Parliamentary questions
Shiona Baird
294 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in respect of reports that the world's first grid-connected wave farm will be established in Portugal using Scottish technology.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I welcome the success of a Scottishrenewables company in winning a contract to provide a demonstrator project in Portugal, basedon technology which was developed and is currently being trialled in Scotland. Thisis an example of how far ahead Scotland is in de…
6 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local access forums have been established to date.
Answer · Tom McCabe: There are currently 43 activeaccess panels operating over 27 of the 32 local authority areas. Those areas whichdo not have access panels at the moment are East Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde,North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire and North Lanarkshire.</p>
1 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that there is a comprehensive and consistent food industry approach to labelling food products that contain, or may have come into contact with nuts.
Answer · Tom McCabe: I have been advised by theFood Standards Agency that new European rules have recently been agreed thatwill improve current labelling requirements and make it compulsory to listcertain specified allergens including nuts and nut products. The new rules willalso…
1 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made to ensure that caterers clearly and consistently label all foods that they sell which contain, or may have come into contact with, nuts.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Food Standards Agencyhas advised me that its board recently agreed a detailed strategy that wouldhelp protect the interests of food allergenic consumers. This includes workingwith all parts of the food industry, including caterers and enforcement bodies,a…
1 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been undertaken to examine the cause, or causes, of nut allergies and their increase in recent years and what the results of any such research have been.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Food Standards Agency (FSA)funds an on-going research programme, costing approximately £1 million peryear, on food allergy and intolerance. Since 1995, this programme has funded 13projects that directly address issues surrounding peanut allergy, including…
1 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that there is a common industry approach so that foods that do not contain nuts do not come into contact with nuts, or other foods that contain nuts, during production, in light of the effects on people with nut allergies.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Food Standards Agencyhas advised me that there are general requirements under the various hygieneregulations applying to food businesses which require all food and foodequipment to be handled in such a way as to protect against any contaminationlikely to …
26 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what grants are available for householders wishing to purchase rooftop wind turbines.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Assistance is available underour Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative. The grant is for30% of the capital costs of the system up to £4,000.</p>
26 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government regarding the possible upgrading of existing generation plant to increase the contribution of the use of combined heating and power (CHP) to the overall energy portfolio.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The UK Energy White Paper, <i>OurEnergy Future – creating a low carbon economy</i>, maintained the UK Government’s strong commitment to furtherincrease the amount of CHP, including a commitmentto increase CHP capacity in the UK to 10,000MW by 2010. The Scotti…
26 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the creation of an Energy Intermediary Technology Institute (ITI Energy) in Aberdeen will have on the development of combined heating and power technologies for the domestic, industrial, commercial and public sectors.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The nature of the technologiesand areas of research for ITI Energy will be an operational matter for the instituteitself.</p>
26 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the creation of an Energy Intermediary Technology Institute (ITI Energy) in Aberdeen will have on the development of space heating technologies that do not require an electricity input.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The nature of the technologiesand areas of research for ITI Energy will be an operational matter for the Instituteitself.</p>
26 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government about the security of the electricity supply in Scotland in 2020, given the planned closures of Longannet, Cocken'ie and Hunterston B power stations.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The regulation of theelectricity sector, including ensuring security of electricity supply, is areserved matter.</p><p>The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Department of Trade and Industry on awide range of energy-related issues. In particula…
26 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications will be for the electricity supply if generators do not take advantage of the extended timescale detailed in the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) Order 2004 for full conversion to biomass burning.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We believe that the changes thatwe have made to the Renewables Obligation Scotland (ROS) can enhance the securityof our electricity supply by extending the operating span of existing fossil fuelledplant. However, there are many other factors external to the R…
26 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications will be for CO2 emissions if generators do not take advantage of the extended timescale detailed in the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) Order 2004 for full conversion to biomass burning.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The independent study publishedalongside our consultation on amendments to the Renewables Obligation Scotland (ROS)projected that generators will take advantage of the extended timescale now available,leading to additional CO<sub>2 </sub>savings of 8 million …
26 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications will be for CO2 emissions as a result of the modifications to the Renewables Obligation Scotland under the Renewable Obligations (Scotland) Order 2004.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Renewables Obligation Scotland(ROS) is our chief mechanism to promote renewable energy and thus help to reduceCO<sub>2</sub> emissions. The recent amending order extended the deadline for stationswishing to co-fire fossil fuels with biomass. An independen…
26 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the 40% of electricity to be generated using renewable technologies by 2020 will be exported.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This is not possible to predict.The amount of electricity exported depends on a number of factors including themix of generation available in Scotland at the time, local and other demand for electricity andthe prevailing market conditions.</p>
18 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking in relation to Directive 2002/91/EC on the energy performance of buildings.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-6831 on 23 March 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.parliament.uk/weba…
10 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many applications have been made from Scotland to the Community Energy Programme and, of these, how many have secured a grant.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: To date there have been 33capital grant applications made from Scotland, and 15 have been funded. There have also been 32development grant applications made and 22 have been funded. In total Scottishbids have received £10.3 m of capital, representing 37% of t…
10 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it and local authorities can provide to public sector organisations to make applications to the Community Energy Programme.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: We support a post within theEnergy Saving Trust (Scotland) to provide specific help to Scottish applicants tothe Community Energy Programme. The community energy helpline is alsoavailable to all applicants.</p>
10 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets have been set for the “Do a Little Change a Lot” campaign in respect of energy reduction.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The “Do a Little, Change aLot” campaign is intended to support a range of energy efficiency, wastereduction and recycling initiatives by raising awareness and signposting tosources of advice and assistance such as the Energy Saving Trust. No specifictargets f…
10 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will promote the use of combined heating and power (CHP) in new housing, commercial and industrial developments.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: We promote the use ofcombined heat and power in partnership with the Community Energy Programme. Itis funded by the UK-wide Capital Modernisation Fund through the Department forEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs and managed by the Energy Saving Trust.</p>
10 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what energy efficiency measures are required in planning applications for housing, commercial and industrial developments.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Executive supports theefficient use of energy in new developments and promotes this through planningpolicy, which recognises the benefit of good design as a means of achievingenergy conservation. This is stated in both Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 2: <i…
10 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how its procurement policies promote the use of high-efficiency energy appliances in the public sector.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Public FinanceManual, which applies to the Scottish Executive, its agencies andnon-departmental public bodies, states that all procurement of goods andservices should be based on value for money, having due regard to propriety andregularity. “Val…
10 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it has set for reducing greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency measures.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive made acommitment in the partnership agreement to improving energy efficiency in thepublic sector. The Executive has just announced £20 million in new funding toset up energy efficiency funds on a sustainable basis across all localauthorities, he…
10 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with the study by the academic sector and Scottish transmission companies to determine how renewables generation can be matched with demand, as proposed in Securing a Renewable Future: Scotland's Renewable Energy.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Following a competitivetender exercise, the contract to conduct this study has been awarded to the University of Edinburgh. The study is expected to be completed in March2005.</p>
10 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with respect to consultations on the section 36 consents process.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I expect to announce the launchof this consultation within the next two months.</p>
10 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) householders and (b) communities have secured grant funding for small-scale renewable projects.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Our Scottish Community &Householder Renewables Initiative (SCHRI) has funded approximately 43 projectsto date, including several applications by groups of householders. We willshortly be publishing case studies of projects funded by the SCHRI at <ahref="h…
10 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in discussions with the Distributed Generation Co-ordination Group with regard to the optimisation of the potential for small-scale distributed generation.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Distributed GenerationCo-ordinating Group (DGCG) is making significant progress on a cross-section oftechnical, regulatory and commercial issues relevant to the removal of barriersto the connection of distributed generation, including small-scale generati…
10 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with the study into energy supply and use in Scotland to inform the development of an integrated strategy for demand-side management of renewable energy, as referred to in Securing a Renewable Future: Scotland's Renewable Energy.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We are currently seekingdeclarations of interest from organisations across Europe, who wouldwish to undertake the study on behalf of the Executive. The formal tenderprocess will commence in early April.</p>
10 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of electricity generation will be displaced by wood-burning space heaters in 2010.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This is not possible topredict. However, we are supporting the installation of wood fuel heatingsystems through the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative. Sofar, 17 projects have received capital assistance and a further eight havereceived…
10 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of electricity and heating will be generated using combined heating and power (CHP) in 2020.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This is not possible topredict. The UK isbroadly on course to meet the interim CHP target of 5,000 MWe in 2005 and isnow actively working towards a target of at least 10,000 MWe by 2010.</p>