Parliamentary questions
Sarah Boyack
2,373 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
25 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it considers that the use of houses in multiple occupation (HMO) quotas has on the affordability of housing to buy and rent.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The basis of the proposal set out in <i >Scottish Planning Policy 3 “ Planning for Housing</i> (SPP3) is to address planning issues about over-concentrations of HMOs in particular areas. It will be for local authorities to consider whether and how to develop …
25 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers the legislation relating to houses in multiple occupation (HMO) to be adequately enforced.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The responsibility for enforcing legislation on the licensing of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) rests with local authorities and they have a range of powers available to them to ensure that private landlords comply with licensing requirements. New HMO l…
25 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers houses in multiple occupation (HMO) quotas to be useful in addressing antisocial behaviour and, if so, whether it considers them to be more effective than the provisions of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12323 on 14 May 2008. 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/webapp/w…
25 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any record of any business or other public amenity that has been forced to close due to a concentration of houses in multiple occupation (HMO) in the locality.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12324 on 9 May 2008. 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/webapp/wa…
25 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence is available to suggest that a concentration of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) would have a negative impact on local amenities.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We have received a number of representations on the issue of HMO concentrations. Research on the effect of student HMOs on the housing market in St Andrews has been conducted on behalf of the University of St Andrews. Universities UK has published research on…
25 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence is available to suggest that houses in multiple occupation (HMO) quotas are successful in tackling antisocial behaviour and other local housing problems.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The proposal set out in Scottish Planning Policy 3 “ Planning for Housing (SPP3) is not intended to tackle antisocial behaviour. Where planning authorities decide to implement a policy on HMO concentrations, they should balance the need to provide adequate nu…
25 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has carried out an evaluation of the impact of existing policies limiting the number of houses in multiple occupation (HMO) licences in Glasgow and Edinburgh with the aim of informing Scottish Planning Policy 3: Planning for Housing (SPP 3) and, if so, what the outcomes of the …
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Planning and HMO licensing legislation are designed to do different things “ planning is focussed on the availability of services and amenities, while licensing exists to ensure HMO properties meet certain safety, physical and management standards. The review…
21 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average rent rise will be for housing association tenants in Edinburgh as a result of reductions in support for housing associations.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Recent proposals for change to the standard assumptions and allowances used when calculating subsidy reflect the actual performance reported by associations, which includes only those rent increases that housing associations themselves are projecting. Rent le…
21 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many new council houses will be built in Edinburgh in each of the next 10 years as a result of the £25 million package announced on 19 April 2008.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Decisions on the allocation of the £25 million over the next three years to incentivise new council house building will be reached following discussions with our partners in local government.</p>
18 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, given the unselective nature of snares, it considers that Scottish wildcats are at risk of being caught in such traps.
Answer · Michael Russell: Good field craft should minimise the risk of any accidental capture of Scottish wildcats. Should any Scottish wildcat be accidentally caught in a legally compliant snare operated in accordance with industry best practice guidelines, the land manager should be…
18 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a person commits an offence if he sets a snare that captures an animal listed in Schedule 3 to the Conservation (Natural Habitats, & c) Regulations 1994, as amended by the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2007, for example a mountain hare, pine …
Answer · Michael Russell: In the view of the Scottish Government it is an offence to use a snare to kill or capture an animal listed in Schedule 3 to the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994, unless this is carried out under licence.</p>
18 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a person commits an offence if he sets a snare that captures an animal listed in Schedule 2 to the Conservation (Natural Habitats, & c.) Regulations 1994, as amended by the Conservation (Natural Habitats, & c.) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2007, for example a wildcat or common…
Answer · Michael Russell: It is an offence recklessly or intentionally to kill or capture an animal listed on Schedule 2 to the Conservation (Natural Habitats, & c.) Regulations 1994. Intentional killing or capture of a animal listed on Schedule 2 may be carried out under licence.…
18 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it requires sporting estate owners seeking to control mountain hares to have a long-term strategy to control louping ill.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government does not require sporting estates to have a long-term strategy to control louping ill in mountain hares.</p>
18 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it gives to sporting estate owners seeking to control mountain hares about a long-term strategy to control louping ill.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government recognises that it is highly unlikely that louping ill can be completely eradicated. However, a ministerial working group with representation from a wide range of key stakeholder interests, has been set up to look at ways of controllin…
18 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has received from Scottish Natural Heritage about large-scale culling of mountain hares.
Answer · Michael Russell: The recently published document by Scottish Natural Heritage called <i >The distribution of Mountain Hare (Lepus Timidus) in Scotland (2006-2007)</i> considered, amongst other issues, the implications of large scale culling of mountain hares. The Scottish Gov…
18 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many mountain hares were legally taken or killed by snaring in 2006 and 2007.
Answer · Michael Russell: Licences to snare mountain hares were issued in 2006 and 2007 with a total bag limit of 90</p> <p >We do not hold comprehensive figures for mountain hares killed by snaring in 2006 and 2007. However, the recently published report from Scottish Natural Herit…
18 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has commissioned or will commission any independent research into the capture of non-target species, including protected species, by snares, as recommended in 2005 in the Report of the Independent Working Group on Snares.
Answer · Michael Russell: The <i >Report of the Independent Working Group on Snares</i> was commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). In response to the recommendations in the working group''s report, Defra has commissioned research into the use o…
15 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make advice on water conservation and household waste reduction available through the five new energy advice centres in Scotland and, if not, how it intends that such advice will be made available.
Answer · Jim Mather: There are already plans for the Energy Saving Scotland advice network to deliver water conservation advice from 2009. We are actively exploring how the network can build on and add value to current initiatives on household waste, such as Waste Aware Scotland.…
10 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will include a target for eradicating homelessness in each local outcome agreement and, if so, how it will establish such targets.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The national performance framework includes an indicator relating to the entitlement of homeless households to settled accommodation by 2012. The Scottish Government will monitor and publish national performance against all indicators in the framework. The HL…
10 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it believes that a nationally set target for eradicating homelessness is achievable without ring fencing of resources to local authorities.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government remains committed to the legislative target to abolish the distinction between homeless households currently assessed as having a priority need for accommodation and other homeless households by 2012. Removal of ring-fencing allows loc…
10 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what resources it has committed to achieving the 2012 homelessness target for each of the next three years of its budget.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: A wide range of actions is required to meet the 2012 target and it is for each local authority to decide the most effective methods of achieving the target in their area. It is also the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial re…
10 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it remains committed to the 2012 homelessness target set by the previous administration.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government remains committed to the target as incorporated in the Homelessness etc (Scotland) Act 2003.</p>
3 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the public register of screening decisions on the Scottish Government’s website will be updated.
Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11580 on 22 April 2008. 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/webapp…
3 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to ensure that the consent of Scottish Ministers is sought for all “relevant projects”, as defined by the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) (Scotland) Regulations 2006.
Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11580 on 22 April 2008. 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/webapp…
3 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many projects have been deemed to require the consent of Scottish Ministers and the submission of an environmental statement to assist in the assessment of the project under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) (Scotland) Regulations 2006; whether it will provide details …
Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11580 on 22 April 2008. 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/webapp…
3 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many screening decisions Scottish Ministers have issued for projects under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) (Scotland) Regulations 2006.
Answer · Michael Russell: Scottish ministers have issued screening decision on 14 projects under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) (Scotland) Regulations 2006, and the Environmental Impact Assessment (Uncultivated Land and Semi-Natural Areas) (Scotland) Regulations 200…
31 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what codes of conduct and practice were followed in the appointments to the membership of the Zero Waste Think Tank; what selection criteria were used, and who was responsible for making these appointments.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The appointments were made by the Scottish ministers. Members are appointed in their personal capacity and are not appointed to represent any particular organisation. Members will provide advice to the Scottish Government on how best to move forward towards z…
31 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the recommendation by the Advisory Group on Marine and Coastal Studies in its report of March 2007, what progress has been made in drawing together a Scottish set of marine ecosystem objectives as was to have been completed during 2007.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government set up a key stakeholder group, the Sustainable Seas Task Force (SSTF), with a view to taking forward the recommendations of the Advisory Group on Marine and Coastal Strategy and making recommendations for new, streamlined legislation …
20 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1876 by Richard Lochhead on 18 July 2007, what its timetable is for the publication of its first tranche of secondary legislation dealing with pet dealers, animal sanctuaries, travelling circuses, electric shock collars, pet vending (including intern…
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The regulations to licence puppy and kitten dealers will be laid before the Parliament after the Easter recess.</p> <p >We expect to consult on draft legislation which will require animal sanctuaries to be licensed during 2009.</p> <p >The circus working gr…
19 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all Orders in Council it has proposed since May 2007 that have been approved by the Privy Council, showing the (a) date of approval and (b) composition of the Council.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p> <p >Please refer to the Privy Council Office website for lists of Orders in Council proposed by the Scottish Government that …