Parliamentary questions

Sarah Boyack

2,373 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

29 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to lay regulations before the Parliament to implement the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive before the summer recess of 2004.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive expects to consult,in partnership with the UK Government and the Welsh Assembly, on draft regulationsand guidance in the summer, so will not be able to lay any regulations before thesummer recess of 2004. As the directive addresses a mix of devo…

29 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will bring forward proposals to comply with the EU requirement to transpose into Scots law the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive by August 2004.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive consultedin November 2003 on a proposed model for transposition, issuing a paper jointlywith the UK Government, the Welsh Assembly and the Northern Ireland administration.We expect to bring forward a further consultation on draft regula…

29 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement on the proposal to extend the Fasnakyle hydroelectric generating station near Cannich by Beauly in Inverness-shire.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I can announce that the Scottish Ministers have granted consent on this proposal in terms of section 36of the Electricity Act 1989. Additionally this consent carries deemed planningpermission in terms of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland)Act 1997.<p…

24 Mar 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will provide for improving access at Haymarket station.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: We are considering, alongwith Network Rail, the Strategic Rail Authority and the City of Edinburgh Council, how best to improve Haymarket Station. Better access to the station ispart of that consideration.

23 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be any overlap between EU proposals on environmental liability and any liability regime that the Executive will introduce to address issues relating to GM crops.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The draft EU Directive on EnvironmentalLiability establishes liability for environmental damage to protected species andhabitats resulting from a range of activities, including the release of GMorganisms. It does not cover damage to private property or any ec…

23 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will introduce a liability regime in respect of the possible future development of GM crops and what issues will be addressed in any consultation on such a regime.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Executive considers thatissues of compensation for economic losses arising from contamination of non-GMcrops should be addressed as part of a broader co-existence regime. We have undertakento consult on compensation as part of our wider consultation on co…

23 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) timescale for and (b) nature of any consultation on crop distances between GM crops and (i) organic and (ii) non-organic crops will be.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The recent decision by BayerCropScience to withdraw their application to add Chardon LL maize to the nationalseed list reduces the likelihood that GM crops would be grown in Scotland in theforeseeable future. Notwithstanding, the Executive intends to consult …

17 Mar 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any regional variation in the rates by which school rolls will fall.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Yes, there are wide variations in the rates at which pupil rolls decline in the future between local authorities.

11 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make funding available to improve access at Haymarket Station.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: I shall reply to the Member as soon as possible.

9 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in monitoring the implementation of the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 in relation to its sustainable development objectives.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Building (Scotland)Act 2003 will not come fully into force before spring 2005.

9 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in monitoring the implementation of the Building Standards (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2001 in relation to its sustainable development objectives.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Executive will monitorand review the effectiveness of the Building Standards (Scotland) Regulations2001 within the time-scale set out in the Regulatory Impact Assessment. Toobtain a building warrant all new buildings must comply with the higherstandards s…

8 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in implementing the sustainable development criteria requirements for school PPP projects as set out in Building a Better Scotland.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The commitment in Buildinga Better Scotland is continued in Partnership for a Better Scotland, whichindicates that new schools should demonstrate commitment to the highestdesign and environmental standards. This is being taken forward thr…

8 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government in respect of the Sustainable Buildings Task Group.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: None.

5 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to carry out the review of the Scottish climate change programme.

Answer · Allan Wilson: We are in discussion withthe UK Government regarding their approach to the review of the UK ClimateChange Programme, to which the Scottish Climate Change Programme contributes.The outcome of these discussions will inform the Executive’s approach to thereview …

5 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescale is for the review of the Scottish climate change programme.

Answer · Allan Wilson: It is proposed to time thereview to coincide with a UK Government review of the UK Climate ChangeProgramme, to which the Scottish Programme contributes. The UK Programme reviewwill commence soon and we expect it to conclude later in 2004.

11 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many child pedestrian deaths were due to head injuries in each year from 1992 to 2002.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The number of child pedestrian deaths where head injuries were recorded as contributing to the cause of death in each year from 1992 to 2002 are given in the table.Transport Accident Deaths, Where Pedestrians Under The Age of 16 Have Sustained Head Inj…

11 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many child pedestrian deaths there were in each year from 1992 to 2002.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The information requestedcan be obtained from the table on page 17 of Road Accidents Scotland 2002,published by the Scottish Executive in 2003, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 30447).

11 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many child cyclist deaths were due to head injuries in each year from 1992 to 2002.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The number of child cyclist deaths where head injuries were recorded as contributing to the cause of death in each year from 1992 to 2002 are given in the table.Transport Accident Deaths, Where Cyclists Under the Age of 16 Have Sustained Head Injuries<…

11 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many child cyclist deaths there were in each year from 1992 to 2002.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The information requestedcan be obtained from the table on page 17 of “Road Accidents Scotland 2002”,published by the Scottish Executive in 2003, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 30447).

21 Jan 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been undertaken into the employment pattern of graduates.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Theemployment of graduates has been the subject of academic research. Sources ofofficial data include the annual Survey of First Destinations and the LabourForce Survey. I and my officials are in regular contact with many researchersand academics in the field…

19 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-999 by Lewis Macdonald on 18 December 2003, what the timescale will be for a Sewel motion on the UK Energy Bill.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Sewel motion andmemorandum was considered by the Enterprise and Culture Committee on Tuesday 27January.

19 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-999 by Lewis Macdonald on 18 December 2003, what will be included in the Sewel motion on the UK Energy Bill.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Sewel memorandum andmotion were forwarded to the Enterprise and Culture Committee for consideration on 12January. The memorandum addresses a wide range of provisions within the EnergyBill that fall within devolved competence. These include provisions toes…

19 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the comparative net present values are of Scottish Natural Heritage remaining in Edinburgh and relocating to Inverness over a 30-year period.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Executive’s refinementand analysis of the discounted costs of the various relocation optionsidentified in the DTZ Pieda study was placed in the Parliament’s ReferenceCentre (Bib. number 27058) on 20 March 2003. Over a 30-year period this showedthe move to…