Jamie McGrigor

16 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of timetabled sailings have been cancelled on the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service since July 2011 and how many of these were treated as relief events in terms of the public service obligation between Argyll Ferries Ltd and the Scottish Government.

Answer · Keith Brown: The total sailings on the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service for quarter 1 (June to September 2011) amounted to 5,314, a total of 156 sailings were cancelled (2.96%) and 108 (2.03%) were cancelled after a relief event.

16 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on the maintenance and refit of the MV (a) Ali Cat and (b) Argyll Flyer since they were purchased and how these costs were met.

Answer · Keith Brown: This is a commercial matter for Argyll Ferries Ltd.

12 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason Mull will not be included in the extension of the road equivalent transport scheme from October 2012 and what its response is to reported concerns that this might place Mull at a competitive disadvantage.

Answer · Keith Brown: In our announcement on 29 November on the future roll-out of RET we confirmed that RET would be rolled out to Mull within the term of this Parliament. This is consistent with the Government’s Manifesto commitment. The main ferry route to Mull, Oban to Craign…

9 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive by how much greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced since the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 targets were set.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Emissions data becomes available 18 months after the end of the calendar year in which they occurred, and since the first batch of annual targets was set in October 2010, the most recent data available are for 2009. According to Official Statistics, compared…

24 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its and its agencies' jobs have been relocated to (a) the Highlands and Islands, (b) Argyll and Bute and (c) Kintyre since 2007.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04235 on 7 December 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentaryb…

24 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it remains committed to the policy of relocating jobs throughout the country and, if so, what action it is taking to relocate jobs to (a) the Highlands and Islands, (b) Argyll and Bute and (c) Kintyre.

Answer · John Swinney: This government’s policy on the location of public sector jobs was set out for the Parliament in evidence to the Finance Committee on 29 January 2008. Following criticism of the policy pre-2007 as set out by the Auditor General for Scotland as well as by the …

23 Nov 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote the teaching of foreign languages in schools.

14 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who owns the retained reserves held by David MacBrayne Ltd.

Answer · Keith Brown: As the parent company of the David MacBrayne Group, David MacBrayne Ltd owns these reserves. David MacBrayne Ltd is a company wholly owned by Scottish Ministers.

14 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of (a) invoices paid by David MacBrayne Ltd, (b) payments to David MacBrayne Ltd from Argyll Ferries Ltd, (c) any other financial transactions between Argyll Ferries Ltd and David MacBrayne Ltd and (d) any other financial transactions between Argyll Ferries…

Answer · Keith Brown: Commercial transactions, by and between, David MacBrayne Ltd, Argyll Ferries Ltd and other companies in the David MacBrayne Group relating to the Gourock – Dunoon ferry service, are a matter for those companies.

14 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) cost was to buy and (b) lease charges payable are for the MV (i) Ali Cat and (ii) Argyll Flyer.

Answer · Keith Brown: David MacBrayne Ltd purchased the vessels for use by Argyll Ferries Ltd. Argyll Ferries Ltd is a subsidiary company of David MacBrayne Ltd. The cost of purchasing the MV Ali Cat was £0.975 million and the cost of the MV Argyll Flyer was £1.25 million. The lea…

14 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on concerns that there has not been a quantification of the reduction in greenhouse gases and fuel savings based on verified performance of the wind farms installed on the grid.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is committed to decarbonising electricity generation by 2030, in line with the recommendations of the Committee on Climate Change, through a combination of renewable electricity and fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage. The tar…

11 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-03256 by Fergus Ewing on 28 October 2011, how it adheres to the legal requirements of the 2001 Directive on strategic environmental assessment and Articles 6 and 7 of the Aarhus Convention relating to information on greenhouse gases and fuel savings …

Answer · Fergus Ewing: As required by the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005, a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of the Electricity Generation Policy Statement and the Renewable Energy Routemap will consider impacts of the proposed policies on climatic factors. Th…

2 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to publish the Marine Licensing Survey, Deploy and Monitor policy.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: A draft Marine Licensing Survey, Deploy and Monitor policy is currently available on Marine Scotland’s website. The policy will be published within the Marine Renewables and Offshore Wind Licensing Manual.

2 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how and (b) who it has consulted regarding the draft Marine Licensing Survey, Deploy and Monitor policy.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The draft Marine Licensing Survey, Deploy and Monitor policy has been subject to informal consultation with Scottish Natural Heritage and the marine renewables industry. The final policy will form part of the Marine Renewables and Offshore Wind Licensing manu…

14 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of concerns expressed by specialist whisky retailers regarding EU distance selling regulations and, if so, (a) what its position is and (b) whether it will make representations to the (i) UK Government and (ii) European Commission on this matter.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I have received no recent representations on the issue of distance selling from specialist whisky retailers. Issues covering the raising of excise duty from such retailing activity is a reserved matter for the UK Government.

10 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it has complied with directive 2001/42/EC and Article 7 of the Aarhus Convention in relation to its (a) 2020 Routemap for Renewable Energy in Scotland and (b) electricity generation policy statement.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: As required by the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005, which transposed Directive 2001/42/EC, the Scottish Government is currently undertaking a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the 2020 Routemap for Renewable Energy in Scotland, and the …

27 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making on upgrading the A82.

Answer · Keith Brown: The importance of upgrading the A82 is recognised by its inclusion in the Strategic Transport Projects Review. The major schemes at Pulpit Rock and Crianlarich are specifically mentioned in the recent Spending Review announcement. Subject to the completion o…

14 Sep 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support farmers and crofters control bracken.

9 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what studies it has made, or plans to make, of the possible impact on sandeel populations of offshore wind farm developments in the outer Moray Firth.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Marine Scotland attended a meeting with the renewables developers (Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Limited and Moray Offshore Renewables Limited), the developers consultants (Brown and May Marine Ltd) and members of the Moray Firth District Salmon Fisheries Boards…

9 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that the salmon and sea trout population in the outer Moray Firth are not detrimentally affected by offshore wind farm developments.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: In addition to the scientific studies set out in my answer to question S4W-02622 on 22 September 2011, Marine Scotland will also consider the information provided by developers, including specific studies, assessments and consultation outputs, and decide what…

9 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what studies it has made, or plans to make, of the possible impact on salmon and sea trout populations of offshore wind farm developments in the outer Moray Firth.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Marine Scotland Science has recently completed a report on the migration routes of salmonid fish (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/295194/0111162.pdf), this work has been complemented by a report from Scottish Natural Heritage on the impacts of noise a…

9 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it responds to concerns raised about the possible impact on sandeel populations of offshore wind farm developments in the outer Moray Firth.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: When an environmental concern related to a development is raised with Marine Scotland they will seek views from their own experts and their natural heritage advisors. They will also request that the developer, in consultation with interested parties, address …

9 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-01976 by Stewart Stevenson on 1 August 2011, for what reason it considers that articles 5(1), 6(e), 6.8, 8 and 8(c) of the Aarhus Convention do not override the position of the Forestry Commission Scotland regarding the West Loch Awe Timber Haul Rout…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Aarhus Convention is an international agreement that includes obligations of the signatories in terms of providing access to environmental information and public participation in decision making. The West Loch Awe Timber Haul Route was agreed following an…

9 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Forestry Commission Scotland destroyed documents relating to the alternative route for the West Loch Awe Timber Haul Route and the successful grant application for the chosen route and, if so, for what reason.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The 2001 application for EU funding for an alternative route was not successful. The 10 year old documents relating to it were destroyed under Forestry Commission Scotland’s normal document retention policy.

9 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what cost benefit and other economic analyses it carried out when making its decision on the West Loch Awe Timber Haul Route.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: In considering support for the route, the Strategic Timber Transport Fund (STTF) assessment panel considered value for public money and the extent to which the route will deliver sustainable economic benefits. This also included an assessment of the financial…

9 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-01977 by Stewart Stevenson on 29 August 2011, for what reason it considers that the decisions are consistent with its role in the European Good Practice Wind Project.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The objectives of the EU Good Practice Wind Project include the active involvement of communities in the planning and implementation of wind related renewable energy projects. Consent was given to the West Loch Awe Timber Haul Route following a public consult…

9 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-01976 by Stewart Stevenson on 1 August 2011, whether it considers that the decisions regarding the West Loch Awe Timber Haul Route were compliant under article 2.3(a) of the Aarhus Convention and, if so, for what reason.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-02598 on 23 September 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/MAQA…

9 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on concerns raised by (a) the local community council and (b) some local residents regarding its decision not to facilitate further discussion on alternative routes to the West Loch Awe Timber Haul Route.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Alternatives to the proposed route for the West Loch Awe Timber Haul Route present significant practical problems. The proposed route was given consent following an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the associated public consultation process.

31 Aug 2011 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support farmers concerned about the implementation of electronic identification for sheep.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has successfully negotiated with the European Commission a more proportionate cross-compliance system that will not penalise keepers for failures in technology and we will shortly be writing to all sheep keepers with further guidance.

1 Aug 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-01461 by Stewart Stevenson on 28 July 2011, whether it considers that the decisions regarding the proposed West Loch Awe timber route are consistent with its role co-ordinating the European GP Wind project.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We consider that the decisions regarding the West Loch Awe timber route are consistent with our role in the European Good Practice Wind Project.