Parliamentary questions
Sarah Boyack
2,373 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
2 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what average standard homes will need to reach by 2020 to meet its climate change and fuel poverty targets.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government''s draft Report on Proposals and Policies sets out how its emission reduction targets can be met each year to 2022, including the expected contribution from homes and communities. These proposals and policies do not centre on the achie…
2 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in developing a strategy to improve the private rented sector, the Scottish Private Rented Sector Strategy Group will consider energy efficiency.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Private Rented Sector Strategy Group considered this issue and acknowledged that there is a need to improve energy efficiency across all sectors including the private rented sector. It concluded that regulation of energy efficiency standards in t…
2 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the report required under section 64(6) of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 setting out the measures that it will take to reduce emissions from living accommodation and when.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-39825 on 9 March 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/B…
2 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of respondents to the consultation, Conserve and Save: Consultation on the Energy Efficiency Action Plan for Scotland, felt that it was important that local authorities retain a duty to promote energy efficiency for all housing in their area.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government carried out a consultation on <i >Conserve and Save: Consultation on the Energy Efficiency Action Plan for Scotland</i> in late 2009. The analysis of the consultation responses were published in April 2010 on the Scottish Government we…
2 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanism it will develop to ensure sufficient scrutiny of local housing strategies to ensure compliance with the emissions reduction targets set out in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.
Answer · Alex Neil: A joint review process is in place for Local Housing Strategies, involving Scottish Government and local government officials. Each strategy is reviewed against a number of criteria, including the extent to which fuel poverty, energy efficiency and climate ch…
2 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered or will consider mechanisms to replace the duty on local authorities to provide energy efficiency under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 with a duty to set targets for and report on carbon emissions reduction and fuel poverty eradication in all housing in th…
Answer · Alex Neil: The question of what should replace the reporting duties of local authorities in relation to action to improve the energy efficiency of housing stock in their area under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 (HECA) was considered as part of the consultation o…
1 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what income it expects will be made from developments on land owned by Scottish Water.
Answer · Jim Mather: This information is not held centrally and I have asked the Chief Executive of Scottish Water to reply to the member.</p>
1 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what income it expects will be made from developments on the Forestry Commission Scotland estates.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The expected income to Forestry Commission Scotland by 2020 is £30 million per year from the development of renewable energy facilities on the national forest estate.</p>
25 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding will be allocated to the work of each of the three local youth investigation teams created in conjunction with YoungScot under the Low Carbon Scotland Public Engagement Strategy.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The local investigation teams are part of a broader Scottish Government/Young Scot project that is aimed at inspiring young people and encouraging them to consider the issues and opportunities that arise from tackling climate change.</p> <p >Each team will c…
25 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what process it used in selecting the (a) members and (b) locations and communities of the three local youth investigation teams created in conjunction with YoungScot under the Low Carbon Scotland Public Engagement Strategy.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Young Scot used their networks and experience to establish the teams. The process of identifying locations included ensuring that the teams should represent urban and rural areas.</p> <p >The process also involved ensuring that participants included young pe…
25 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what reduction against 2005-06 levels it has achieved in carbon emissions from travel necessary for its administrative operations.
Answer · John Swinney: The most recently published information is contained within Table 1 of the Annual Report on Environmental Performance of the Scottish Government estate for the 2008-09 financial year. This report was published on 21 May 2010 and is available from the Scottish…
25 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has reduced CO2 emissions arising from energy use in its buildings by 12.6% from 1999-2000 levels.
Answer · John Swinney: The most recently published information is contained within Table 1 of the Annual Report on Environmental Performance of the Scottish Government estate for the 2008-09 financial year. This report was published on 21 May 2010 and is available from the Scottish…
25 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has reduced the waste arising from its operations by 10% relative to 2006-07 levels.
Answer · John Swinney: The most recently published information is contained within Table 1 of the Annual Report on Environmental Performance of the Scottish Government estate for the 2008-09 financial year. This report was published on 21 May 2010 and is available from the Scottish…
25 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of waste arising from its operations it recycles.
Answer · John Swinney: The most recently published information is contained within Table 1 of the Annual Report on Environmental Performance of the Scottish Government estate for the 2008-09 financial year. This report was published on 21 May 2010 and is available from the Scottish…
25 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it publishes statistics online of the daily energy use in its buildings and, if not, whether it will do so and, if so, when it will start.
Answer · John Swinney: The <i >Government On Line Sustainable Performance Information Exchange</i> (GOLSPIE), a web portal within <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/">www.scotland.gov.uk</a> is under development and will publish daily energy consumption data. In line with our comm…
25 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of (a) schools and (b) pre-schools has been awarded an eco-schools green flag.
Answer · Michael Russell: As at 1 March 2011, the percentage of establishments awarded the Eco-Schools Green Flag is:</p> <p >(a) 38% of local authority schools including primary, secondary and special schools </p> <p > (b) 31% of local authority nursery schools and nursery class…
25 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it has withdrawn the one-off grant available to schools with an eco-schools bronze, silver or green flag.
Answer · Michael Russell: The one-off grant scheme is managed and administered by Eco-Schools Scotland and funded through the core grant from the Scottish Government. Eco-Schools Scotland could continue to operate the one-off grant scheme but in the context of increasing demand for as…
25 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for its one-off grant available to schools with an eco-schools bronze, silver or green flag have been successful in each financial year since the programme began.
Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-39970 on 11 March 2011. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/…
25 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for its one-off grant available to schools with an eco-schools bronze, silver or green flag have been received in each financial year since the programme began.
Answer · Michael Russell: The one-off grant scheme is managed and administered by Eco-Schools Scotland and funded through the core grant from the Scottish Government.</p> <p >A one-off grant has been awarded by Eco-Schools Scotland to all schools which have attained their first Eco-…
25 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) schools and (b) pre-schools have been awarded a green flag under the eco-schools programme in each financial year since the programme began.
Answer · Michael Russell: The number of schools and pre-schools awarded a Green Flag under the Eco-Schools programme in each financial year since the programme began in Scotland has been provided by Eco-Schools Scotland and is set out in the following table:</p> <table border=1 cell…
23 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are for taking forward the evaluation of the home loans scheme.
Answer · Alex Neil: The evaluation of the Energy Saving Scotland home loans pathfinder scheme was published in December 2010. It is based on interviews and data analysis and therefore provides useful information a number of aspects of the scheme including:</b></p> <p >The cust…
23 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive Executive when it plans to publish the report setting out what measures it will take to reduce emissions from living accommodation, as set out under section 64(6) of the Climate Change Act 2009.
Answer · Alex Neil: Section 64 (6) (a) of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 requires Scottish ministers to publish a report setting out the measures that they intend to take to reduce emissions from living accommodation. This requirement has already been fulfilled by the pu…
17 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it (a) identifies and (b) delivers mitigation for adverse environmental effects of offshore renewable energy development.
Answer · Jim Mather: Mitigation can be identified at the strategic level through the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) processes. The Scottish Government has undertaken a strategic SEA and HRA for offshore wind energy in Scottish Te…
17 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Research Councils UK to encourage funding for research on the environmental effects of offshore renewable energy development.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has not had any discussions with Research Councils UK on this matter, but has held discussions with the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Centre for Envi…
17 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it provides for research into the environmental effects of offshore renewable energy developments.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-39697 on 14 March 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p> <p >http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2…
17 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it encourages research into the environmental effects of offshore renewable energy developments.
Answer · Jim Mather: A considerable amount of work is currently being undertaken on the potential environmental effects of offshore wind, wave and tidal renewable energy in Scotland and across the UK.</p> <p >The Scottish Government is working with other regulators, scientific b…
17 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it provides for environmental survey work to identify the most appropriate sites for offshore renewable energy developments.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Marine Scotland has undertaken and issued regional locational guidance to help inform the future selection of sites. This guidance contains relevant information including, for example, information on environmental sensitivities, other marine users and the soc…
17 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what environmental survey work is carried out before a decision is made on granting consent for an offshore renewable energy development.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Any development likely to have a significant effect on the marine environment must be subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as required by The Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2000. A range of EIA studie…
17 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the environmental factors identified in the strategic environmental assessment will be integrated into the National Renewables Infrastructure Plan.
Answer · Jim Mather: A strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of the National Renewables Infrastructure Plan (N-RIP) was undertaken, in accordance with the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005, and the Environmental Report was published for consultation in September 201…
14 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what priority it has attached to training teachers able to teach in Gaelic.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government attaches a high priority to Gaelic teacher education. I have written to the Scottish Funding Council outlining that I wish to see the council continue to promote provision in this area, continue to pursue new avenues to increase the nu…