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: S3W-03094

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 August 2007
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 27 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken since 28 June 2007, using its powers under the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 as amended, to address the proposed ship-to-ship transfer of oil in the Firth of Forth.

We continue to monitorprogress by Forth Ports in completing the Appropriate Assessment. As I explainedto Parliament, in the debate on 28 June 2007, the regulation of ship-to-ship oiltransfer is currently reserved to the UK Government under Section 130 of the MerchantShipping Act 1995.

Following the debateon 28 June 2007 I wrote to the Secretary of State for Transporton this matter and our discussions with the UK Government continue.

Question reference: S3W-03095

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 August 2007
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 27 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what correspondence or discussions it has had with Forth Ports plc since 28 June 2007 in relation to the proposed ship-to-ship transfer of oil in the Firth of Forth.

Question reference: S3W-02764

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 August 2007
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-2103 by John Swinney on 30 July 2007, whether, as in past spending reviews, there will be any strategic cross-cutting priorities in the 2007 spending review and, if so, what these will be and, if climate change or sustainable development is not one of those cross-cutting priorities, what arrangements will be in place to ensure that spending plans contribute to sustainable development and to the Executive’s plans for an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Strategic SpendingReview 2007 will focus on achieving the Government’s purpose and five strategicobjectives (wealthier and fairer; healthier; safer and stronger; smarter, and greener).Under the “greener” strategic objective, we will improve Scotland’s natural and built environment and the sustainable useand enjoyment of it. Spending plans to deliver our purpose, objectives and commitmentswill be announced in the autumn.

Question reference: S3W-02442

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 14 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the first round of grants to be awarded under the Energy Saving Scotland Boiler Scrappage Scheme.

(a) Council tax benefitis administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Estimates of thenumber of people entitled to council tax benefit are available only at the Great Britain level.

(b) DWP data on counciltax benefit recipients aged over 60 in Scotland, and by local authority area, are reported as follows in tables 1 and 2.Please note that prior to May 2004 these data were available at the Scotland level only. Data on council tax benefit expenditure forpensioners in Scotland and by local authority area are shown intable 3. The data source used cannot provide pensioner data separately prior to2004-05.

Table 1: Council TaxBenefit Recipients Aged 60 and Over: Scotland, May 1999 toMay 2003

	Thousands
May 1999	299
May 2000	275
May 2001	281
May 2002	284
May 2003	275

Source: Housing Benefitand Council Tax Benefit Management Information System, Annual 1% sample, taken inMay 1999 to 2003. This source is the only one available that provides pensionerdata separately prior to May 2004. It does not provide a local authority breakdown.

Notes:

1. The figures are basedon a 1% sample and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.

2. Thedata refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.

3. Caseloadshave been rounded to the nearest thousand.

4. Counciltax benefit totals exclude any Second Adult Rebate cases.

5. “Aged60 and over” is defined as benefit units where the claimant and/or partner are aged60 and over. Therefore figures will contain some claimants aged under 60 where thereis a partner aged over 60 years.

Table 2: Council TaxBenefit recipients Aged 60 and Over by Local Authority: Scotland, May 2004 to November 2006

	May 2004	May 2005	May 2006	November 2006
Scotland	275,370	277,960	275,920	274,860
Aberdeen City	8,280	8,420	8,490	8,370
Aberdeenshire	7,240	7,490	7,640	7,730
Angus	5,160	5,410	5,570	5,570
Argyll and Bute	4,480	4,540	4,410	4,460
Clackmannanshire	2,350	2,410	2,480	2,480
Dumfries and Galloway	7,590	7,500	7,950	8,280
Dundee City	9,920	9,630	9,820	9,790
East Ayrshire	7,890	7,980	7,630	7,790
East Dunbartonshire	3,370	3,450	3,360	3,420
East Lothian	4,500	4,550	4,580	4,580
East Renfrewshire	2,720	2,790	2,950	2,940
Edinburgh, City of	18,080	18,550	17,860	17,700
Eilean Siar	2,090	2,150	2,210	2,210
Falkirk	7,660	7,880	7,790	7,780
Fife	16,110	15,830	17,060	16,960
Glasgow City	51,330	50,140	48,550	46,290
Highland	9,700	10,120	10,210	10,270
Inverclyde	5,800	5,930	5,270	5,420
Midlothian	3,670	3,650	3,620	3,650
Moray	3,540	3,690	3,800	3,820
North Ayrshire	8,010	8,330	8,440	8,570
North Lanarkshire	20,660	21,130	21,000	21,180
Orkney Islands	760	810	840	850
Perth and Kinross	5,290	5,550	5,040	5,450
Renfrewshire	10,320	10,490	9,690	9,740
Scottish Borders	5,360	5,540	5,700	5,680
Shetland Islands	720	810	850	850
South Ayrshire	5,920	6,060	5,830	5,910
South Lanarkshire	18,260	18,770	18,750	18,630
Stirling	3,420	3,490	3,570	3,570
West Dunbartonshire	7,390	6,910	7,050	7,070
West Lothian	7,810	7,960	7,920	7,850

Source:Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly100% caseload stock-count taken in May 2004 to May 2006 and November 2006.

Notes: Seenotes 1 to 5 for table 1.

Table 3 - CouncilTax Benefit Expenditure on Pensioners

	£ Million
	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07
Scotland	181.632	186.364	191.565
Aberdeen City	5.689	5.977	6.072
Aberdeenshire	4.785	4.981	5.321
Angus	3.179	3.373	3.494
Argyll and Bute	3.178	3.221	3.375
Clackmannanshire	1.474	1.582	1.686
Dumfries and Galloway	4.855	4.970	5.449
Dundee City	6.678	6.489	6.714
East Ayrshire	4.783	5.018	5.160
East Dunbartonshire	2.710	2.705	2.900
East Lothian	3.163	3.301	3.358
East Renfrewshire	1.968	2.173	2.334
Edinburgh, City of	13.520	13.184	13.433
Eilean Siar	1.217	1.263	1.339
Falkirk	4.243	4.506	4.683
Fife	9.504	10.318	10.931
Glasgow City	35.372	36.486	35.180
Highland	6.735	7.105	7.519
Inverclyde	3.979	3.496	3.580
Midlothian	2.706	2.808	2.900
Moray	2.185	2.371	2.469
North Ayrshire	5.328	5.564	5.778
North Lanarkshire	12.233	12.654	13.257
Orkney Islands	0.457	0.501	0.525
Perth and Kinross	3.683	3.305	3.843
Renfrewshire	7.046	7.019	7.084
Scottish Borders	3.212	3.402	3.526
Shetland Islands	0.436	0.489	0.506
South Ayrshire	4.091	3.987	4.260
South Lanarkshire	11.098	11.828	12.205
Stirling	2.413	2.545	2.670
West Dunbartonshire	5.057	4.823	5.014
West Lothian	4.655	4.920	5.000

Notes:

1. Totalsmay not sum due to rounding.

2. Estimatesof expenditure split by elderly/working age are not provided prior to 2004-05 dueto the unavailability of this split within the quarterly administrative data beforethat year. For a definition of pensioners, see note 5 to table 1.

3. 2006-07figures are based on initial final (pre-audited) data, so are provisional and maybe subject to change.

Question reference: S3W-02305

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 10 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1057 by Michael Russell on 27 June 2007, whether it will include within its transposition provision the extension of the environmental liability directive to cover nationally-important wildlife and habitats, in light of the recommendations of the UK Parliament’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s report, Implementation of the Environmental Liability Directive - Sixth Report of Session 2006–07.

Question reference: S3W-02304

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 10 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1057 by Michael Russell on 27 June 2007, whether it agrees with the UK Parliament’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee that the UK Government’s proposals for the transposition of the EU environmental liability directive are unnecessarily minimalist due to the Government’s anxiety to avoid accusations of “gold plating” of EU legislation.

It is for the UK Governmentto comment upon the conclusions and recommendations of the Environment, Foodand Rural Affairs Committee of the UK Parliament. Nonetheless, I am aware of them.

The Scottish Executiveconducted its own public consultation on transposition of the EnvironmentalLiability Directive, including options for going beyond the basic provisions.It received some 250 responses and is currently taking account of them in reviewingits initial policy and preparing for a second public consultation, on drafttransposing regulations, in the autumn. A summary/report of the responses willbe published on the Executive’s website in due course.

Question reference: S3W-02303

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 10 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1057 by Michael Russell on 27 June 2007, whether it is aware of the UK Parliament’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s report, Implementation of the Environmental Liability Directive - Sixth Report of Session 2006–07.

Question reference: S3W-02296

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Linda Fabiani on 7 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from the City of Edinburgh Council or the Festival Theatre Trust in respect of the future of the Kings Theatre, Edinburgh, and, if so, how it responded.

Question reference: S3W-02295

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 7 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1420 by Stewart Stevenson on 20 July 2007, whether bus and tram options will be considered in the planning work for a new Forth crossing.

Question reference: S3W-02103

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 30 July 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will build in consideration of the implications of carbon emissions in the strategic spending review announced on 28 June 2007.

Along with my CabinetSecretary and Ministerial colleagues, I will be in dialogue with a range ofstakeholders over the summer to gather evidence and views on how we can use thestrategic spending review to set plans that will enable us to fulfil ourpurpose and achieve our strategic objectives. Reducing carbon emissions will bepart of that consideration.

Parliament will play itsrole in scrutinising the Government’s spending plans after we have announcedthem later in the autumn.