Parliamentary questions
Rhoda Grant
2,396 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
18 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual budget will be for low carbon enterprise zones and which department will oversee these zones.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government will be responsible for the introduction of enterprise zones in Scotland and we are currently considering how best to maximise their economic impact. No decisions have therefore been taken as yet on the annual budget necessary to suppo…
18 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will give to companies wishing to start-up business in a low carbon enterprise zone.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is currently considering how best to introduce enterprise zones in Scotland, including exploring the creation of one or more low carbon enterprise zones, so as to maximise the possibility of their economic impact. These considerations …
18 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made since 2007 in reducing carbon emissions.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Information on progress toward reducing carbon emissions arising from operations on the Scottish Government estate is detailed in the Scottish Government’s Environmental Performance Annual Report for 2008-09; copies are available in the Scottish Parliament In…
18 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to reach its proposed interim target of 42% emissions reduction by 2020.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Scottish ministers set out their policies and proposals for meeting annual emissions reduction targets for 2010-22, including the interim target of 42% by 2020, in the Report on Proposals and Policies, a statutory requirement of the Climate Change (Scotland) …
15 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money it has allocated to the National Housing Trust initiative to build affordable homes.
Answer · Keith Brown: The National Housing Trust initiative (NHT) differs from the traditional grant funding approach in that the purchase of homes will be jointly funded by participating councils and developers, with the Scottish Government providing guarantees to councils to ens…
15 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all new (a) affordable homes and (b) socially-rented houses that it plans to deliver in the current parliamentary session will be built under the National Housing Trust initiative.
Answer · Keith Brown: Homes built through the National Housing Trust initiative (NHT) will be available for rent below the levels of housing benefit limits which makes them accessible to households on lower incomes. The homes will form part of the overall programme of affordable h…
15 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many affordable homes will be (a) built and (b) available for social rent in the current parliamentary session.
Answer · Keith Brown: We aim to deliver 30,000 affordable homes – an average of 6,000 per year over the next five years. We plan to build 5,000 new council houses during this parliament, but have not set an overall target for council/housing association homes for social rent.
15 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many affordable homes will be delivered under the National Housing Trust initiative.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Futures Trust is seeking to procure almost 700 affordable homes through the first phase of the National Housing Trust initiative, with contracts already finalised for 296 of these units across three council areas. In view of the substantial inter…
23 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when will it appoint a chair to the Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum.
Answer · Alex Neil: I am happy to confirm that Professor David Sigsworth has agreed to take up the post of Chair of the Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum. He will be ably assisted by Norman Kerr, who has agreed to become Vice Chair.
23 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish an action plan on how it will meet its target of eradicating fuel poverty by 2016.
Answer · Alex Neil: I intend to undertake a Review of the Fuel Poverty Strategy that will examine how the target can be met taking account of ongoing energy price pressures.
23 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the role is of the Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum.
Answer · Alex Neil: The remit of the forum is to advise the Scottish Government on how it can improve progress towards the target to eradicate fuel poverty as far as is reasonably practicable by 2016, within the available public resources. The forum will play a key role in infor…
23 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to eradicate fuel poverty.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government’s Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency programmes have made good progress in helping some of the most vulnerable households reduce their energy consumption. The programmes statistics can be found at: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/…
23 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it remains its target to eradicate fuel poverty by 2016.
Answer · Alex Neil: Scottish ministers remain committed to the target of eradicating, as far as is reasonably practicable, fuel poverty by 2016.
21 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated reductions in carbon emissions will be from the Universal Home Insulation Scheme.
Answer · Alex Neil: Based on the returns made to date by the 27 local authorities who participated in the UHIS programme in 2010-11, the estimates for the amount of reduction in carbon emissions are as follows: 12,989.843 kilotonnes (on an annual basis) 519,071.200 kilotonnes …
21 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many central heating systems have been installed under the Energy Assistance Package in each year since its introduction, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Energy Assistance Package started in April 2009. The following table is provided by the Managing Agent (Scottish Gas). Figures for 2010-11 are not yet available. Local Authority 2009-10 Aberdeen City 301 Aberdeenshire 416 Angus 294 Argyll and But…
21 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households are likely to fall into fuel poverty following the recent energy price increases announced by Scottish Power.
Answer · Alex Neil: Ministers have expressed their concern over the recent price increases announced by Scottish Power and its impact on fuel poverty. Our estimate is that up to an additional 170,000 households could be placed into fuel poverty if the increase is replicated acro…
21 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish details on the warm homes fund.
Answer · Alex Neil: The warm homes fund will deliver renewable energy and energy-efficient homes in those communities worse affected by fuel poverty. We expect to publish more details on the fund in the spending review.
21 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the recent energy price increases announced by Scottish Power will impact on its target for the eradication of fuel poverty by 2016.
Answer · Alex Neil: Scottish ministers have expressed their concern over recent price increases announced by Scottish Power, both to the Company itself and the regulator, Ofgem. We estimate that up to a further 170,000 households could be placed into fuel poverty if the increase…
21 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will prioritise installation of central heating systems under the Energy Assistance Package.
Answer · Alex Neil: Applications under the Energy Assistance Package are normally prioritised by date order, with the exception of vulnerable groups or people who are terminally ill and in possession of a DS1500 certificate. Priority is given to applicants with a supporting lett…
21 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has in place to mitigate the impact of the recent energy price increases announced by Scottish Power.
Answer · Alex Neil: Scottish ministers have expressed their concern over the recent price increases announced by Scottish power and its impact on fuel poverty. In meetings with Scottish Power up to £10 million has been secured for energy efficiency programmes in Scotland. This g…
21 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the application process will be available to eligible groups to apply to the proposed warm homes fund.
Answer · Alex Neil: The warm homes fund will deliver renewable energy and energy-efficient homes in those areas worse affected by fuel poverty. The operational details, including the criteria and the application process, are being worked on and will be announced in due course.
21 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households it estimates will benefit from the Universal Home Insulation Scheme in (a) 2011, (b) 2012, (c) 2013, (d) 2014, (e) 2015 and (f) 2016.
Answer · Alex Neil: We estimate that up to 200,000 households will be offered the opportunity to benefit from UHIS in 2011-12. It is not possible to estimate for subsequent years as funding beyond 2011-12 will be a matter for the Spending Review, and subsequent reviews. Invitat…
21 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many central heating systems it estimates will be installed under the Energy Assistance Package scheme over the next five years, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: We do not hold this information. The Energy Assistance Package is a demand led scheme. The volume and location of installations depends on the receipt of eligible applications, along with the available budget. Future funding for EAP will be a matter for the f…
21 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding will be allocated to the Universal Home Insulation Scheme in (a) 2011, (b) 2012, (c) 2013, (d) 2014, (e) 2015 and (f) 2016.
Answer · Alex Neil: In 2011-12, a budget of £12.5 million will be available to support the Universal Home Insulation Scheme. Funding beyond 2011-12 will be a matter for the Spending Review, and subsequent reviews. Invitations to local authorities to bid for funding for UHIS in …
21 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria will be used when considering applications to the proposed warm homes fund.
Answer · Alex Neil: The warm homes fund will deliver renewable energy and energy-efficient homes in those areas worse affected by fuel poverty. The operational details, including the criteria for consideration for funding, are being worked on and will be announced in due course.…
15 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it will cost to deliver 100 community sports hubs across Scotland by 2014.
Answer · Shona Robison: Community sports hubs will reflect the shape and needs of sport in the areas in which they will be situated. Following the publication of A games legacy for Scotland, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 4…
15 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the DirectScot portal will be fully launched in 2011.
Answer · John Swinney: Our aim is to launch an experimental prototype of the DirectScot portal in 2011 in order to gain valuable feedback from users. We are committed to improving access to public services and information.
15 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the three projects that will pilot social impact bonds and how much money it will allocate to these bonds.
Answer · John Swinney: Social impact bonds offer a form of public-social partnership allowing for significant up-front investment in projects that will deliver real benefit. A social impact bond has already been developed and piloted in Peterborough. We are consulting with Scotland…
15 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs there are in the low-carbon economy, broken down by sector.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scotland Low Carbon and Environmental Goods and Services Sector study estimated that there were 73,960 people employed in the low carbon economy in 2008-09. These are broken down as follows: Sector Employment 2008-09 Environmental Sub Sectors 18,375 …
15 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to create a climate adaptation fund.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We are currently examining the options for the development of climate change adaptation fund including support for international projects.