Parliamentary questions
Sarah Boyack
2,373 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
6 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what average percentage of the cost of installing a home renewables device has been covered by grants awarded under the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme since 2007.
Answer · Jim Mather: The following tables show the average percentage of the cost of installing a home renewables device that was covered by grants awarded under the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme since 2007. As the cost of the devices varies quite considerab…
6 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what average amount was awarded under the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme in each of the last three years.
Answer · Jim Mather: The following table show the average amount awarded under the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme in each of the last three years.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=293 > <thead> <tr > <td width=71 nowrap valign=bo…
6 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many grants were awarded under the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) local authority area.
Answer · Jim Mather: The following table shows the number of grants awarded under the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area. The information is not routinely held broken down by parliamentary const…
6 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications were made to the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) local authority area.
Answer · Jim Mather: The following table shows the number of applications made to the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area. The information is not routinely held broken down by parliamentary const…
29 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to publish guidance on measuring outcomes for disabled people.
Answer · Alex Neil: Local plans and progress on improving outcomes for disabled people are described in single outcome agreements (SOAs) between the Scottish Government and community planning partnerships.</p> <p >The Community Care Outcomes Framework, published in December 200…
16 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a decision on the application for a new coal-fired plant at Hunterston prior to the 2011 Scottish Parliament elections.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Ayrshire Power application for a Multi-Fuel Power Station at Hunterston was received on 2 June 2010. The application is currently with consultees, including North Ayrshire Council as the relevant planning authority, as per the normal process. The consulta…
11 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to encourage commercial enterprises to recycle.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Scottish Government is taking forward a number of actions under the Zero Waste Plan that will encourage the commercial sector to recycle more. Key actions include the development of a Waste Prevention Programme, introduction of a 70% recycling target for all …
11 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to encourage commercial enterprises to minimise public sector waste.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: It is not the role of the commercial sector to minimise waste arising in the public sector.</p> <p >The Zero Waste Plan for Scotland sets out a Number of actions that will be implemented to address all waste arisings, irrespective of the sector in which it a…
11 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of public sector waste is recycled.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Information on the percentage of public sector waste recycled is not held centrally.</p> <p >The Scottish Government has a target to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill by recycling 80% of the total waste it produces as an organisation, by 2011. Th…
11 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much food waste it disposes of annually.
Answer · John Swinney: Information on waste arisings is detailed in the <i >Scottish Government Environmental Performance: Annual Report 2008-09</i>, published on 21 May 2010. Copies of the report are available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 50874).</p…
11 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the food used across the public sector is imported from outwith the European Union.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: This type of information is not readily available across the public sector. The Scottish Government however does lead by example by recording the quantity of Scottish sourced produce used in its catering contract, which, in many cases is 100% Scottish sourced…
11 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the food used across the public sector is imported from other EU countries.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: This type of information is not readily available across the public sector. The Scottish Government however does lead by example by recording the quantity of Scottish sourced produce used in its catering contract, which, in many cases is 100% Scottish sourced…
11 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the food used across the public sector is locally grown.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Use of Scottish sourced food within the public sector varies depending on the food type and sector. The Scottish Government leads by example in its catering contract and has significantly increased the quantity of Scottish sourced produce to 100% in many case…
11 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to address the decrease in average Farm Business Income from £40,900 in 2007-08 to £38,700 in 2008-09.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34435 on 24 June 2010. 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…
11 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to address the £20 million fall in Total Income From Farming in Scotland between 2008 and 2009.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: In respect of 2009, the Government paid out £687 million in support for farming, funded from both the EU and Scottish Government budgets. The Government has streamlined application procedures under the Scotland Rural Development Programme, and also brought fo…
11 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the Total Income From Farming (TIFF) in Scotland was between 2005 and the latest year for which figures are available.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: In Scotland, Total Income From Farming (TIFF), at current prices without inflation, was:</p> <p >£442 million in 2005</p> <p >£567 million in 2006</p> <p >£663 million in 2007</p> <p >£608 million in 2008</p> <p >£589 million in 2009.</p>
11 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on the new entrants to farming and young farmers scheme in each year since 2007.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34432 on 18 June 2010. 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…
11 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there have been for support measures under the new entrants to farming and young farmers scheme in each year since 2007.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Support measures for new entrants to farming under 40 years of age is available under the Rural Priorities element of the Scotland Rural Development Programme, established in 2008.</p> <p >The Setting up young farmers “ interest rate relief option under Rura…
4 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the planting of 7,500 hectares of new trees in the next 12 months, as referred to by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment at the Forestry in the Low Carbon Economy conference on 2 June 2010, will be financed.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The new woodland planting will be funded through the Scottish Rural Development Programme and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.</p>
4 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in what areas the 7,500 hectares of new trees referred to by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment at the Forestry in the Low Carbon Economy conference on 2 June 2010 will be planted.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The approved planting is distributed throughout Scotland. The main regions are Highland and Dumfries and Galloway; significant amounts are also planned for Borders, Grampian and Argyll.</p>
4 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many hectares of new tree-planting it is planning to undertake in the next 12 months.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: There are 7,500 hectares approved for planting in 2010-11, and we expect that figure to increase, aided by the significant improvements we have made to the rates of grant available through the SRDP and by streamlining administration. In addition, Forestry Com…
27 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had, or plans to have, with the UK Government about its proposed white paper on nature; whether the paper is expected to address any matters affecting Scotland and, if so, what opportunities stakeholders in Scotland will have to comment on such matters.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Government and UK Government officials are in regular contact on a wide range of matters relating to policy on the natural environment and we would expect to be involved in discussions about any new policy developments affecting Scottish interests. W…
12 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the meetings that have taken place to discuss the future of the Odeon Cinema in Clerk Street in Edinburgh.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33575 on 26 May 2010. 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/Bu…
12 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32445 by Stewart Stevenson on 24 March 2010, whether it will provide details of the reasons for the time that it has taken to consider the reporter’s report on the listed building status of the Odeon Cinema in Clerk Street in Edinburgh and not being …
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33575 on 26 May 2010. 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/Bu…
12 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32445 by Stewart Stevenson on 24 March 2010, on what date it will announce its decision on the future of the Odeon Cinema in Clerk Street in Edinburgh.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: A decision to refuse listed building consent was issued on the Odeon cinema case on 21 May 2010. The reasons for the time taken to reach a decision were given in answer to question S3W-32445. Before reaching a decision officials met with ministers on 12 Janua…
5 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has mapped the areas of blanket bog and whether it will publish any such maps.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: A distribution map of blanket peat (which may or may not support bog vegetation) is published in the <i >ECOSSE Report</i> published by the Scottish Executive in 2007: </p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/03/16170508/0" title="http:…
5 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the proportion of the United Kingdom’s blanket bog that is in Scotland's national forest estate.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Forestry Commission estimate that approximately 4% of the UK''s blanket bog is in Scotland''s national forest estate.</p>
5 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the proportion of the United Kingdom’s blanket bog that is in Scotland.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Advice provided by Scottish Natural Heritage has estimated that 80-85% of the UK''s blanket bog is in Scotland.</p>
5 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what total area of blanket bog is planted with trees in the national forest estate.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33533 on 14 May 2010. 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/Bu…
5 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total area of blanket bog is in the national forest estate.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Once blanket bog has been planted with trees it can no longer be defined as blanket bog. However, using British Geological Survey data, Forestry Commission Scotland has estimated that the total area of peatland capable of supporting blanket bog vegetation on …