Rhoda Grant

6 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much Scottish Government funding will be allocated to the Highlands and Islands Enterprise broadband project under the Scotland's Digital Future - Infrastructure Action Plan.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is working with COSLA and the Digital Programme Board to review options for funding allocations across the whole of Scotland including the potential allocation for the Highlands and Islands Enterprise broadband project.

6 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the implementation of the Scotland's Digital Future - Infrastructure Action Plan will have on the aim of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise broadband project to deliver 100% coverage of next generation broadband by 2020, and what future broadband requirements of the Highland…

Answer · Alex Neil: The current Highlands and Islands Enterprise broadband procurement is an integral part of the Scottish Government’s approach to broadband delivery, as set out in Scotland’s Digital Future – Infrastructure Action Plan, published on 31 January. The action plan …

6 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether implementing the Scotland's Digital Future - Infrastructure Action Plan will prevent Highlands and Islands Enterprise from progressing its current broadband procurement process.

Answer · Alex Neil: No, the implementation of Scotland’s Digital Future – Infrastructure Action Plan, published on 31 January 2012, will not prevent Highlands and Islands Enterprise from progressing its current broadband procurement.

18 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which renewables developers have entered into (a) rental agreements or (b) joint ventures with Forestry Commission Scotland.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: To date, Forestry Commission Scotland has entered into lease rental agreements for wind power with EoN Climate and Renewables UK, National Engineering Laboratory, RWE Npower Renewables, Scottish Power Renewables and Scottish and Southern Renewables. Additio…

18 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of income generated by Forestry Commission Scotland renewables contracts will be given directly to local communities.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: It is estimated that the community benefit payment of £5,000 per megawatt installed per year (index linked) equates to about 20% of the rent that will be paid by developers to Forestry Commission Scotland under the partnership arrangements agreed with develop…

18 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been invested by local communities on Forestry Commission land in Forestry Commission Scotland renewables contracts.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: At present there have been no investments by local communities in renewable projects on Forestry Commission land. However, in addition to current negotiations with communities about potential projects, the Forestry Commission Scotland website has details of o…

18 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated annual payment to local communities on Forestry Commission land will be from the Forestry Commission Scotland renewables contracts.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) has negotiated a community benefit payment of £5,000 per megawatt installed per year (index linked). This rate applies to developments that will take place under the partnership arrangements that have been agreed with develo…

18 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to developing local community energy schemes on Forestry Commission land in each year since 2007.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The following table lists Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) funding to communities on the national forest estate. The CARES funding was a grant unless stated as a loan. Project Amount of Funding since 2007 Callander Development Trust £9,733 C…

18 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to each of the 300 projects funded under the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-05085 on 31 January 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentar…

18 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether details will be published of the 300 projects allocated funding under the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Details of projects funded under the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme will be published on the Community Energy Scotland website in the near future.

18 Jan 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth last met COSLA and what issues were discussed.

11 Jan 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the increase in number of children entering Gaelic medium education has been since the Gaelic Action Plan was published.

21 Dec 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken in 2012 to promote the cultural legacy of rural Scotland.

14 Dec 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy last met NHS Highland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Both ministers and government officials regularly meet with senior management from NHS boards, including NHS Highland.

7 Dec 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will conduct a review of the effectiveness of community payback orders.

6 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the maximum grant available to housing associations is for the building of new homes in remote and rural areas.

Answer · Keith Brown: The introduction of the Innovation and Investment Fund (IIF) this year, replaced the previous Affordable Housing Investment Programme budget. Under the IIF, the benchmark subsidy figure which applies to applications from housing associations is £40,000 per un…

6 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding streams are available to (a) housing associations and (b) social landlords other than competitive tendering under the Innovation and Investment Fund.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Innovation and Investment Fund introduced earlier this year has been the principal and largest element of the Scottish Government’s affordable housing supply programme in 2011. Open to all suppliers, bids to the fund were invited by 31 May 2011 with succe…

2 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of Stirling Council's objections to the proposals, whether it will allow Scottish Power to go ahead with building the Beauly to Denny power line.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The decision to accept Scottish Power Transmission’s proposals for Condition 19 of the Beauly Denny Consent – the Stirling Visual Impact Mitigation Scheme - was announced to the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday 7 December 2011. This is one among several condi…

2 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will respond to Stirling Council’s rejection of Scottish Power’s proposals to mitigate the visual impact of the Beauly to Denny power line.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism wrote to Stirling Council on Wednesday 7 December 2011 to inform them that he had announced his decision to the Scottish Parliament to accept Scottish Powers Transmission’s (SPT) proposals to mitigate the visual…

29 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the decision by Ofcom to delay the date of the auction of the spectrum for mobile services in the (a) 800 and (b) 2,600 MHz band.

Answer · Alex Neil: As set out in Scotland’s Digital Future: A Strategy for Scotland, the Scottish Government has made it clear it expects all of Scotland, including rural Scotland, to benefit from the roll out of 4G mobile services. The delay to the auction is therefore concern…

29 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the quality of mobile broadband coverage across the country.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government wants improved mobile coverage (including voice and data) across the whole of Scotland, particularly in rural areas where coverage is poor. Current coverage levels across Scotland are well behind the UK average. The Scottish Governme…

29 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is regarding the rollout of 4G mobile services across the country.

Answer · Alex Neil: As set out in Scotland’s Digital Future: A Strategy for Scotland, the Scottish Government has made it clear it expects all of Scotland, including rural Scotland, to benefit from the roll out of 4G mobile services. The Scottish Government currently has no powe…

29 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact on (a) the economy, (b) the rural economy and (c) its broadband strategy of the delay to the auction of the spectrum for mobile services in the (i) 800 and (ii) 2,600 MHz band.

Answer · Alex Neil: As set out in Scotland’s Digital Future: A Strategy for Scotland, the Scottish Government has made it clear it expects all of Scotland, including rural Scotland, to benefit from the roll out of 4G mobile services. The delay to the auction is therefore concern…

29 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to (a) the UK Government and (b) Ofcom regarding the delay to the auction of the spectrum for mobile services in the (i) 800 and (ii) 2,600 MHz band.

Answer · Alex Neil: Responsibility for mobile spectrum and for the auction of spectrum in the (i) 800 and (ii) 2,600 MHz band across the UK rests with Ofcom. The Scottish Government meets regularly with Ofcom and the Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment la…

17 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it will invest in broadband provision in the current parliamentary session.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has so far announced it will invest up to £75.5 million for the accelerated roll-out of next generation broadband infrastructure in the current parliamentary session. This includes a £50 million Next Generation Digital Fund announced a…

17 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive from which budget head its investment in broadband provision will come.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has so far announced it will invest up to £75.5 million for the accelerated roll-out of next generation broadband infrastructure. This comprises: £50 million from its Next Generation Digital Fund, which will come from the Rural Affair…

9 Nov 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations NHS boards should carry out before implementing changes to services.

3 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-00647 by Fergus Ewing on 23 June 2011, when it will reach a decision on the appropriate assessment criteria on which to base the detailed decision making on how best to establish enterprise zones.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The criteria have been agreed with ministers and the assessment of individual sites is currently being progressed. The assessment criteria will be published in the near future when Ministers make decisions on Scotland’s Enterprise Areas.

27 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-02953 by John Swinney on 18 October 2011, how much of the £6.5 million has been allocated to the (a) Warm Homes Fund and (b) Future Transport Fund.

Answer · Alex Neil: It is envisaged that the Warm Homes Fund and the Future Transport Fund will receive £3.25 million each in 2012-13. Final allocations are still to be determined and will be announced by ministers in due course.

25 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason funding for rail infrastructure is to decrease from £426.1 million in 2012-13 to £290.7 million in 2012-13 according to the 2012-13 draft budget.

Answer · Keith Brown: The rail infrastructure budget supports the costs of Network Rail maintenance and safe operation of the Scottish rail network and investment in infrastructure enhancement. A change in Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) policy in the 2008 Periodic Review resulted…