Parliamentary questions
Sarah Boyack
2,373 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
28 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the 2016 energy standards in building regulations in 2013, as recommended in A Low Carbon Building Standards Strategy for Scotland (The Sullivan Report).
Answer · Aileen Campbell: No. However, it is the intention that the high level emissions reduction percentage for 2016 new build energy standards will be intimated to industry around 16 months before the standards come into effect.
28 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has formed a working party to consider the (a) 2013 and (b) 2016 changes to energy standards in building regulations and, if so, when it (i) has met and (ii) will report.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: There is currently no working party considering the 2013 or the 2016 changes to energy standards. A Departmental Working Group to develop proposals for the 2013 energy standards will be convened and have its first meeting before the end of 2011.
28 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it published the 2013 energy standards in building regulations in 2010, as recommended in A Low Carbon Building Standards Strategy for Scotland (The Sullivan Report).
Answer · Aileen Campbell: No. However, it is the intention that the high level emissions reduction percentage for 2013 new build energy standards will be intimated to industry around 16 months before the standards come into effect.
28 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers the impact on the construction industry's ability to accurately predict costs will be of announcing a target carbon dioxide emissions reduction from changes to energy standards in building regulations without publishing the standards that will achieve that reduction.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: We consider that intimating the high level emissions reduction percentage around 16 months before the standards come into effect is more useful to industry. This is done after the latest research is carried out, part-way through the review cycle and is suppor…
27 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide a substantive answer to question S4W-02238, which has received a holding answer.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: S4W-02238 was answered on 29 September 2011.
23 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider placing a duty on local authorities to set targets for, and report on, carbon emissions reductions and fuel poverty eradication in all housing in their area once the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 is repealed.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 together with local housing strategy guidance sets a framework and requirements for the promotion of energy efficiency and action to tackle fuel poverty. We have a mature relationship with local authorities and believe t…
23 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to review the effectiveness of the repeal of the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 in order to monitor whether voluntary arrangements are sufficient to ensure that local authorities are reducing carbon emissions and fuel poverty in all housing in their area.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-02925 on 24 October 2011. Local housing strategies require local action on fuel poverty to be addressed and these are reviewed by Scottish Government. The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 places duties on pub…
23 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to strengthen guidance for local housing strategies on the promotion of energy efficiency and whether it will make this guidance statutory.
Answer · Alex Neil: In March this year the Scottish Government and COSLA issued Supplementary Guidance on Addressing Climate Change in Local Housing Strategies (LHS). It provides advice to local authorities on how to address climate change in their LHS to help them meet the duti…
23 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which single outcome agreements include a commitment to improve home energy efficiency in the local authority area.
Answer · Alex Neil: A Single Outcome Agreement (SOA) is the means by which Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) agree their strategic priorities, either individually or jointly, while showing how those outcomes contribute to the Scottish Government’s relevant National Outcomes…
21 Sep 2011 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of Stevenson College and Jewel and Esk College.
15 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in relation to allocating contracts to community organisations under the Forestry Commission Scotland renewables scheme.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Forestry Commission Scotland is currently working with its development partners for the national forest estate to agree the location of wind and hydro schemes that should be investigated in more detail. As these potential sites are agreed, the commission will…
15 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will address the scale of (a) biomass and (b) incineration projects in its changes to the National Waste Strategy.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government recognises that we have limited biomass resource in Scotland and if we are to meet the target for renewable heat and power, it is vital that we make the most efficient, effective use of that resource. The Scottish Government would pref…
15 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a selective ban on products for incineration similar to that introduced for landfill.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The proposed Zero Waste Regulations will ensure that separately collected dry recyclables and food waste are banned from both landfill and incineration. These bans will be universal and apply regardless of the source of the waste. The draft Regulations also …
15 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits have arisen from the selective ban on products for landfill.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Currently only certain materials such as liquid waste, clinical waste and other potentially hazardous substances are banned from landfill, largely on the basis of environmental and health impacts. The EC Landfill Directive requires Scotland to reduce the amo…
15 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address the cumulative impact of proposals for (a) biomass and (b) incineration projects on wood supply.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government recognises the need to encourage the most efficient and effective use of Scotland’s wood resource. Our preference to see biomass deployed in heat-only or combined heat and power schemes, particularly off gas-grid, and at a scale appro…
15 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what issues will be addressed in the new waste guidelines due to be published in autumn 2011.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The update and replacement of Planning Advice Note 63 - Waste Management Planning 2002, will address good practice in development planning and development management across all waste streams. It will include advice on factors such as location, need, public en…
14 Sep 2011 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met NHS Lothian to discuss the new Royal Hospital for Sick Children incorporating the Department for Clinical Neurosciences in Edinburgh.
12 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how long the boiler scrappage scheme will be open for applications.
Answer · Alex Neil: The boiler scrappage scheme will remain open for applications until the £2.5 million budget has been committed.
12 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is incentivising the private sector to tackle climate change and improve the energy efficiency of (a) buildings and (b) estates.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government supports business and industry through a number of avenues to help business and the public sector in Scotland to reduce carbon emissions, improve business efficiency and with carbon management planning. The Carbon Trust have indicated …
12 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its strategy on sustainable housing.
Answer · Keith Brown: We said in Homes Fit for the 21st Century, our Strategy and Action Plan for Housing in the Next Decade, that we would develop a strategy for sustainable housing in Scotland in 2012. We intend to publish the strategy by the end of 2012.
12 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications it has received for its boiler scrappage scheme in 2011-12, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Alex Neil: Details of the applications made broken down by local authority area are in the following table. Local Authority Applications Aberdeen City 228 Aberdeenshire 211 Angus 152 Argyll and Bute 49 Clackmannanshire 90 Dumfries and Galloway 111 Dundee …
12 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the sustainable housing group last met and whether it will provide details of that meeting.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Sustainable Housing Strategy Group is a new group convened by the Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment. The group will bring together leaders in the sector as champions for emission reduction, housing quality and fuel poverty. It wi…
12 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which recommendations from the report, A Low Carbon Building Standards Strategy for Scotland, have yet to be implemented.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The information requested is given in Appendix A of the Progress Report on the Low Carbon Building Standards Strategy for Scotland published by the Scottish Government in February 2011, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament’s Reference Centr…
12 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the Energy Bill 2011.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Scottish Government has been working closely with Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) on the UK Energy Bill. Mr Neil is also a member of the Ministerial Oversight Group set up to facilitate cross government working on the Bill. We have worked to en…
12 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is working with external stakeholders to develop climate change standards for (a) domestic and (b) business properties.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We are working with external stakeholders to develop climate change standards as follows: (a) Domestic Properties We are discussing with stakeholders the development of a draft climate change standard for social housing beyond the requirements of the curren…
12 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings it has had with external stakeholders since May 2007 to discuss climate change in relation to (a) buildings and (b) estates and what the outcomes were.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government has had many meetings with external stakeholders since May 2007 at which the issues of climate change in relation to a) buildings and b) estates were discussed. It is not possible to identify all the relevant meetings held at both Mini…
12 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to enhance energy performance certificates.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: A consultation on the format and content of Scottish energy performance certificates will be carried out later this year. The Scottish Government also contributes to the UK review of the calculation methodologies used to produce energy performance certificate…
12 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is working with (a) local authorities and (b) registered social landlords to develop and promote the use of (i) photovoltaics and (ii) feed-in tariffs.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government is currently working with a group of local authorities, initially in the JESSICA Fund area, to develop the potential for solar photovoltaic projects using Feed-in Tariffs for renewable electricity. A similar workstream with a steering …
18 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the (a) Treasury, (b) Crown Estate and (c) BIG fund regarding the coastal communities fund announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 22 July 2011 and whether it will have an input into setting the criteria for assessing bids from the fund.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: On 22 June 2011, the Scottish Government published its case for full devolution of powers and responsibilities of the Crown Estate in Scotland. We propose an approach based on returning 100% of the revenues for the direct benefit of Scotland and its local com…
18 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances would it permit a local planning authority to reconsider the need for a development identified in the national planning framework when (a) preparing development plans and (b) responding to individual project proposals.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answers to questions S4W-01373 on 11 July 2011 and S4W-02271 on 5 September 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scot…