Parliamentary questions
Fiona McLeod
516 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
23 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advanced planning in relation to finance and human resources has been undertaken in preparation for implementation of the Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, as referred to in page 186 of The Scottish Budget.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Consideration of any specific financial requirements associated with the Climate Change Adaptation Strategy will be given in the light of the findings of Executive-commissioned research, Potential Adaptation Strategies for Climate<I> </I>Change in Scotland, d…
23 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advanced planning in relation to finance and human resources has been undertaken in preparation for implementation of the EC Water Framework Directive.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: We are still developing our policy on the implementation of the EC Water Framework Directive. The full resource implications are not likely to be clear for some time.<P>However, additional grant-in-aid, totalling some £16.5 million over the 3-year period 2001…
23 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scotland's water and sewerage service has delivered value for money in each year since 1996.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish water authorities have made substantial progress since 1996 in delivering value for money, and further improvements will be required during the next strategic review period.
23 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which of the two aims of providing value for money or meeting statutory requirements, as referred to in page 188 of The Scottish Budget, carries the higher priority in Scotland's water and sewerage service.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Scottish Executive policy is to meet statutory requirements in a manner that delivers value for money.
23 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the SMART/SPUR grant scheme for early stage research and development of innovative products/processes can be used for renewable energy enterprise and, if so, whether it has been so used and what projects have been supported.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The SMART/SPUR grant schemes are not sector specific and applications are invited from a wide range of technologies including renewable energy. Three projects involving wind turbine and fuel cell technology are currently being supported under these schemes.
23 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which policy areas are covered by the Scottish Climate Change Programme, as referred to in page 87 of The Scottish Budget.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Climate Change Programme, available on the Executive's climate change website at www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/environment/ccm.pdf, covers policies in six broad sectors, namely: energy, business, transport, domestic, public and agriculture, forest…
23 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate the possibility of making provision for recycling and composting waste as an alternative to incineration in any area where the construction of a new incinerator is currently being mooted, in line with the concept of "waste hierarchy" in The National Waste Stra…
Answer · Rhona Brankin: There is no need to carry out the investigation suggested. <I>The</I> <I>National Waste Strategy</I> states that, as well as the waste hierarchy, a number of other principles need to be taken into account in establishing a sustainable future for waste managem…
23 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate (a) whether the incidence of Non-Hodgkins lymphoma in men in the Tayside area is 4.6% higher than the national average and (b) whether such incidence could be directly related to the emission of dioxins from the Baldovie waste incinerator, as stated by Friends …
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Figures from the Scottish Cancer Registration System confirm that during the period 1988-1997 cases of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma for men living in Tayside were indeed 4.6% higher than the national average. However, the incidence for women living in the same area …
23 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate whether samples of soil taken from the high risk area around the Baldovie incinerator show levels of toxic metals 68% higher than those samples taken from an area six miles from the plant, as stated by Friends of the Earth Scotland.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: A study by the University of Dundee sampled and analysed soil for a range of 17 pollutants, including toxic metals, at 85 different sites near the incinerator at Baldovie. Concentrations of four of these substances were found to be above maximum levels recomm…
23 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Baldovie waste incinerator, run by Dundee Energy Recycling Limited, has breached its safety limits since re-opening this year and, if so, on what dates the breaches took place, what the nature was of the breaches and whether they were reported to the Scottish Environment Protectio…
Answer · Rhona Brankin: These are operational matters for the Health and Safety Executive and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, both of which regulate the incinerator at Baldovie. The information is not held centrally.
20 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish electricity suppliers are on track to meet the 2010 target of 18% of electrical energy being supplied by renewable sources.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The statutory consultation on the Renewables Obligation (Scotland), which was published on 3 August, contains proposals for a significant expansion in Scotland's use of renewable energy; the consultation material is available in the Parliament's Reference Cen…
20 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what penalties will be applied if electricity suppliers do not achieve the target of meeting 18% of electricity demand from renewable sources by 2010.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Licensed electricity suppliers who are unable, or who fail, to meet the targets imposed under the forthcoming Renewables Obligation (Scotland) will be required to pay a buy-out charge on every unit of shortfall during each period of the Obligation.<P>Full det…
20 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to allow more waste incinerators to be constructed in Scotland and, if so, where these incinerators will be located.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Following adoption in 1999 of the National Waste Strategy: Scotland, 11 Area Waste Plans are being developed across Scotland to identify the best ways of dealing with waste and to identify the waste management facilities required. <P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">As with o…
20 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive by what means it is intended, through the Scottish Climate Change Programme, to reduce carbon emissions.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Climate Change Programme seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a variety of voluntary, regulatory and educational measures.
20 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of Scotland's drinking water and waste water treatment works have been built using PPP and PFI finance.
Answer · Ross Finnie: No Water Treatment Works have been built using PPP and PFI.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">9 contracts have been signed for Waste Water Treatment Works which have been or are being constructed using PFI/PPP.
20 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish water and sewerage service meets UK and EC statutory requirements.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is committed to ensuring that the Scottish Water Authorities meet statutory requirements. The authorities have achieved a very high level of compliance, and where problems remain, urgent action is being taken to address them.<P ALIGN="J…
20 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives have been introduced, or are planned for introduction, to make waste management more sustainable.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Scotland's National Waste Strategy was published by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and adopted by the Scottish Executive in December 1999. The strategy sets out the framework to make waste management in Scotland more sustainable and to meet target…
20 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of Scotland's beaches have been found to contain sewage discharge.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: There are 60 identified bathing waters in Scotland. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency monitors these waters to determine whether they meet European microbiological standards.<P>Last year nine waters failed to meet the mandatory standard. These failur…
20 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what finance will be available for the Scottish Climate Change Programme in 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2003-04.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: We are committed to placing the environment and climate change at the heart of policy-making across the Executive. In recognition of this, the policies in the Scottish Climate Change Programme (SCCP) cut across a number of different areas and, whilst the main…
20 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it has set within the Scottish Climate Change Programme for the reduction of carbon emissions and how it will assess whether these targets have been met.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: As stated in the Scottish Climate Change Programme, the absence of Scottish emissions data, both historical and projected, and the complexities involved in monitoring the effects of both reserved and devolved policies means that Scottish reduction targets are…
19 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its target of confirming/approving 95% of flood prevention and coast protection schemes within three months, as referred to in chapter 10 of The Scottish Budget: Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, is being achieved.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The target of 95% is being achieved. For year 2000-01 and to date in this financial year the Executive has confirmed/approved all flood prevention and coast protection schemes within 3 months of information being available.
19 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its target of making 95% of flood prevention and coast protection scheme grant offers within six weeks as stated in chapter 10 of The Scottish Budget: Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive is being achieved.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The target of 95% is being achieved. For year 2000-01 and to date in this financial year the Executive has made all grant offers for flood prevention and coast protection schemes within 6 weeks of the relevant information being available.
19 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a breakdown by (a) local authority and (b) scheme of the #5.248 million made available for flood prevention activities as referred to in chapter 10 of The Scottish Budget: Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The £5.248m was made available for flood prevention activities as a consequence of the additional funds provided for in England and Wales following the severe flooding there last autumn. This additional funding, covering the period 2000-04, will be used to st…
19 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a breakdown by (a) local authority and (b) scheme of the funding being made available for flood prevention and coast protection in (i) 2001-02, (ii) 2002-03 and (iii) 2003-04 as shown in table 10.6 of The Scottish Budget: Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Exe…
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Table 10.6 of the Annual Expenditure Report shows the overall provision made for flood prevention and coast protection grants to local authorities over the period 200104. Distribution of these funds is dependent on which schemes local authorities decide to t…
19 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all grants to local authorities from the Strategic Waste Fund are ring fenced for use only on Area Waste Plans (AWP), what grant funding is available in the current financial year, broken down by AWP, and which projects are currently being funded.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive has allocated £50.4m over 3 years (£4.2m in 2001-02, £16m and £30.2m) to the Strategic Waste Fund for local authorities to begin to implement the National Waste Strategy. The funds are available for authorities to implement their part…
19 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the future funding of flood prevention and coast protection schemes by local authorities is accounted for in the grant allocations set out in Table 10.6 of The Scottish Budget: Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive and whether it will provide a breakdown by local au…
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Table 10.6 of the Annual Expenditure Report shows the overall provision made for flood prevention and coast protection grants to local authorities, taking account of their needs, over the period 2001-2004.<P>We are, in general, aware of the likely funding nee…
19 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to diffuse pollution, particularly from agricultural activities, which is considered to remain a problem, as stated in chapter 10 of The Scottish Budget: Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive and its Agencies gave a commitment in its recently launched strategy document <I>A Forward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture</I> to a partnership approach for protecting and enhancing Scotland's environment. The document identifies acti…
19 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what indicators are used to assess reductions in the length of seriously polluted rivers, as referred to in chapter 10 of The Scottish Budget: Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: SEPA (Scottish Environmental Protection Agency) is responsible for protecting Scotland's river quality. The Agency classifies rivers based on an assessment of chemical, biological and aesthetic indicators. Chemical measures include measures of organic, toxic …
19 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving to waste initiatives, including those for recycling paper, as referred to in chapter 10 of The Scottish Budget: Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive was involved with instigating the REMADE Scotland project which aims to encourage markets for recycled materials and has contributed £50,000 support each year since its inception in 1999. In addition, the Executive has agreed to contrib…
19 Jul 2001 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer what percentage of Scottish Parliament documents are printed on recycled paper.
Answer · David Steel: The Parliament is not able to provide figures on the percentage of its documents that are printed on recycled paper. However, the Parliament uses paper produced in an environmentally friendly way for most of its printing and publishing.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Pape…