- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 26 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 7 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4248 by Fiona Hyslop on 25 September 2007, whether it will give examples of the reports referred to.
Answer
There were such reportsin the Edinburgh Evening News on 14 August 2006, and 31 January, 9 February and 7 March 2007.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 26 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 6 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4248 by Fiona Hyslop on 25 September 2007, whether any of these reports referred to the existence of a “so-called hit list” of school closures approved by the City of Edinburgh Council Executive prior to May 2007 and, if so, which reports these were and when they were published.
Answer
Press reports, althoughnot using the precise term “so-called hit list”, suggested that the possibilityof school closures was under consideration by the then City of Edinburgh Council administration and mentioned certain specificschools.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 2 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the decision to abolish the Cabinet Committee on Sustainable Scotland, what formal internal mechanisms exist to ensure that decisions meet the Executive’s five priorities and contribute to the target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by over 3% a year.
Answer
It isthe responsibility of Cabinet, assisted by the Strategic Board, to achieve the overallpurpose and the five strategic objectives set by the Scottish Government. The GreenerScotland strategic objective is supported by a Programme Board, chaired by the DirectorGeneral Environment and reporting directly to the Strategic Board and Cabinet. Thisboard will take responsibility for oversight of the programmes to deliver reductionsin greenhouse gas emissions and other targets of the government.
Our Scottish ClimateChange Bill will set out our proposed targets on emissions, including our headlineaim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% from 1990 levels by the year 2050,and mandatory annual reporting to provide strong accountability. We aim to launchthe public consultation on proposals for the bill around the turn of the year.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 1 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to announce what action it will take in respect of snaring, in light of responses to the consultation having closed eight months ago.
Answer
The ScottishGovernment’s response to the snaring consultation, initiated by the previousadministration, will be issued in due course, in accordance with the prioritiesof the Scottish Government in this area. We are well aware of the sensitivitiessurrounding this issue and the fact that snaring is considered an essentialtool by land managers. Our proposals will be carefully considered and will takeaccount of the strong views expressed on all sides of this debate.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 31 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to seek a general renegotiation of the Memorandum of Understanding with the UK Government or of the bilateral concordats between the Scottish Executive and UK departments.
Answer
The Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MoU) is a quadrilateral agreement between the UK Government and theDevolved Governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Therefore, a review of the MoU would requirethe participation of all four Administrations and be carried out under the auspicesof the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC).
The First Ministerhas written to the Prime Minister calling for a JMC to be convened and we awaithis response.
Bilateral concordatsbetween the Scottish and UK Governments are kept under constant review and are updatedas and when required. Copies of all concordats are lodged with the Scottish ParliamentInformation Centre.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 01 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 25 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4253 by Stewart Stevenson on 1 October 2007, how much each measure listed is predicted to contribute to meeting its CO2 emission reduction targets.
Answer
Most of the measureslisted are in development or under review and, whilst carbon savings will be a principaldriver for each measure, projected carbon savings are not currently available. However,the one stop shop approach for domestic consumers will aim for lifetime savingsof over 1.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, which is a four-fold increase on currentperformance.
It is important thatthe package of measures to deliver our ambitious climate change targets is robust.Developing the policies and analysis necessary to support this will inevitably taketime.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 25 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets have been set for NHS Scotland to deliver energy efficiency and what incentives the Scottish Government has put in place for NHS boards to meet its overall reduction targets for CO2 emissions.
Answer
NHSScotland currentlyhas a national target to reduce climatically adjusted energy consumption by 2% annuallyuntil 2010 and is on track to meet this target. This target will be reviewed inline with emerging policies.
NHS boards are coveredby the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme and the Scottish Government has proposalsfor a separate Scottish implementation of the UK Carbon Reduction Commitment forpublic bodies.
The Carbon Trust isworking with Scottish NHS boards to help NHSScotland reduce emissions through theCarbon Management Programme.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 24 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what plan or process has been put in place to ensure that Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and local enterprise companies contribute to the conservation of biodiversity in pursuance of section 1 of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 and further the conservation and enhancement of natural features specified in sites of special scientific interest under section 12 of the Act.
Answer
All public bodiesin Scotland are subject to a duty under the NatureConservation (Scotland) Act 2004 to further biodiversityconservation in carrying out their functions. The Scottish Government producedguidance in 2005 to promote the duty and to encourage its implementation. Theguidance can be accessed at:
http://www.biodiversityscotland.gov.uk/pageType2.php?id=19&type=2&navID=59.The NatureConservation (Scotland) Act 2004 Act also requires public bodiesto consult Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) in relation to the exercise of anyfunction on, or affecting, any land which is or forms part of a Site of SpecialScientific Interest. Public bodies must have regard to any advice received fromSNH as a result of such consultation.
It is for eachpublic body to decide how to comply with the requirements in the 2004 act.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 01 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 24 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4139 by Kenny MacAskill on 27 September 2007, whether it is possible to identify what incidences of poisoning there have been where poisoning was not the main offence.
Answer
It is notpossible to identify incidences of poisoning where poisoning was not the mainoffence from the data held centrally.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 1 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken since May 2007 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help meet its target of an 80% reduction by 2050.
Answer
The statement to Parliamentin June by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth committed usto consult on a Scottish Climate Change Bill that will set a clear, long-term statutory framework to meet a proposed 80% emissions reductiontarget. We are developing detailedproposals for the bill, in consultation with key stakeholders, and plan to begin formal consultation at the earliest opportunity.
We havetaken, or are taking a number of specific measures which will contribute to ouremission reduction objectives including development of our policies for the promotionof renewable heat and increased micro-generation; establishment of an expert panel to recommendmeasures which will make houses and buildings in Scotland more energy efficient;encouragementof tighter caps on emissions in future phases of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme;development of proposals to targetemissions from energy use by large commercial and public sector organisations throughthe Carbon Reduction Commitment, and progression of plans to introduce a “one-stop-shop” for domesticconsumers across Scotland to provide a more strategic and co-ordinated approachto sustainable energy advice.
We also announced our intention to work constructively as part of the UK effort and have beenexploring with the UK Government our engagement with the UK Climate Change Bill.
