Parliamentary questions

Jamie McGrigor

1,122 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

1 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27650 by Stewart Stevenson on 8 October 2009, what the most up-to-date estimate is of the (a) final cost and (b) completion date of the (i) Airdrie Bathgate Rail Link Project, (ii) Waverley Railway Project, (iii) Edinburgh Trams Project, (iv) Forth R…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The most up to date estimates are shown in the following table: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td valign=top > a. Project </td> <td valign=top > (a) estimated final cost …

24 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the revenue raised from the sale of land previously used as ram and bull stud farms at Knocknagael and Beechwood was used exclusively in the crofting sector and to support the bull hire scheme and whether the revenue raised from any subsequent such sales will be used exclusively t…

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The receipt for the sale of Beechwood Farm to Highlands and Islands Enterprise was £3.15 million, as notified to Parliament in the answer to question S3W-17877 on 27 November 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament…

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the two Crofters Commission-owned farms near Inverness formerly used in connection with the Bull Hire Scheme that remain unsold.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The two farms in question are owned by Scottish Ministers. The Bull Hire Scheme will continue to be operated from upgraded facilities on a part of these premises, with some surplus land being sold.

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that the Bull Hire Scheme does not contravene state aid rules and, if so, whether it will retain the scheme.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: State Aid rules do not allow for either support for livestock production or the means of production where that support would exceed ‚¬7,500 over a three year period for each individual. The Bull Hire Scheme has been operating on that basis and will continue t…

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how often the Minister for Environment has consulted Crofters Commission commissioners regarding the Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill since her appointment.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Since my appointment on 12 February 2009 to Minister for Environment, I have met with Crofters Commission commissioners on four separate occasions, during which the Crofting Reform Scotland Bill was discussed. Scottish Government officials have been in regula…

27 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the financial and environmental implications of local authorities installing artificial instead of grass playing surfaces.

Answer · Shona Robison: It is for individual local authorities to consider the financial, environmental and any other relevant implications of developing facilities including artificial playing surfaces. A wide range of practical and technical advice is available to local authoritie…

27 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to promote groundskeeping through continued professional development, apprenticeships and careers services for young people.

Answer · Keith Brown: Groundskeeping is one of a number of specialised subjects covered within the framework of the Amenity Horticulture Modern Apprenticeship. There are currently 150 apprentices in training, 24 of whom began this year. Training provision for groundskee…

25 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the current chief executive or equivalent of each (a) non-departmental public body, (b) Executive agency and (c) other public body was appointed.

Answer · John Swinney: Information on the start date of public body chief executives is not held centrally. In the case of non-departmental public bodies, the effective start date is a contractual matter for agreement between the employing public body and the chief executi…

19 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were living in (a) relative and (b) absolute poverty in (i) 1997, (ii) 2007 and (iii) the last year for which figures are available.

Answer · Alex Neil: During the financial year 1997-98 one million people (20% of the population) were in relative poverty (before housing costs) and 1,060,000 people (21% of the population) in Scotland were in absolute poverty (before housing costs). The financial year …

13 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, given the potential economic benefit resulting from good skiing conditions, whether concerns have been expressed regarding the impact that difficulties in accessing ski resorts may have and what its response has been.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government has not been made aware of any concerns regarding access to skiing activities during the period of extreme weather conditions that affected many aspects of public life in Scotland.

13 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Cairngorm Mountain ski resort regarding the impact of the closure of (a) access roads on 9-10 January 2009 and (b) the funicular railway on 10 January 2010.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: In view of the extreme weather affecting the whole of Scotland on the weekend referred to, it was not necessary for the Scottish Government to contact the Cairngorm ski resort as any decisions regarding access to the resort were the responsibility of the oper…

13 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who was responsible for the closure of access roads to the Cairngorm Mountain ski resort on 10 January 2010.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The operators, Cairngorm Mountain Ski Centre, closed the centre in the interests of public safety due to a two day blizzard which resulted in 15ft snow drifts and parts of the funicular railway track also being buried under drifting snow. This was an entirely…

1 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to upgrade or replace Campbeltown Grammar School.

Answer · Michael Russell: Any decision to upgrade or replace an individual school remains one for the local authority in question. Along with other schools, Campbeltown Grammar School will be eligible for consideration in subsequent phases of the school building programme.

1 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning on 28 September 2009, in which category it rates Campbeltown Grammar School in terms of its condition and requirement to be upgraded or rebuilt and which of the 14 secondary schools selected to be re…

Answer · Michael Russell: The condition assessment of a school is a matter for the local authority. Argyll and Bute Council reported that Campbeltown Grammar School was in condition category B in the School Estate Statistics 2008. That was changed to category D in the 2009 Statistics.…

1 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning on 28 September 2009, for what reasons Campbeltown Grammar School was not included in its list of 14 secondary schools selected to be rebuilt.

Answer · Michael Russell: The first 14 secondary schools announced on 28 September were selected on the basis of the distribution of needs throughout Scotland; the best available information about schools'' condition and unsuitability to deliver Curriculum for Excellence; additionalit…

25 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the differences are between Scotland and Norway in the rules on the siting of salmon farm sea cages.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: In Scotland, planning permission is required from local authorities for the siting of a marine finfish farm under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 (as amended by the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006). This requires an assessment of the number…

9 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it envisages the housing co-operative sector developing.

Answer · Alex Neil: The housing co-operative sector is part of the Registered Social Landlord (RSL) sector. The individual organisations within the sector each establish their own vision and business plan to suit their specific circumstances. The Scottish Government sees a conti…

9 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage the work of housing co-operatives.

9 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to concerns in the housing association sector that increasing fluctuations in energy prices add to the financial pressures that it faces.

Answer · Alex Neil: Energy costs represent only a relatively small proportion of housing associations'' overall operating costs, but energy cost fluctuations will also have an impact on the financial position of housing association tenants. The Scottish Government is working wit…

9 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support is available to housing associations to assist with the incorporation of microgeneration schemes in housing developments.

Answer · Alex Neil: Under the provisions of Scottish Planning Policy SPP6 Renewable Energy, housing projects above a specified size will generally be required to include appropriate micro-regeneration technologies. Housing associations must comply with such planning requirements…

9 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage the development of more (a) sheltered and (b) very sheltered housing units.

Answer · Alex Neil: All local authorities publish Local Housing Strategies (LHSs). They supplement their LHS with an annual Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP), which sets out how they plan to prioritise for delivery of objectives set out in their LHS. These are the key do…

9 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) sheltered and (b) very sheltered housing units have been developed in each year since 1999.

Answer · Alex Neil: The following table details how many housing association units were grant assisted from the Affordable Housing Investment Programme. <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td rowspan=2 > Year of Approval </t…

9 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has provided to housing associations for the development of (a) sheltered and (b) very sheltered housing in each year since 1999.

Answer · Alex Neil: The following table provides details of the units approved and the associated grant approved for the development of sheltered and very sheltered housing from the Affordable Housing Investment Programme since 1999. The grant approved figure will not necessaril…

22 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of concerns in rural areas that customers in such areas can be charged extra by carrier or courier companies for the delivery of goods; if so, what its position is on this matter, and what relevant discussions it has had with (a) carrier or courier companies and (b) th…

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government recognises the concerns of consumers who feel disadvantaged by courier surcharges. However, given that the market for courier services is a free market and not regulated by government, there is no locus for or basis on which Scottish m…

15 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of reports that significant stocks of mackerel that formerly lived in Norwegian waters are now in UK waters around Shetland; if so, what its position is on this issue, and what discussions it has had, or plans to have, with the Norwegian Government and the European Uni…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is aware of recent changes to the migratory patterns of North-East Atlantic mackerel which have brought about a change in fishing patterns in recent years. Such movements either into or out of Scottish waters are more common for this s…

2 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27597 by Richard Lochhead on 1 October 2009, what work has been done to appraise the potential benefit of deer farming to rural industry, in light of the level of imported farmed venison from New Zealand.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The government recognises the valuable contribution that deer farming can make to the rural economy. We support the work of the Scottish Venison Working Group, which is currently promoting Scottish venison to consumers across the UK. My officials are…

22 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24870 by Richard Lochhead on 9 July 2009, what progress is being made by the inquiry into the Single Farm Payment in relation to continuing concerns of deer farmers who do not receive the single farm payment and what discussions those conducting the …

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The inquiry team met for the first time on 17 September 2009 and as the first stage in its programme of work has issued a call for written evidence from all interested organisations and individuals including deer farmers. The inquiry will also draw u…

16 Sep 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an update on the rules regarding vaccination for bluetongue disease in sheep.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0924-01.htm">http://www.scott…

9 Sep 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an update on the consequences of the closure of the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson : This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0917-01.htm">http://www.scott…

2 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether provisions in the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill enable the modification of the Private Rented Housing Panel to allow it to consider other housing issues, such as tenancy deposits.

Answer · Alex Neil: Where appropriate, the power in section 10 of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill could be used to confer new or modified functions on the Private Rented Housing Panel and committees provided these functions remain broadly consistent with the existing …