Parliamentary questions

Des McNulty

1,840 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the A80 between Stepps and Haggs will be upgraded to dual two-lane equivalent motorway standard and operational.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We expect the A80Stepps to Haggs upgrade to be complete in 2011.Details on timescalescan be found on the Transport Scotland website:<ahref="http://www.transportscotland.go.uk/projects">www.transportscotland.go.uk/projects</a>.

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the A8 between Baillieston and Newhouse will be upgraded to dual three-lane equivalent motorway standard and operational.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-2791 on 23 August 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.…

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when motorists will be able to use the road following the construction of the M74 completion project.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-63 on 1 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search…

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many days of roadworks have there been on the A82 between the Dumbuck junction and the Erskine Bridge in each of the last three years.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The numberof notified instances of roadworks (including minor inspections, manhole openings,grass cutting, footway works, line markings and major reconstruction work) on theA82 trunk road between Dumbuck Junction and Erskine Bridge in the last three years is …

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many traffic incidents causing congestion have been recorded on the A82 between the Dumbuck junction and the Erskine Bridge in each of the last three years.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Not alltraffic incidents are reported to the trunk road operating companies and not allrecorded incidents cause congestion. The number of traffic incidents (includingaccidents, potholes, signal faults, debris, spillages, flooding, damaged roadsidefurniture an…

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1845 by Stewart Stevenson on 20 July 2007, whether its study of the benefits of the Air Route Development Fund will also look at the environmental benefits and disbenefits of the fund.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The evaluation of the economic benefits arising from the Route Development Fund will take into accountthe environmental impact of the routes supported by the fund.

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what controls local authorities can apply in encouraging business users to contribute their fair share in meeting recycling targets.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Local authoritiesoperate trade waste collection services and so may encourage business users to recyclethrough the introduction of recycling schemes or differential charging schemes forsegregated waste.

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether business waste collected from business users, along with waste from domestic users, is counted in targets for recycling by local authorities.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Recycling targetsrelate to municipal waste which includes waste that is under the control of localauthorities from commercial premises.

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will introduce legislation to implement its commitment to a local income tax.

Answer · John Swinney: It is my intentionto introduce legislation to abolish the council tax and replace it with a fairerlocal tax based on ability to pay in the 2008-09 parliamentary session.

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what was meant by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change when writing in the Banffshire Journal on 25 July 2007 that “indeed the structures are now in place to replace the current unfair council tax with a more just local income tax”.

Answer · John Swinney: The Minister for Transport,Infrastructure and Climate Change was setting out some of the key priorities andactions for the new government, including the abolition of council tax and its replacementwith a fairer local tax based on ability to pay.

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it has set for recycling from (a) domestic and (b) commercial sources.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The National WastePlan set out targets of 25% recycling and composting of municipal waste by 2006,and 55% by 2020. Spending Review 2004 also set a target of 30% recycling and compostingof municipal waste by 2008.Municipal waste iswaste collected…

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it has set for the reduction of waste going to landfill.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Under the EU LandfillDirective, the amount of biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfill in Scotland must not exceed 1.32 million tonnes by 2010, 0.88 milliontonnes by 2013 and 0.62 million tonnes by 2020. The Landfill Allowance Scheme(Sc…

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reduce the number of smoky vehicles on roads to help reduce pollution from motor vehicles and lessen the impact on the environment.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Vehicletesting and licensing is supervised through the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency(VOSA) across the UK with the aim of improving the roadworthinessstandards of vehicles.The Executive providessupport to local authorities enabling them to undert…

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what record it has of the number of smoky vehicles on roads.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Executive doesnot hold central records on vehicles that fail emissions tests.

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what environmental performance benchmarks will be used when determining which vehicles will be used by ministers and officials.

Answer · John Swinney: We aim to ensure thatall vehicles used by ministersand officials demonstrate goodenvironmental performance for their category. This means in practice that vehiclespurchased in the near future for use by ministers and officials are likely to bemainly diesel po…

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information is available about the cost of retrofitting (a) water and (b) energy saving devices in council and housing association housing as a means to reduce carbon emissions.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Sustainable HousingDesign Guide published by Communities Scotland is intended as a reference sourcefor housing providers, including local authorities and Registered Social Landlords,who wish to adopt sustainable principles and practices in housing mainten…

1 Aug 2007 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what information is available about carbon emissions from the Parliament building and what plans are in place to reduce emissions.

Answer · Alex Johnstone: The gas and electricity usedin the Scottish Parliament building resulted in the emission of 328 tonnes ofcarbon in 2005-06 and 232 tonnes in 2006-07. In October 2005, the SPBC agreedan environmental policy which includes an objective to red…

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information Scottish Water provides to its customers about water efficiency fittings, recycling and rebates on washing machines and water tanks as a way of reducing carbon emissions.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: As this is anoperational matter for Scottish Water, I have asked the Chief Executive toreply to your enquiry directly.

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the top 10 energy users in Scotland.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Executivedoes not hold this information.However, as part of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, data on the UK’smost energy intensive industries, including covered installations along with theircarbon dioxide emissions and allowances, are rep…

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what Scottish Water’s energy bill was in the most recent year for which figures are available and what proportion of its energy is sourced from renewables

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: As this is anoperational matter for Scottish Water, I have asked the Chief Executive toreply to your enquiry directly.

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken by the Office of the First Minister to reduce the carbon emissions from its activities and how successful this action has been.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-2817 on 5 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment and officials within his area of responsibility to reduce the carbon emissions from their activities and how successful this action has been.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-2817 on 5 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and officials within his area of responsibility to reduce the carbon emissions from their activities and how successful this action has been.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-2817 on 5 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning and officials within her area of responsibility to reduce the carbon emissions from their activities and how successful this action has been

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-2817 on 5 September 2007. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing and officials within her area of responsibility to reduce the carbon emissions from their activities and how successful this action has been.

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth and officials within his area of responsibility to reduce the carbon emissions from their activities and how successful this action has been.

Answer · John Swinney: I would refer theMember to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment’s openingspeech to the Greener Scotland debate on 13 June 2007. He acknowledged the good work that is being done throughoutthe public sector but made it clear that we are n…

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies have not adopted an energy savings plan.

Answer · John Swinney: The agencies and non-departmentalpublic bodies (NDPB) who have not adopted energy policies are:Transport ScotlandSocial Work InspectionAgencyBòrd Gàidhlig na h-AlbaArchitecture and DesignScotlandScottish Police ServicesAutho…

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of its energy consumption is sourced from renewables.

Answer · John Swinney: The government procures100% of the electricity required to run its buildings from renewable sources which,during 2006-07, accounted for around 59% of the total energy consumed.

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its annual energy bill is.

Answer · John Swinney: The total energy costsincurred by the Scottish Government during 2006-07 are as follows:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=97 valign=top> Energy Type </td> <td width=109 valign=top> <p align…

1 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what benchmarks it has set for per person annual energy consumption for its officials.

Answer · John Swinney: The government hasnot established a set of benchmarks for energy consumption per person. To addressthe impacts of the energy consumptionof its estate the previous administration set targets to reduce the CO2 emissions attributedto …