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-13354

Asked by: Keith Brown, MSP for Ochil, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 May 2008
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 3 June 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the provision in the English legal system for the state to repay costs to defendants who had privately funded their defence because they did not qualify for legal aid and were subsequently found not guilty would have any merit if introduced in Scotland and whether there are any plans to do so.

The Strategic Review of the Delivery of Legal Aid, Advice and Information (published by Scottish ministers in 2004) considered the question of financial eligibility for criminal legal assistance. The review was not persuaded that there should be universal eligibility for criminal legal aid, and did not propose a general principle that the state should meet privately funded costs on acquittal. The Review considered that the general principle of ability to pay should be applied and that a contributory system would be consistent with that principle. It proposed that under such a system, where costs were met in part through a contribution by the accused person, that contribution should be refunded in the event of an acquittal.

We have no current plans to introduce such a system but will consider it further as part of a broader consideration of financial eligibility rules for publicly funded legal assistance.

Question reference: S3W-13079

Asked by: Keith Brown, MSP for Ochil, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 27 May 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive, following the successful formal opening of the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine railway line on 15 May 2008, whether it and Transport Scotland will consider extending both freight and passenger services on this line to Rosyth and Dunfermline.

Question reference: S3W-12084

Asked by: Keith Brown, MSP for Ochil, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 April 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 1 May 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, given the restrictions placed on it by Schedule 5 to the Scotland Act 1998, it can provide funding to the post office network in Scotland.

Question reference: S3W-12083

Asked by: Keith Brown, MSP for Ochil, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 April 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 1 May 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has in respect of the post office network in Scotland.

Question reference: S3W-12085

Asked by: Keith Brown, MSP for Ochil, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 April 2008
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 1 May 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total annual value is of any commercial business it currently has with Post Office Ltd and whether it will provide a breakdown of such business.

Question reference: S3O-03074

Asked by: Keith Brown, MSP for Ochil, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 May 2008
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 1 May 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice was offered by officials on the Clackmannanshire schools’ PPP project, in light of recent freedom of information disclosures on the equivalent Stirling project.

Question reference: S3W-11519

Asked by: Keith Brown, MSP for Ochil, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 23 April 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it believes that an application for local authority planning permission on a building or site of potential historical interest constitutes a valid reason to defer the process of its historical listing.

Current policy for statutory listing states that it will not normally be advanced in the face of a live planning application or appeal. This provides a reasonable application of the legislation within the current planning framework, particularly as unlike England the listed building legislation in Scotland has no provision for certificates of immunity, which can provide developers and owners with certainty that their building will not be listed for a five year period.

Question reference: S3W-11809

Asked by: Keith Brown, MSP for Ochil, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 14 April 2008
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 April 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-6444 by John Swinney on 22 November 2007, when it will publish the delivery plans for the new Efficient Government Programme for 2008 to 2011.

We have today published the first iteration of the Efficiency Delivery Plans. The Delivery Plans provide more information on the projects and how the efficiencies will be measured, monitored and delivered. Copies of the notes have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 45314) and they are also available on the Scottish Government website:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/03/EDPMarch2008 .

Question reference: S3W-10907

Asked by: Keith Brown, MSP for Ochil, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 March 2008
Current Status: Answered by Linda Fabiani on 26 March 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-9499 by Linda Fabiani on 3 March 2008, whether it will provide details of the planning applications referred to and the grounds on which Historic Scotland objected to or recommended call-in in each case.

on 3 March 2008, whether it will provide details of the planning applications referred to and the grounds on which Historic Scotland objected to or recommended call-in in each case.

(S3W-10907)

Linda Fabiani The information requested is set out in the following table. If any further details are required about any of the cases listed, the member might wish to contact Historic Scotland directly.

Name

Local Authority

Type

Application Summary

Reason for Objection/

Call in

Outcome

Date

Deveron Terrace

Aberdeen-shire

NID/PA

Erection of a large sports centre

HS considered that the development would have a negative impact on the historic designed setting of the Duff House, an A-listed Property in the Care of Scottish Ministers.

PP Granted

25/06/07

Little Law Wind Turbines

Perth and Kinross

PA

Erection of 14 wind turbines at Little Law, Auchterarder.

HS considered that the location of 7 of the turbines would have a significant adverse impact on the setting of St John''s Hill, enclosure, a prehistoric earthwork which is scheduled as being a monument of national importance.

PP Refused

08/08/07

Merranblo Wind Turbines

Orkney Islands

PA

Erection of three wind turbines on Merranblo Hill, Orkney.

HS considered that the erection of the wind turbines would have a detrimental impact on the setting of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site, an internationally important grouping of neolithic monuments, including the Ring of Brodgar, the Stones of Stenness and Maes Howe, all scheduled monuments in the care of Scottish Ministers.

Pending

-

14 Kilgraston Rd, Edinburgh

City of Edinburgh

LBC Call-in

Retrospective application for consent to carry out major works of alteration to a B-listed house of the 1930s designed by Robert Matthew, an important 20^th Century architect.

HS considered that the works seriously affected the character of the building and called into question its continued status as a listed building.

LBC Refused

03/07/07

The Fleece Inn, Selkirk

Scottish Borders

LBC Call-in

Proposal to alter a window to form a door at a B-listed 19^th Century hotel in the centre of Selkirk.

HS considered the works would have compromised the character of this prominent building within the Conservation Area.

LBC Refused

20/12/05

58-60 Kingston Street, Glasgow

Glasgow City

LBC Call-in

Proposed demolition of a B-listed warehouse still in use to build new flats as part of a wider regeneration masterplan for Tradeston.

HS considered that demolition was not justified and would have resulted in the loss of a very distinctive listed building.

LBC Refused

08/02/07

7-15 Albert Street

Aberdeen City

LBC Call-in

Application for a large addition to the rear of the B-listed terraced properties in a conservation area.

HS considered that the visual impact of the addition would fail to preserve the listed terrace or its setting, or the character and appearance of the conservation area.

LBC Refused

21/12/07

Name	Local Authority	Type	Application Summary	Reason for Objection/ Call in	Outcome	Date
Deveron Terrace	Aberdeen-shire	NID/PA	Erection of a large sports centre	HS considered that the development would have a negative impact on the historic designed setting of the Duff House, an A-listed Property in the Care of Scottish Ministers.	PP Granted	25/06/07
Little Law Wind Turbines	Perth and Kinross	PA	Erection of 14 wind turbines at Little Law, Auchterarder.	HS considered that the location of 7 of the turbines would have a significant adverse impact on the setting of St John''s Hill, enclosure, a prehistoric earthwork which is scheduled as being a monument of national importance.	PP Refused	08/08/07
Merranblo Wind Turbines	Orkney Islands	PA	Erection of three wind turbines on Merranblo Hill, Orkney.	HS considered that the erection of the wind turbines would have a detrimental impact on the setting of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site, an internationally important grouping of neolithic monuments, including the Ring of Brodgar, the Stones of Stenness and Maes Howe, all scheduled monuments in the care of Scottish Ministers.	Pending	-
14 Kilgraston Rd, Edinburgh	City of Edinburgh	LBC Call-in	Retrospective application for consent to carry out major works of alteration to a B-listed house of the 1930s designed by Robert Matthew, an important 20^th Century architect.	HS considered that the works seriously affected the character of the building and called into question its continued status as a listed building.	LBC Refused	03/07/07
The Fleece Inn, Selkirk	Scottish Borders	LBC Call-in	Proposal to alter a window to form a door at a B-listed 19^th Century hotel in the centre of Selkirk.	HS considered the works would have compromised the character of this prominent building within the Conservation Area.	LBC Refused	20/12/05
58-60 Kingston Street, Glasgow	Glasgow City	LBC Call-in	Proposed demolition of a B-listed warehouse still in use to build new flats as part of a wider regeneration masterplan for Tradeston.	HS considered that demolition was not justified and would have resulted in the loss of a very distinctive listed building.	LBC Refused	08/02/07
7-15 Albert Street	Aberdeen City	LBC Call-in	Application for a large addition to the rear of the B-listed terraced properties in a conservation area.	HS considered that the visual impact of the addition would fail to preserve the listed terrace or its setting, or the character and appearance of the conservation area.	LBC Refused	21/12/07

Question reference: S3W-10661

Asked by: Keith Brown, MSP for Ochil, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 March 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 13 March 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what potential it sees in using offshore energy transmission methods for (a) exporting energy generated in Scotland and (b) moving energy from point of generation to point of usage within Scotland.

The Scottish Government believes that to fully capitalise on our renewables resource we must explore the potential to export electricity using sub-sea cables.

In the shorter term, we are urgently seeking fairer charging and connection regimes for Scottish generators. However, we will consider all available evidence to inform discussions on grid development options with the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and other stakeholders.