailed issues relating to the laws regulating snaring as envisaged in the answer to S3W-13505.
The membership and remit of the working group will be finalised over the coming months in consultation with the PAW Scotland steering group.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 June 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 12 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reverse its decision not to follow the example of the Department for Transport in England and increase the Bus Services Operators Grant in line with any increase in fuel duty.
Answer
The Scottish Government will provide substantial funds to the bus industry of around £260 million each year. Each increase in fuel duty and its effect on the rate of Bus Service Operators Grant has to be looked at on an individual basis. Ministers are currently considering the future levels of Bus Service Operators Grant. Any changes to the increased level of funding that was set out in the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth’s budget statement on 6 February 2008 will be announced in due course.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 6 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what the scope of the five-yearly reviews of Scotland’s national parks will be and whether the reviews will include an evaluation of the impact of the national parks in relation to their objectives as set out in the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000.
Answer
The national parks review remit provides information on the scope and the provisional timetable of the review and is available on the Scottish Government’s website at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Countryside/16131.
A consultation will be carried out as part of the first stage of the review and I would encourage those interested in national parks to offer their views to the national parks review team. The consultation questions will be made available on the Scottish Government’s website in due course.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 6 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what the anticipated completion dates are for the five-yearly reviews of Scotland’s national parks.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13733 on 6 June 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
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 4 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in delivering the SNP manifesto commitment to ensure that there is renewable generation in every school.
Answer
Under the terms of the historic concordat signed between COSLA and the Scottish Government last year, we are committed to working with local authorities to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050.
We have recently widened the Central Energy Efficiency Fund, which is a rolling loan fund, to allow authorities to invest in renewable as well as in energy efficiency technologies. We have increased funding under our renewables grants programme and we will fund dedicated schools development officers to provide advice to authorities and ensure they have a better awareness of how they can access grants for renewable technologies through the UK-wide Low Carbon Buildings Programme.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 3 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the final report of the Sustainable Seas Task Force.
Answer
The work of the Sustainable Seas Task Force is now complete, having fulfilled its remit to input into the development of Scottish Government’s consultation proposals for a Scottish marine bill. There is no final report of the task force’s work but the papers are available on the Scottish Government web pages. The work is being incorporated into the consultation document which will issue in the summer.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 30 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in delivering the SNP manifesto commitment to ensure that there is a renewable capability in each public building.
Answer
Progress is being made on realising the renewable capability across the public sector in a number of ways:
Through the Scottish Government''s Leading By Example programme we are ensuring all parts of the public sector play an exemplary role in pioneering new greener behaviours. Generating more sustainable low carbon energy through renewables is an important element of the programme.
We have recently widened the Central Energy Efficiency Fund to allow public bodies to invest in renewable technologies.
To ensure the public sector has better access to grants for renewables we are more actively promoting the UK Government''s Low Carbon Buildings Programme and we have increased funding under own renewables grants programme.
We are introducing dedicated Schools Development Officers to support the deployment of renewable technologies in Scotland''s schools.
The National Contract for Electricity is seeking to establish a national feed in tariff for public sector bodies who generate electricity from onsite renewables.
Changes to the Energy Standards of Scottish Building Regulations and SPP6: Planning Guidance also encourage the use of renewable technologies in new public buildings to meet improved carbon emissions levels.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 29 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing or the Minister for Communities and Sport last met local authorities to discuss poverty and social justice.
Answer
Both I and the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing have met with representatives of COSLA on a number of occasions to discuss matters relevant to poverty and social justice, including housing, health inequalities and the new Fairer Scotland Fund.
Moreover, Scottish Government officials meet regularly with COSLA representatives to discuss the Government''s approach to tackling poverty, deprivation and inequality. COSLA are full partners in the development of our new Anti-Poverty Framework due for publication later this year, and our officials discussed that with the COSLA anti-poverty officers group on 21 May.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 27 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are in place for the establishment of local recovery co-ordinating groups to ensure that health and wellbeing support is readily available to those affected by flooding and whether there are specific recommendations for people with disabilities.
Answer
Planning for emergencies, including recovery from such incidents, is primarily a matter for local responders, as defined under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, to whom the Scottish Government will provide appropriate support. Scottish Resilience has sponsored a current project to develop guidance for those charged with the care of people affected by emergencies. The guidance will propose management arrangements for co-ordinating multi-agency response to the personal needs of victims of all individuals affected by emergencies. Funding will be made available for the implementation of the guidance.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 27 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what expenditure from its budget will directly support research aimed at preventing flood risk.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not maintain a specific budget to support research aimed at preventing flood risk. Expenditure is made from a £1.6 million per annum resource that provides research and evidence in support of flooding policy, including the flooding bill and transposition of the EC directive on the assessment and management of flood risks.
