Claudia Beamish

25 Sep 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason its recently-launched consultation on air quality plans to meet EU limit values for nitrogen dioxide does not include scrutiny of the Low Emission Strategy.

Answer · Aileen McLeod: The Low Emission Strategy is an important element of Scotland’s contribution to the overall UK air quality action plan for securing compliance with the EU limit values for nitrogen dioxide. It has already been subject to extensive stakeholder input and scruti…

25 Sep 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4O-04596 by Aileen McLeod on 16 September 2015, whether the final Low Emission Strategy will include (a) a timetable for key actions, (b) estimates of each planned improvement to air quality and (c) details of how much money will be needed to fund low-…

Answer · Aileen McLeod: The final Low Emission Strategy will include a timetable for key actions. The contribution of each action to air quality improvements cannot be estimated in isolation as there is a strong degree of complex interaction between the various actions. As the proce…

25 Sep 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to analyse the number of deaths each year that are attributable to (a) nitrogen dioxide and (b) other sources of particulate matter; what the latest information is; how much funding it provides to tackle this, and, in light of evidence to the Department for Environme…

Answer · Aileen McLeod: For reasons of statistical quality, sub-UK statistics as to mortality caused by air quality are not routinely collected. The Scottish Government provides funding totalling £2 million a year to support local authorities in undertaking their statutory air qual…

22 Sep 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its position in supporting Palestinian refugees.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scotland has a strong record in welcoming, supporting and integrating refugees from across the globe. Our strategy New Scots: Integrating Refugees in Scotland’s Communities provides the framework for supporting refugees who have made a home in Scotland. In J…

16 Sep 2015 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many small businesses have successfully bid for local authority contracts in the last year.

26 Aug 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it considers carbon emissions in decisions under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 while the carbon calculator tool is being upgraded by SEPA.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The existing carbon calculator remains in use.

26 Aug 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when SEPA will have completed the upgraded carbon calculator tool and made it available.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The main purpose of the upgrade is to streamline the use of the tool but it is based largely in content on the existing carbon calculator which remains valid and should be used in the meantime.

26 Aug 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how carbon emissions or savings from wind developments are calculated and included in its annual carbon statistics.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Greenhouse Gas Inventory is used to inform Scotland’s annual greenhouse gas statistics. It considers emissions within Scotland. The operation of the wind farms will however also have impacts on the power sector across the UK. For that reason a se…

26 Aug 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what basis ministers consider the potential increased carbon emissions from sites with deep peat when making decisions under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 where the total volumes of peat exacavated to make way for windfarm developments are not available.

Answer · Aileen McLeod: Section 36 proposals are assessed on their individual merits and proposals on peat are obliged to use the carbon calculator. This provides a view of carbon payback time which is taken account of in Ministers’ decisions, alongside other material considerations.

24 Aug 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its ecological monitoring strategy is for features protected by nature conservation marine protected areas and marine special areas of conservation.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is working with Scottish Natural Heritage, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and other partners on a program of work identifying biodiversity monitoring needs to fulfil a range of obligations, duties and commitments. Part of this…

24 Aug 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what process will be introduced to identify the need for financial assistance for diversification or decommissioning for fishers who will be displaced because of the recently proposed marine conservation orders for nature conservation marine protected areas and fishing orders for special…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The management of marine protected areas and some particular special areas of conservation has not yet been finalised and, in any case, that management remains subject to parliamentary scrutiny. Possible mitigation measures that may be required are currently …

23 Jul 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the outcomes of the windfarm payback calculator surveys coordinated by Carbon Landscapes and Drainage have informed Scottish Government decisions in relation to reviewing or updating the carbon calculator.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s current work on the carbon calculator was already in hand before the completion of the Carbon Landscapes and Drainage surveys.

23 Jul 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how stakeholders, including environmental groups, can participate in the development of the windfarm carbon calculator.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency is currently turning the existing Excel-based carbon calculator into an online tool. There may scope for wider engagement at some stage in this process.

23 Jul 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how carbon assessments submitted as part of planning applications for windfarms that are material to the decision but have not been validated should be taken into consideration by the decision-maker when the decision-maker is either a Scottish Government minister or another planning auth…

Answer · Fergus Ewing: This can be a material consideration among other material considerations in decision making in terms of the predicted or estimated positive or detrimental impact. In instances where the consideration of the carbon assessment is of particular significance Scot…

23 Jul 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government who is responsible for validating carbon assessments undertaken as part of planning applications for windfarms on peat soils.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency validates calculations for section 36 cases to be determined by Scottish Ministers.

23 Jul 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government who has overall responsibility for the management and development of the carbon calculator tool used in windfarm applications and associated guidance.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: On behalf of Scottish Government, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency maintains and updates the carbon assessment tool. The tool is available to use on our website for developers of section 36 wind farm applications.

7 Jul 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much in Barnett consequentials has arisen in each year since 2007 because of increased UK Government expenditure on rail services, and how much of this it has allocated to rail services in Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: The following table shows the Barnett consequentials received by the Scottish Government flowing from increased spending on rail services in England since 2007: Event Consequentials (£millions) 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 Total Autumn Statemen…

24 Jun 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support (a) it and (b) Skills Development Scotland will make available to support the skills transition to renewable wind energy.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The refreshed Energy Skills Investment Plan (SIP), published by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) in March 2015, outlined the priorities for collaborative action between industry and the public sector to meet skills needs across the energy sector. Energy …

24 Jun 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what 11 communities that “will lose out on the opportunity to invest in co-operative investment schemes” the Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism was referring to in his statement on onshore wind energy on 23 June 2015 (Official Report, c.11).

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The communities referred to in the statement as being potentially affected by the UK government's early closure of the renewables obligation for onshore wind relate to the following three Falck renewables wind Ltd projects: Auchrobert in South Lanarkshire, Mo…

24 Jun 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) university and (b) college courses relate to renewable wind energy.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not held centrally. The Energy Skills Scotland Gateway at: www.energyskillsscotland.co.uk provides a one stop shop for both employers and individuals seeking support on all aspects of energy skills, including details of the many …

24 Jun 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what volume of peat is due to be excavated to make way for windfarms that have received planning permission but have not been built and how much carbon it estimates that it contains.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: We do not hold this information.

24 Jun 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what volume of peat has been excavated to make way for the development of windfarms and how much carbon it estimates was in that peat.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government does not hold the information centrally. For larger scale wind farm applications determined under S36 of the Electricity Act 1989, where an environmental impact assessment of the development is conducted and detects peat on site, a car…

26 May 2015 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it is giving to enable NHS boards to offer the best possible guidance and support to new mothers to encourage breastfeeding.

21 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that adequate funding is allocated to (a) develop and (b) deploy effective transport measures to tackle air pollution.

Answer · Aileen McLeod: The Scottish Government is working closely with Transport Scotland, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and a wide range of other partner organisations to finalise the Low Emission Strategy. The finalised strategy will set out a series of actions demon…

21 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how its Low Emission Strategy will feed into the preparation of the new UK air quality plans required following the Supreme Court’s mandatory order as part of its judgment of 29 April 2015 on air pollution.

Answer · Aileen McLeod: The Low Emission Strategy is being finalised in the light of a recent stakeholder consultation and is feeding into the work, and ongoing discussions, that the Scottish Government is having with the other UK administrations to revise UK air quality plans by th…

21 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the final version of the Low Emission Strategy will ensure that Scotland complies with the legal requirements laid out in the Supreme Court's judgment on air pollution.

Answer · Aileen McLeod: The Scottish Government is working closely with Transport Scotland, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and a wide range of other partner organisations to finalise the Low Emission Strategy. The finalised strategy will set out a series of actions demon…

19 May 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the low-carbon economic strategy will not marginalise challenged communities, both urban and rural, and low income households.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The low-carbon economic strategy was published in 2010 as an integral part of the government’s economic strategy. Scotland’s refreshed economic strategy, published in March 2015, sets out a framework for boosting competitiveness and tackling inequality. It e…

15 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it will provide to local authority enforcers ahead of the Scottish microchipping of dogs regulations coming into force, and when the guidance will be made available.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The regulations are currently being drafted and guidance will be prepared alongside this for dog owners, microchip implanters, database operators and local authorities. The final guidance will be issued after the regulations have been passed by Parliament, pr…

1 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Supreme Court's recent judgement in relation to compliance with the air quality directive.

Answer · Aileen McLeod: Air quality in Scotland and the rest of the UK has improved significantly in recent years and, as this judgement recognises, work is already underway on revised plans to meet the air quality directive targets on nitrogen dioxide as soon as possible. The Scott…

1 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that it meets its obligations under the air quality directive and to what timescales.

Answer · Aileen McLeod: The Scottish Government is working closely with the UK Government, the other devolved administrations, local authorities and other delivery partners to ensure compliance with the air quality directive as soon as possible. We are currently updating the action …