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: S2W-27602

Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 July 2006
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 24 August 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has been, or will be, consulted about the impact of dredging operations in the Firth of Forth and what advice SNH has given on the impact of these operations on European wildlife sites in the area.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH)is not required under legislation to be consulted on routine dredging operationsin the Firth of Forth. However, SNH is consulted annually on the routine disposalof dredged material from operations which require a Sea Disposal Licence under PartII of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985.

Advice from SNH is that currentroutine dredging operations are unlikely to be having a significant effect on theNatura sites within the Firth of Forth because when the sites were designated theconservation status of the sites was of a quality to merit designation even thoughthese dredging operations had been taking place routinely for some time before designationand also due to the fact that routine dredging operations take place in a few specificlocalities.

Question reference: S2O-10221

Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 15 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what role Scottish Natural Heritage plays in promoting sustainable development.

Question reference: S2W-24355

Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2006
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 28 March 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what specific reports it has commissioned into the future of the Forth Road Bridge; what the remit was of each report; when each report was commissioned, and when the results will be made public.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-24370 on 28 March 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.In addition, Transport Scotland will report its findings on the scope, form and functionof any replacement crossing of the Forth in the summer of 2007.

Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area and can be contacted for more informationif required.

Question reference: S2W-24370

Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2006
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 28 March 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what specific instructions or guidance it will issue to Transport Scotland with regard to the planning of a potential new crossing across the River Forth.

As I announced in Parliamenton 1 March 2006, I have asked Transport Scotland to takeforward, as part of the Strategic Projects Review, consideration of the role ofany replacement crossing of the Forth. Transport Scotland will assess the possible scope, form and function ofany such replacement crossing in accordance with the Scottish Transport AppraisalGuidance and in light of the national transport strategy.

Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area and can be contacted for more informationif required.

Question reference: S2W-24369

Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2006
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 28 March 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have been held with EWS about it giving up guaranteed space on the Forth Rail Bridge as a result of the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail link.

TheStirling-Alloa-Kincardine project will make possible the diversion of many of theEWS trains currently using the Forth Bridge onto a more direct and efficient route.A number of discussions have been held with EWS throughout the development periodof this project. Transport Scotland maintains liaison with EWS on a wide range ofmatters, including future route plans for freight trains.

Transport Scotland has the operationalresponsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

Question reference: S2W-24375

Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2006
Current Status: Answered by Allan Wilson on 27 March 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates that the total sum of European Structural Fund spending will be in Scotland in financial years 2005-06 and 2006-07, broken down by programme.

The Commission’s financial yearruns calendar yearly. The information available is the amount in pound sterlingallocated under European Structural Funds for the year 2005, broken down by programme, which totals £161,513,246.

East ERDF	South ERDF	West ERDF	West ESF	Objective 3	H & I ERDF	H & I ESF	Urban II	Leader+
25,123,094	7,865,666	42,031,336	5,991,833	53,518,387	20,582,225	4,108,291	1,553,255	739,159

As we are currently still withinthe 2000-06 programming period, the full allocation for all Scottish programmeshas not yet been disbursed. At current exchangerates, the total funding package equates to £1.156 billion, of which £676 millionhas already been disbursed in the current programming period. The disbursed figurecan change on a daily basis and is influenced by the exchange rate, repayment offunds and decommitment of funds.

New financial spend targets havebeen introduced in 2000-06, by which the full sum of any one year’s allocationsmust be spent within two years of the allocation year or risk automatic de-commitment(referred to as “N+2”).

Question reference: S2W-24353

Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2006
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 24 March 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what tonnage of (a) high-level, (b) intermediate-level and (c) low-level radioactive waste is stored in Scotland, broken down by location.

Question reference: S2W-24372

Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2006
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 24 March 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what tonnage of intermediate-level radioactive waste has been produced in Scotland each year since 1999 and what locations were the source of this waste.

Question reference: S2W-24354

Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2006
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 24 March 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what capacity is available for the storage of (a) high-level, (b) intermediate-level and (c) low-level radioactive waste, broken down by location.

Question reference: S2W-24373

Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2006
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 24 March 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what tonnage of high-level radio active waste has been produced in Scotland each year since 1999 and what locations were the source of this waste.