Parliamentary questions
Shiona Baird
294 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
13 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the difference is between preliminary treatment and primary treatment in respect of the discharge of sewage.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Preliminary treatmentinvolves the screening and de-gritting of sewage prior to discharge. Screeningremoves larger solid materials contained in the flow and de-gritting ensuresthat the outflow does not become blocked through time. Primarytreatment of sewage ef…
10 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage local authorities to provide recycling facilities for household batteries.
Answer · Ross Finnie: A number of local authorities have implemented battery collection schemes at recycling points and centres with financial support through the Strategic Waste Fund. In addition, we are providing funding to the Waste and Resources Action Programme to undertake t…
10 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities provide facilities for the recycling of household batteries.
Answer · Ross Finnie: There are four local authorities providing facilities for the recycling of household batteries at recycling points and centres. These are Dumfries and Galloway, East Renfrewshire, Midlothian and Western Isles. Information on recycling facilities across Scotla…
10 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage local authorities to provide recycling facilities for plastic bottles.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Through the Strategic Waste Fund, we have funded a number of kerbside collections of recyclate which include plastic bottles. It is the responsibility of local authorities to draw up schemes to encourage recycling, and if they wish, to seek financial support …
10 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities provide facilities for the recycling of plastic bottles.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Twenty-four local authoritiesprovide facilities for the recycling of plastic bottles either through kerbsidecollections or through recycling points or centres. Information on recycling facilitiesacross Scotland can be found on the “Sort-It” section of the Sco…
1 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the call by companies interested in wave energy investment to double the Renewables Obligation Certificate payments.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Our preliminary consultation on the review of the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) is still on-going. The consultation raises for discussion the use of Renewable Obligation Certificates to support the development of emerging technologies, including wave and t…
1 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware that Scottish Power and AMEC are considering abandoning the proposal to develop a commercial wave energy scheme and, if so, what action it has taken to intervene.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I understand that Scottish Power and their partners are considering how best to proceed with the next phase of their wave energy project. The Executive has not thus far been formally approached regarding this project, which is a commercial venture between the…
1 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement it has had in the Scottish Power and AMEC proposal for a commercial wave energy scheme in Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: We have had no involvement with this project thus far.</p>
1 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of plans by Scottish Power and AMEC to develop a commercial wave energy scheme in Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I am aware of these plans, which are at a very early stage of development.</p>
31 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its financial incentives provide adequate support to the marine renewable energy industry, given a reported decision by Scottish Power and Amec to scale back or abandon plans to build a wave farm in Orkney, citing lack of government support as the reason for this decision.
Answer · Jim Wallace: We have provided extensive support to the sector in recent years, particularly through our contribution of £3 million towards the world class marine energy test centre on Orkney, and our engagement through FREDS. We are currently considering how it might be p…
26 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to advertise the availability of Scottish Communities and Household Renewables Initiative funding for new-build developments.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Community and Householder Renewable Initiative (SCHRI) is delivered by The Energy Saving Trust (EST) and Highland and Islands Enterprise (HIE). In August 2004, the EST held a business breakfast at Hampden Park in Glasgow, followed by site visits,…
26 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses built in each of the last five years received Scottish Communities and Household Renewables Initiative funding.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative (SCHRI) commenced at the end of 2002-03. Funding is separated into two streams: a householder stream and a communities stream. Since the introduction of the scheme, grant funding has been awarded to…
26 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to promote the installation of a biomass pelleting plant.
Answer · Jim Wallace: No specific steps are being taken. Following the publication of the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland’s (FREDS) report into the future of the biomass industry in Scotland, we are working with the enterprise networks and others to consider how…
26 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to support the development of the biomass heating industry and how successful these measures have been.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The UK Government is currently considering whether measures are needed to support the biomass heat sector. My officials are keeping in close touch with that work as it progresses. When the results become available, expected towards the end of this year, the F…
26 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much Scottish Communities and Household Renewables Initiative funding was awarded in 2004-05 to the (a) micro hydro-electricity, (b) micro wind, (c) solar water heating, (d) solar space heating, (e) automated wood fuel heating and (f) ground, air and water-sourced heat pump sectors an…
Answer · Jim Wallace: Information in respect of 2004-05 is given in the following table. It is not possible to predict funding in advance of grant awards being determined. We currently provide £2.2 million per annum in support of the scheme.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cell…
26 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much Community Energy Programme funding was awarded to biomass heating projects in Scotland in 2004-05 and how much has been earmarked for 2005-06.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We do not hold this information. The Community Energy Programme is an initiative of the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and is administered on their behalf by the Energy Saving Trust. Details of the initiative can be found at:</p> <p><a …
8 Apr 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any ministers have received an invitation from the Mayor of Doncaster or any representative of Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council to visit Doncaster or in any other way be updated on any aspect of the Council's zero waste strategy and, if so, when the invitation was received a…
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14896 on <br> 9 March 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p> <p><ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament…
17 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what direct support it will provide to family mediation services in light of the importance which the Family Law Bill places on such services.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Executive has longrecognised the importance of family relationship services. We continue toprovide financial assistance, now under the Children, Young People and FamiliesUnified Voluntary Sector Fund, to support core and training costs of fournational fam…
17 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how local authorities will fund family mediation services without incurring additional financial burdens.
Answer · Hugh Henry: Many local authoritiesalready support local family relationship services. Local voluntary sectorservices are expected to source their funding locally. We are considering howbest to secure an integrated approach to the needs of families in transition byalignin…
17 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why funding to local mediation service providers has been discontinued under the Children, Young People and Families Unified Voluntary Sector Fund.
Answer · Hugh Henry: No such action has been taken.</p>
17 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote and support mediation and related services for families that are separating.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Executive has long recognisedthe importance of family relationship services in helping families to resolve difficultieswithout recourse to the law. This will continue under our proposed reforms to familylaw. We provide grant assistance to four national fa…
1 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14411 by Ross Finnie on 25 February 2005, what steps it is taking to analyse the reasons for the decline in the number of calls received by the "Dumb Dumpers" flytipping hotline between March 2004 and January 2005.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The “Dumb Dumpers” Stop Lineis co-ordinated by Keep Scotland Beautiful and its progress is being monitored throughthe Scottish Fly-tipping Forum. </p><p>Experience to date suggests thatthe public awareness of fly-tipping may be seasonal; that is, that the pro…
1 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that the National Waste Strategy fully reflects the First Minister's view that recycling and waste are separate issues, as stated in his address to environment groups on 9 February 2005 as part of Environment Week.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The National Waste Strategy fullyreflects that recycling is only one option for dealing with waste. Options furtherup the waste hierarchy, such as waste reduction and reuse, are preferable to recycling.A Waste Prevention Action Plan is currently being develop…
1 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any ministers or officials have been invited to visit Doncaster in light of the local authority's implementation of a zero waste policy and, if so, who was invited, when they responded and what their response was.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The member suggested to AllanWilson, when he was Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development, thathe might visit Doncaster to see their zero waste policy. No visits have takenplace, but we continue to keep in touch with zero waste policies followed …
1 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to the UK Government to ensure that companies presenting financial reports to Companies House are also required to present social and environmental reports.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including matters relating to corporate social responsibility.</p><p>We wish more Scottish businesses to publish corporate responsibility reports which give a thoro…
16 Feb 2005 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding from the strategic waste fund has been allocated to community waste management groups.
Answer · Ross Finnie: We have allocated £5 million until March 2006 to the INCREASE Programme for community waste initiatives.</p><p>We also allocated £2.5 million in 2003-04 and £1.8 million in 2004-05 from the Strategic Waste Fund specifically for community groups. In addition a…
11 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many successful prosecutions have been made for fly-tipping not as a result of information from the "Dumb Dumpers" hotline since the hotline was established.
Answer · Elish Angiolini: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-14414, answered on 1 March 2005.All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament'swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament/webapp…
11 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many successful prosecutions have been made as a result of information from the "Dumb Dumpers" hotline.
Answer · Elish Angiolini: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-14414, answered on 1 March 2005<i>.</i> All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.p…
11 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions have been brought before the courts for fly-tipping not as a result of information from the "Dumb Dumpers" hotline since the hotline was established.
Answer · Elish Angiolini: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-14414, answered on 1 March 2005,All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament'swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/web…
11 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions have been brought before the courts as a result of the "Dumb Dumpers" hotline.
Answer · Elish Angiolini: Reports to the Procurator Fiscal will not necessarily record in every case whether the hotline was the origin of the investigation. Further, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal database will not record whether a case is as a result of a call to the Dumb Du…