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-18164

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 24 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 2 December 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether people on low incomes and pensioners are entitled to receive loft and cavity wall insulation and energy-saving devices free of charge and, if not, whether such entitlements are planned and when they will be introduced.

As part of the Energy Assistance Package, due to begin in April 2009, energy companies have agreed to provide people on income-related benefits and pensioners aged 70 or over with loft insulation (where there is currently less than 60mm of insulation) and cavity wall insulation. These measures will be provided free of charge. We understand that the Department for Energy and Climate Change intends to consult soon on additional measures that could become eligible for funding under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target in future, and this may include energy-saving devices.

Question reference: S3W-18162

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 21 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 1 December 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will consult on implementing the recommendations of the Sullivan report, A Low Carbon Building Standards Strategy for Scotland.

The Sullivan Report work programme being taken forward by the Scottish Government''s Building Standards Division covers the 56 recommendations, some of which require public consultation and others which do not require formal consultation.

A consultation on proposals for improving the energy performance of existing non-domestic buildings was launched on 2 September and is about to conclude. In 2009, there will be further consultations on proposals for the revision of energy standards and compliance with the standards.

Question reference: S3O-05037

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Linda Fabiani on 27 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it can offer to groups trying to strengthen partnerships between communities in Scotland and Malawi by bringing small groups of Malawians to Scotland or vice versa.

Question reference: S3W-17814

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 26 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the (a) number and (b) total value of grants made under the Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants Scheme to Orkney farmers, smallholders and crofters in each of the last five years for which information is available, broken down by grants made to (i) registered crofters and (ii) others.

Question reference: S3W-17560

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 18 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of (a) energy and (b) electricity consumed in Scotland is from renewable sources, broken down by technology and compared with equivalent UK-wide figures.

(a) An estimate of final energy consumption accounted for by renewable energy is given in the following table

Energy Generated by Renewables as a Percentage of Final Energy Consumption, 2006 (Latest Available Figures)

	Scotland	UK
Renewable electricity¹	4.2%	1.1%
Renewable heat²	0.3%	0.3%
Renewable transport³	0.1%	0.1%
Total renewables	4.6%	1.5%

Notes:

1. Where renewable electricity is apportioned as indicated below.

2. Where renewable heat is various forms of biomass with wood taking the largest slice

3. Where renewable transport is liquid biofuels

(b) The relevant figures on renewables as a percentage of gross consumption are given in the following table.

Electricity Generated by Renewables as a Percentage of Gross Consumption¹, 2006 (Latest Available Figures)

	Scotland	UK
Hydro²	9.9%	1.1%
Wind and wave	4.7%	1.0%
Landfill Gas	1.0%	1.1%
Other biofuels³	0.7%	1.2%
Solar Photovoltaics⁴	-	0.0%
Total renewables⁵	16.3%	4.5%

Notes:

1. Gross consumption equals the amount of electricity generated, minus exports and plus imports.

2. Excludes electricity generated from hydro-pumped storage.

3. Includes biofuels co-fired with fossil fuels.

4. Solar photovoltaics are estimated on a UK-wide basis that cannot readily be broken down into regional components.

5. Figures are rounded and do not necessarily sum to the total.

Question reference: S3W-17506

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 14 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the first Saltire Prize to be awarded.

Question reference: S3W-17505

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 14 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will provide ongoing support to the installation and commissioning or deployment of pre-commercial wave and tidal electricity generating devices when the Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme grants have been allocated.

We are consulting at present on the maintenance of higher levels of support for wave and tidal power under our renewables obligation. This measure is already attracting development proposals in waters around Scotland. We are also supporting innovation and levering investment through the Saltire Prize, details of which will be announced at the end of November 2008.

More widely, we are working with all stakeholders on the development of a route map for the sector, which will provide an up to date assessment of the critical path to 2020, the necessary support levels and mechanisms and the issues to be resolved if we are to make Scotland a world leader. This vital work is being spearheaded by the Scottish Government in partnership with the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland, and will involve the input of the Marine Energy Group and the Scottish Government''s Marine Energy Spatial Planning Group.

Question reference: S3W-17507

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 14 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how regularly it expects future Saltire Prizes to be awarded and whether they will be awarded for innovation in renewable energy.

Question reference: S3W-17504

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 14 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to announce a final decision on future direct grant support for the wave and tidal power sector.

It is our intention to continue to support wave and tidal projects. This needs to be based on a clear route map setting out the path and obstacles to 2020, and a robust assessment of need. We are working with the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland and with all those who have an interest in the sector to deliver these assessments as soon as possible.

In the meantime, we are proposing to maintain high levels of support for wave and tidal power through the introduction of banding to our renewables obligation.

Question reference: S3W-17503

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 14 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland’s Marine Energy Group will be reconvened to assess the effects and outputs of the Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme and when it is anticipated that the group will report to ministers.