Parliamentary questions
Sarah Boyack
2,373 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
5 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate has been made of the value of capital receipts from the sale of Scottish Natural Heritage's properties in Edinburgh.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-664 today. 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/search_…
5 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is of a new building for the headquarters of Scottish Natural Heritage in Inverness.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-664 today. 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/search_…
5 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates it has made of the impact of the proposed relocation of the headquarters of Scottish Natural Heritage on the organisation's ability to retain existing staff.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-664 today. 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/search_…
5 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be any compulsory redundancies arising from the relocation of the headquarters of Scottish Natural Heritage from Edinburgh to Inverness.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-664 today. 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/search_…
5 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is of the relocation of the headquarters of Scottish Natural Heritage from Edinburgh to Inverness.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-664 today. 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/search_…
5 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has consulted Scottish Natural Heritage and the relevant trade unions about the relocation of the organisation from Edinburgh to Inverness.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-664 today. 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/search_…
5 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the relocation of the headquarters of Scottish Natural Heritage from Edinburgh to Inverness will promote efficiency and effectiveness.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-664 today. 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/search_…
5 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19681 by Angus MacKay on 19 November 2001, how relocating the headquarters of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) from Edinburgh to Inverness meets the objectives of its policy of dispersing civil service jobs.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive is committed to ensuring that all of Scotland benefits from the relocation of public sector jobs. In his November 2001 answer, Angus MacKay said that SNH was one of several bodies then about to undertake a relocation review under the Executive's…
26 May 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how its commitment to environmental justice is linked to its commitment to social justice.
Answer · Allan Wilson: Environmental justice is concerned with addressing those inequalities that affect the quality of people's lives, which is a central concern of social justice. <P>The goals of environmental justice are reflected in many of the social justice commitments cited …
17 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources will be made available to enable local authorities to carry out their legal responsibilities under the statutory regime for contaminated land.
Answer · Allan Wilson: We have allocated £15 million capital resources over the three years 2003-04 to 2005-06 to help local authorities carry out their statutory responsibilities under the contaminated land regime which came into force in July 2000.<P>The funds will help local aut…
17 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when an announcement is expected on the proposal to build a 199-megawatt offshore wind-powered generating station at Robin Rigg in the Solway Firth.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I can announce that the Scottish ministers have granted consent on this proposal in terms of section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. <P>This proposal was submitted in June 2002 and required a number of consents and licences from the Scottish ministers. The co…
12 Feb 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in improving the provision of breakfast services to children, particularly in deprived areas.
Answer · Margaret Curran: Following a review of breakfast services, the Breakfast Services Grant has been increased from £250,000 to £300,000 and will be awarded through the Scottish Community Diet Project who will distribute the grant in deprived communities, working in partnership w…
20 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement on the proposal to build a 56-megawatt windfarm at Cairn Uish in Moray.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I can announce that the Scottish ministers have granted consent on this proposal in terms of section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. Additionally, this consent carries deemed planning permission in terms of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997.<P…
14 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27299 by Lewis Macdonald on 5 August 2002, what measures it has taken to promote Energy Saving Trust grants for the installation of solar/photovoltaic units.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Community Renewables Initiative advisory service (SCRI), launched last summer in partnership with the Energy Saving Trust and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, provides a network of expert advisers across Scotland. This service has been augmented…
9 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has estimated the contribution that local authority action will make to meeting its climate change targets.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Executive collects data on the contribution that the public sector as a whole is making to Scottish greenhouse gas emissions. However, no estimate has been made of the contribution that overall action by Scottish local authorities will make to future leve…
9 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to assist local authorities in contributing to meet its climate change targets.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Executive is working in partnership with the UK Government to deliver greenhouse gas emissions reductions required by the Kyoto Protocol and in moving towards the UK domestic goal of a 20% reduction in CO<SUB>2</SUB> emissions by 2010.<P>Local authorities…
6 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of planning application appeals by developers were successful in each of the last five years.
Answer · Des McNulty: It is not possible to distinguish between types of developer. The following information therefore relates to all planning permission appeals decided in each of the last five business years.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=115><TR><TD WIDTH="67%…
6 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications have been subject to appeal by developers in each of the last five years.
Answer · Des McNulty: It is not possible to distinguish between types of developer. The following information therefore relates to all planning permission appeals received in each of the last five business years.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=115><TR><TD WIDTH="67…
6 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications have been called in as a result of a local authority notification of intention to depart from a development plan in each of the last five years.
Answer · Des McNulty: The information requested is given in the following table.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=453><TR><TD WIDTH="23%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Year</TD><TD WIDTH="46%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Number of Planning Applications Notified as Departures from the Developm…
6 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications have been called in as a result of a local authority notification of interest in each of the last five years.
Answer · Des McNulty: The information requested is given in the following table.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=434><TR><TD WIDTH="24%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Year</TD><TD WIDTH="43%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Number of Planning Applications Notified due to Local Authority Interest…
4 Dec 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve services for people who are HIV positive.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Following the publication of the <I>Report of the HIV Health Promotion Strategy Review Group </I>in January 2001, the Executive made an additional £7 million available to NHS boards, over the four years from 2000-01, to assist their work to prevent the spread…
27 Nov 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives there are to support the educational attainment of looked-after children.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: We are committed to improving the educational attainment of looked-after children. By the end of this year we expect local authorities to ensure that looked-after children receive full-time education, that they have a care plan covering their educational need…
19 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1F-2185 by the First Minister on 31 October 2002, what remit has been agreed for the Cabinet sub-committee on flooding; which ministers will be invited to attend meetings of the sub-committee; when its first meeting will be, and whether it will consider…
Answer · Jim Wallace: The remit of the Ad Hoc Committee of Ministers on Flooding Issues is: <P>(a) To consider current arrangements for addressing flood risk and how advice and support is provided to those at risk from, and affected by, flooding, and<P>(b) To provide advice to Cab…
19 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of new houses with solar/photovoltaic tiles.
Answer · Ross Finnie: We have no such plans. However, the Executive is committed to promoting the development of a range of renewable energy technologies. We have already funded a photovoltaic project at a new ferry terminal under our Scottish Clean Energy Demonstration Scheme. We…
13 Nov 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in encouraging recycling.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30486 on 7 November 2002. 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…
31 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with the commitment made in Working together for Scotland: A Programme for Government to incorporate strategic environmental assessment for government programmes.
Answer · Ross Finnie: This year's Spending Review required all departments to prepare statements on the way in which their programmes and spending plans contribute to the achievement of the Executive's commitments to sustainable development outlined in <I>Meeting the Needs... Prio…
28 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it proposes to engage a wider group of stakeholders in achieving sustainable development.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive consults widely across its range of policies, offering many opportunities for stakeholders to engage on sustainable development issues. The Sustainable Development Forum is simply one mechanism to engage stakeholders in taking forward thinking a…
28 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its proposals are for the composition and remit of the Sustainable Development Forum.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The initial remit and composition of the Sustainable Development Forum for Scotland, as set out in the answer given to question S1W-27187 on 1 August 2002, is to provide a focus for Scottish thinking and action on sustainable development. Following the first …
28 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcomes were of the first meeting of the Sustainable Development Forum on 24 July 2002.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The first meeting of the forum on 24 July heard presentations on <I>Meeting the Needs...</I>, the Do a Little, Change a Lot campaign, the UK Sustainable Development Commission and preparations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development. Participants had …
23 Oct 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in the encouragement of cycling as a mode of transport.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We are making good progress towards our target of doubling the number of cycle journeys between 1996 and 2002. The latest figures show that the average annual number of journeys made per person by bicycle in Scotland increased from eight for the years 1995-97…