Parliamentary questions
Claudia Beamish
624 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
12 Sep 2016 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the UK Climate Change Committee's Reducing emissions in Scotland 2016 progress report.
26 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many climate officers (or equivalent job role) each local authority has employed in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The relevant information is not centrally held by the Scottish Government.
25 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will incorporate the findings of the recent Scottish Youth Parliament report, Our generation's epidemic, into its work on mental health.
Answer · Maureen Watt: We welcome the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP)’s latest research - ‘Our Generation’s Epidemic: Young people’s awareness and experience of mental health information, support and services’. This research has been undertaken as part of the SYP’s 'Speak Your Mind…
23 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide (a) an update on its actions toward developing a district heating system and (b) details of the budget allocated to the loan fund for this purpose.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00903 on 4 July 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/288…
23 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many acres of woodland are required to help prevent flooding and assist in water basin management, and what is the estimated cost of this planting.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has identified priority catchments where woodland should be planted to help prevent flooding and assist in water basin management. This information is available on the following website at: http://www.sepa.org.uk/environment/water/floo…
23 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the results of its assessment of whether smaller and rural businesses are able to complete on an even playing field for energy efficient measures.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: In 2015, the Scottish Government funded Energy Saving Trust to commission an assessment of the barriers and issues preventing SMEs in rural areas from maximising opportunities from the energy efficiency market. The report can be found here: http://www.energys…
23 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) score is for each of the Climate Challenge Fund grants for the 116 projects announced on 23 March 2016, and what the SIMD score is for all grants announced to prior to the 22nd round of grants.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Climate Challenge Fund (CCF) delivers a range of environmental and community benefits and support local action across the country, including in Scotland’s most deprived communities. Of the projects announced on 23 March 2016, 70 of the 116 awards were to…
18 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to receive the results of its assessment of the impact of shale drilling and whether it plans to publish the findings in full.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government is taking a cautious and evidence-led approach to unconventional oil and gas. Our moratorium ensures that no hydraulic fracturing (fracking) or coal bed methane extraction can take place in Scotland. The Scottish Government has commiss…
18 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) discussions it has had with the UK Government and (b) action it can take to match the funding provide by the EU for rural and environmental initiatives through the (i) LEADER, (ii) LIFE and (iii) other programmes if the UK leaves the EU.
Answer · Derek Mackay: While we welcomed the Chancellor’s announcement on EU funding on 12 August 2016, it still left considerable uncertainty. The UK guarantee is limited only to some schemes for a few short years, leaving Scotland almost £750 million short of what we are due to r…
18 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-28992 by Aileen McLeod on 11 January 2016, on what date the gamebird licensing and legislation report will be published.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Further to the answer to question S4W-28992 by Aileen McLeod on 11 January 2016, the review of gamebird licensing and legislation is currently being finalised and will be published in Autumn 2016.
25 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assurances it can give that funding that provides environmental and public benefits, which are currently provided for by the EU, for example through LEADER and LIFE programmes, will be protected into the future.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I am engaging in discussions with key stakeholders to emphasise that we are still part of the EU and EU funded investment in Scotland continues. We are actively seeking clarity from UK Government on the provision of funding in the event that Scotland is remov…
30 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that deer management plans are environmentally responsible and deliver positive outcomes for deer populations and for the natural heritage.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is undertaking a review of deer management at the request of the Scottish Government. This will address areas of public interest, with a specific focus on the natural heritage, and will summarise available evidence on social an…
28 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set a target of 50% of all energy from renewables by 2030 if the evidence shows that this will meet Scotland's climate change targets at least cost and greatest benefit.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00999 on 8 August 2016. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/2…
22 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will deliver the commitment in the 2016 SNP manifesto to consider setting a target of generating 50% of all energy, across electricity, heat and transport, from renewables as part of a revised energy strategy.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government will consider the impact for Scotland of setting a new renewable energy target as part of the new Energy Strategy which will be implemented over this Parliament and beyond. The aim is to create a firm, long-term basis for energy inves…
20 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the results of its consideration of Lord Bonomy’s review of Scotland’s hunting with dogs legislation.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I expect Lord Bonomy to report his conclusions in the autumn. The Scottish Government will publish that report and I will consider any recommendations at that point. Any changes I propose making at that point would, of course, be subject to consultation.
20 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to set up a wildlife crime investigation unit as part of Police Scotland.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has had initial discussions with Police Scotland regarding a dedicated wildlife crime investigation unit to support the existing network of wildlife crime officers in complex investigations. Further information on this will be publishe…
20 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its plans are for a wildlife crime prevention review.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government will announce further details of the scope and timing of a wildlife crime prevention review in the programme for government to be published in September 2016.
20 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what community land has been bought with help from the Scottish Land Fund and how much has been spent by the fund since its introduction.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Since 2012 the Scottish Land Fund has supported rural communities to bring 86,810 acres into community ownership, see the following table for details. In this time the fund has spent £10.6 million supporting these communities in their ambitions to own and man…
20 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many acres of land were in community ownership on 1 January (a) 2011, (b) 2012, (c) 2013, (d) 2014, (e) 2015 and (f) 2016.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government does not collect this data on an annual basis. The final report of the 1 Million Acre Short Life Working Group, which was published in December 2015, stated that there were 480,000 acres in community ownership. The report can be found …
20 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on developing a district heating system and what budget it has allocated.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Our Heat Policy Statement, published in June 2015, sets a clear policy framework for investment in decarbonisation of heat. The heat policy statement announced that we would designate energy efficiency as a national infrastructure priority. The cornerstone of…
14 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) college courses and (b) apprenticeship places specialise in the (i) energy-efficiency and (ii) low-carbon sector.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The main energy efficiency and low carbon modern apprenticeship (MA) frameworks are wind turbine, gas and energy efficiency and sustainable resource management. Other MA frameworks such as construction specialist and construction building also include energy …
13 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether Scottish Natural Heritage has carried out a review of the levels of competence among people who shoot deer, as required under the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 and, if not, when such a review will take place.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage is currently undertaking a review of competence and will report to Scottish Ministers in December 2016.
13 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the difference has been in each of the last three years between the total number of culled deer from the statutory returns and from game dealers’ records.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage can request returns from game dealers but has not sought this information on a national basis since 2011. Periodic requests are made of game dealers to confirm cull figures given by properties or to assist in the investigation of wil…
13 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how Scottish Natural Heritage selects the owners from whom it requests statutory cull returns for the taking or killing of wild deer.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) selects the owners from whom it requests statutory cull returns using their properties database, which is largely comprised of: properties within upland deer management group areas where collaboration between ownerships is requ…
13 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether Scottish Natural Heritage will revise its statutory cull return forms for 2016-17 to include space for the owner's or occupier’s planned cull in the following year.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage is currently considering the detail of how the new powers contained in the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 to request information on future culls will work in practice. For the 2016-17 season, this likely will include requests for fu…
13 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many wild deer have been taken or killed in each local authority area in each of the last three years, broken down by species.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: 2012 -13 2013-14 2014-15 Council Species Count Species Count Species Count Aberdeen City Roe 87 Roe 121 Roe 137 Aberdeenshire Red 2962 Red 3889 Red 3355 Roe 4145 Roe 4111 Roe 4242 Sika 4 Fallow…
13 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many statutory cull returns Scottish Natural Heritage has received in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00703 on 29 June 2016. All answers to written Parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/2…
13 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many owners and occupiers of land have been required by Scottish Natural Heritage to make a return of the number of wild deer taken or killed in each of the last three years and how many have made such a return in each local authority area.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The number of statutory cull return requests which were issued by Scottish Natural Heritage and the number of cull return received from specific properties are shown below. Additional returns received (*) in some years reflect cull returns from additional pro…
13 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that there is a case for reviewing whether the use of night sights for the shooting of deer should be permitted.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: A panel under Section 4 of the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 is currently reviewing the use of authorisations issued by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) to shoot deer, which includes the regulation of night shooting. The panel is due to provide a report to SNH by …
2 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-29255 by Aileen McLeod on 26 January 2016, what steps it (a) has taken, (b) is taking and (c) plans to take to ensure improved implementation of the EU birds and habitats directives in Scotland.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The European Commission's ‘fitness check’ of the EU birds and habitats directives has yet to conclude. Following this, the Scottish Government will consider what, if any, improvements to implementation should be made for Scotland.