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: S3O-02442

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.

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.

Question reference: S3W-09273

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.

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.

Question reference: S3W-09288

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.

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.

Question reference: S3W-09277

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.

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.

Question reference: S3W-09274

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.

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.

Question reference: S3W-09276

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 January 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 25 February 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the commitment to invest in microgeneration and investigate which of the buildings on its own estate are most suitable, as referred to in paragraph 7.9 of Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration: Achieving a Low Carbon Future: A Strategy for Scotland - draft for consultation, March 2007.

During 2007, the Scottish Government carried out work, in partnership with the Carbon Trust, to establish the feasibility of installing microgeneration at selected buildings on the core estate. Initial surveys have been completed for Saughton House in Edinburgh, Cameron House in Oban and Strathearn House in Perth which have highlighted a number of opportunities to be investigated further. Further surveys were also undertaken at Victoria Quay in Edinburgh, Longman House in Inverness and Meridian Court in Glasgow to explore opportunities for incorporating microgeneration as part of ongoing maintenance projects.

In 2008 the Scottish Government will participate in the Carbon Management Programme through which the Carbon Trust provides technical and management support and guidance to formalise an action plan aimed at delivering carbon emission reductions. The plan will focus on the built environment including where microgeneration can be introduced to reduce the carbon emissions relative to our building operations.

Question reference: S3W-09278

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 January 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 25 February 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in developing a renewable heat strategy, as referred to in paragraph 1.31 of Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration: Achieving a Low Carbon Future: A Strategy for Scotland - draft for consultation, March 2007.

Question reference: S3W-09275

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 January 2008
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 25 February 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth will make a statement about progress with regard to the effectiveness of the Central Energy Efficiency Fund, in particular its extension to the further and higher education sector, as referred to in paragraph 7.7 of Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration: Achieving a Low Carbon Future: A Strategy for Scotland - draft for consultation, March 2007.

The Central Energy Efficiency Fund continues to be an effective way of delivering financial savings and carbon emission reductions across the public sector. Over 900 discrete projects have been implemented to date by Scottish local authorities, the NHS and Scottish Water, a 50% increase in the last 18 months.

Officials are currently finalising arrangements with stakeholders to set up the £4 million energy efficiency fund for Scotland''s universities and colleges which will be operational before the end of the current financial year.

Question reference: S3W-09279

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 January 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 25 February 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the review of energy efficiency and microgeneration support, as referred to in paragraph 3.18 of Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration: Achieving a Low Carbon Future: A Strategy for Scotland - draft for consultation, March 2007.

The independent Review of Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration Support was commissioned in April 2007 and completed in December. We are aiming to publish the report before the end of March 2008.

We are already considering the results and recommendations of the review and these have helped and are helping to inform action for improving, simplifying and streamlining delivery whilst ensuring that support is effectively targeted.

Question reference: S3W-09123

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 January 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 21 February 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations are providing advice to the Scottish Government on the development of the carbon assessment tool referred to by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth on 23 January 2008 (Official Report, c. 5290).