Parliamentary questions
Shiona Baird
294 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
17 Aug 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any aspect of the plans for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route has been, or will be, subject to a strategic environmental assessment and, if so, how such an assessment will be used in taking the project forward.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route will be subject to an environmental impact assessment under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 1999 and the results published in an Environmental Statement.</p>
6 Aug 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many local access forums have been established to address concerns over access to land arising from the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The main provisions of Part 1 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 are not yet in force. We expect to bring the legislation including the requirement to establish local access forums into effect later this year following the issue of guidance to local autho…
13 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether an installer capable of installing Not-in-Kind air-conditioning was invited to tender for the air-conditioning contract for the new Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-9704 answered on 16 August 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliam…
13 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures were taken to ensure that the consultant advising on the installation of air-conditioning in the new Edinburgh Royal Infirmary was aware of Her Majesty's Government's policy on the use of hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants in air-conditioning and what measures were taken by the…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-9704 answered on 16 August 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliam…
13 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which consultant was retained to advise on the installation of air-conditioning in the new Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This is a matter for NHS Lothian University Hospitals Division. The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
13 Jul 2004 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether an installer capable of installing Not-in-Kind air-conditioning was invited to tender for the air-conditioning contract for the new Parliament building.
Answer · John Scott: The specifications for theMechanical and Plumbing Trade Packages, compiled by RMJM (Scotland)Limited, did not name any particular manufacturer or brand, in respect of theair conditioning element. It is therefore not known if any, or all, of thecontractors inv…
13 Jul 2004 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what measures were taken to ensure that the consultant advising on the installation of air-conditioning in the new Parliament building was aware of Her Majesty's Government's policy on the use of hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants in air-conditioning and what measures were…
Answer · John Scott: The User Brief for the newParliament building required high environmental standards and efficiency.Consequently, the building is, predominately, naturally cooled using thestructure of the building as a heat sink and utilising natural elements, suchas rain wat…
13 Jul 2004 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer what consultant was retained to advise on the installation of air-conditioning in the new Parliament building.
Answer · John Scott: The Services Engineers forthe Holyrood project, RMJM (Scotland) Limited, are responsible for the designof all mechanical and electrical services, of which air conditioning is one element.</p>
12 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken by Scottish Water to minimise water leakage in Dundee and the Tayside area following the issue of a drought order for the area.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer you to the answer given to question S2W-9699 on 10 August 2004. 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/s…
12 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on Scottish Water's performance in respect of leakage from the public water supply in Dundee and the Tayside area.
Answer · Ross Finnie: This is a matter for Scottish Water. The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
12 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many farms are not allowed to sell their sheep for human consumption due to the level of radioactive contamination resulting from the Chernobyl incident in 1986.
Answer · Tom McCabe: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that although no farms are not allowed to sell their sheep for human consumption, as at 30 April 2004, 14 farms in Scotland remain under movement restrictions imposed after the Chernobyl incident in 1986. Sheep from t…
12 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many farms were not permitted to sell their sheep for human consumption due to the level of radioactive contamination resulting from the Chernobyl incident in 1986 in each of the last five years.
Answer · Tom McCabe: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that the following table details the number of farms in the UK not permitted to sell their sheep for human consumption due to the level of contamination resulting from the 1986 Chernobyl incident in each of the last f…
23 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-2467 by Mrs Mary Mulligan on 20 May 2004, whether the #700,000 provided to national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender organisations included the #512,000 for the Equality Network announced in March 2004 and whether the Executive will provide a b…
Answer · Mary Mulligan: I apologise if my earlierreply on this matter was not clear. Let me clarify. The Scottish Executive has provided£695,192 to support and increase the engagement of lesbian, gay, bisexual andtranssexual people in the life of Scotland. This figure includes the g…
16 Jun 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what was discussed at the last meeting of the Sustainable Development Education Liaison Group and what will be on the agenda of its next meeting.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The group met on Tuesday 15 June and the main issues discussed were:</p><ul type=disc> <li class=MsoNormal>Developing a workplan, including consideration of resources for taking forward planned action;</li> <li class=MsoNormal>A draft research study repo…
18 May 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the definition of “value for money” used in the Scottish Public Finance Manual in respect of procurement policies includes consideration of the costs of greenhouse gas emissions from appliances and energy installations.
Answer · Tavish Scott: the Scottish Public Finance Manual, which applies to the Scottish Executive, its agencies and non-departmental bodies, states that all procurement ofgoods and services should be based on value for money, having due regard to proprietyand regularity. "Val…
18 May 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what reports its representatives on the Joint Energy Security of Supply (JESS) Working Group have given to it in respect of new electricity generating capacity in Scotland.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The JESS group is kept informedof all changes in generating capacity in Scotland.</p>
18 May 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its representatives on the Joint Energy Security of Supply (JESS) Working Group have raised any concerns regarding a potential shortfall in electricity generation in Scotland in light of the planned closures of Cocken'ie, Longannet and Hunterston B power stations.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The JESS Working Group monitorsthe changes that will occur in the energy generation market throughout the UK and recognisesthat new investment will be needed to replace existing generation plant once closedto ensure security of supply.</p>
18 May 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the Joint Energy Security of Supply Working Group (JESS) in respect of the possibility of publishing data on electricity supply and demand forecasts for Scotland, similar to those published in the JESS reports for England and Wales.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The regulation of the electricitysector, including the security of electricity supply, is a reserved matter. the Scottish Executive will work with the JESS group to examine how Scottishelectricity supply and demand data could appropriately be published or inc…
18 May 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the 40% target for renewable energy generation refers to 40% of the total installed capacity of generation, 40% of installed capacity to meet Scottish peak demand plus a suitable load margin, 40% of peak Scottish power demand, 40% of maximum Scottish energy demand or any other mea…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The target is for 40% of theelectricity generated in Scotland by 2020 to be from renewable sources.</p>
18 May 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on what proportion of intermittent renewable generation can be accommodated in the Scottish grid without incurring extra costs whilst maintaining a secure electricity supply.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-8312 on 25 May 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/…
18 May 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on what proportion of intermittent renewable generation can be accommodated in the Scottish grid without disruption to a secure electricity supply.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We have recently commissioneda study, being carried out by the University of Edinburgh in conjunction with the Scottish grid owners, which will enable an understanding of the full implicationsto the electricity network of the growth in, primarily intermittent…
18 May 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the 18% and 40% renewable electricity generation targets should be capable of meeting baseload demand.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We have not fixed milestonesof this nature. Technologies such as biomass and marine, which can providebaseload or predictable output, and hydrogen fuel cells could play a key rolein providing network stability. Work to progress these areas will be takenforwar…
18 May 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are subsidiary targets within the 18% and 40% targets for different renewable generation technologies.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: There are no subsidiary targets.We are working through the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland (FREDS)to ensure that marine, biomass and other renewable technologies play important rolesin providing a diverse supply portfolio.</p>
18 May 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the 40% target for renewable electricity generation in 2020 was arrived at.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The 40% target is based upona number of factors - the current level ofrenewables generation (mainly large hydro), Scotland’s potential renewable resource(equal to around ten times our peak demand) and the ability within that to developa wide range of differen…
18 May 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been paid in community benefits to local communities where wind farms are sited.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The basis of payment of communitybenefits in respect of wind farm developments is one of voluntary agreement betweenthe local community and the developer, and the information requested is thereforenot held centrally.</p>
10 May 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what requirements there are on local authorities to recycle o'one-depleting refrigerant gases from discarded fridges.
Answer · Ross Finnie: None. Under the duty of carerules, local authorities are required to ensure that waste fridges under their controlare subject to treatment to capture the ozone-depleting gasses for safe disposalor recovery.</p>
7 May 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support is available to users of industrial refrigeration systems who wish to convert their machinery to less environmentally-damaging hydrocarbon refrigerants.
Answer · Ross Finnie: There is currently no financialsupport available.</p>
7 May 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to minimise the use of fluorinated gases such as hydrofluorocarbons that are known to cause global warming.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive is working withthe UK Government to tackle emissions of fluorinated gases. Existing measures havefocussed mainly on reducing emissions through recovery and containment, rather thanminimising use. These measures are outlined in the partial Regula…
19 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what specific steps it is taking to give emerging renewable energy technologies, including wave power, the (a) technical and (b) financial support needed to ensure that Scottish research expertise is commercially developed in Scotland before being developed in other countries.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Through the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland(FREDS), the Executive is working in partnership with academia and industry to producean action plan to accelerate the commercial deployment of marine energy devicesand to develop a manufacturing b…
19 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many calls the fly-tipping hotline received between 9 March and 9 April 2004.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The “Dumb Dumpers” Stop Linereceived 315 calls during its first month of operation.</p>