Lewis Macdonald

11 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost has been per megawatt of energy to operate the Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. The strike price for Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm is available on the Low Carbon Contracts Company website at: https://www.lowcarboncontracts.uk/cfds/beatrice-phase-1  

11 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the Tier 1 suppliers to the Moray East Offshore Wind Farm project, and how many are based in Scotland.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Moray East Offshore Wind Project is operating an EPCI contracting strategy. Details of all the project's Tier 1 suppliers can be found at: https://www.4coffshore.com/windfarms/United-Kingdom/contracts-on-moray-east-uk40.html . None of the Tier 1 suppli…

11 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement (a) it has and (b) its agencies have had with the operator of the Moray East Offshore Wind Farm.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government continues to engage extensively, at both official and Ministerial level, with the operator of Moray East Offshore Wind Farm regarding the benefit to Scottish economy arising from the project. Our enterprise agencies, including Scottis…

4 Sep 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government in what circumstances Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Gold Commanders are deployed.

28 Aug 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland consulted Historic Environment Scotland before deciding against dualling the A96 on the line of the existing route at Inverurie and, if so, what response it received.

Answer · Michael Matheson: As part of the development and assessment of initial route options for the A96 Dualling East of Huntly to Aberdeen Scheme, Transport Scotland and its consultant, AmeyArup Joint Venture, have consulted with statutory bodies including Historic Environment Scotl…

28 Aug 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland consulted Aberdeenshire Council before deciding against dualling the A96 on the line of the existing route at Inverurie and, if so, what response it received.

Answer · Michael Matheson: As part of the development and assessment of initial route options for the A96 Dualling East of Huntly to Aberdeen Scheme, Transport Scotland and its consultant, AmeyArup Joint Venture, have consulted with statutory bodies including Aberdeenshire Council. Co…

28 Aug 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland consulted the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) before deciding against dualling the A96 on the line of the existing route at Inverurie and, if so, what response it received.

Answer · Michael Matheson: As part of the development and assessment of initial route options for the A96 Dualling East of Huntly to Aberdeen Scheme, Transport Scotland and its consultant, AmeyArup Joint Venture, have consulted with statutory bodies including Scottish Environment Prote…

28 Aug 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland consulted Scottish Natural Heritage before deciding against dualling the A96 on the line of the existing route at Inverurie and, if so, what response it received.

Answer · Michael Matheson: As part of the development and assessment of initial route options for the A96 Dualling East of Huntly to Aberdeen Scheme, Transport Scotland and its consultant, AmeyArup Joint Venture, have consulted with statutory bodies including Scottish Natural Heritage.…

28 Aug 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland consulted Scottish Forestry before deciding against dualling the A96 on the line of the existing route at Inverurie and, if so, what response it received.

Answer · Michael Matheson: As part of the development and assessment of initial route options for the A96 Dualling East of Huntly to Aberdeen Scheme, Transport Scotland and its consultant, AmeyArup Joint Venture, have consulted with Scottish Forestry. Consultation does not focus on sp…

30 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the trading update that was issued in July 2019 by the consortium member, Galliford Try, which referred to continuing negotiations on “the significant claim with the client” in relation to the AWPR, whether it will provide an update on these negotiations.

Answer · Michael Matheson: I will of course continue to keep Parliament and the REC Committee updated in terms of any new developments, as I have done throughout the process. The cost of the project remains at £745 million. While it is not appropriate to comment in detail on the contr…

27 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the proposed management buy-out at the Stoneywood paper mill in Aberdeen.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: When Arjo Wiggins entered administration, following meetings on site, I established a Common Purpose Group, led by Scottish Enterprise, involving stakeholders in Aberdeen (Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Council, local Chambers, Opportunity North East, local …

12 Jun 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to ensure that Scottish students can access medical school places at Scottish universities.

6 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided toward research on (a) strokes, (b) heart disease, (c) cancer, (d) hearing loss and (e) sight loss in each year since 2014.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office (CSO) provides funding to support health research in Scotland. The level of CSO funding that can be directly attributed to support research on a) stroke, b) heart disease, c) cancer, d) hearing loss and e) sigh…

4 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23336 by Michael Matheson on 4 June 2019, whether it will publish the data collected by traffic counters on the former A90 and the AWPR on which its initial information on traffic flow and journey time analysis have been based.

Answer · Michael Matheson: There are currently no plans to publish the traffic count data as this is only initial information collected since the opening of the AWPR/B-T project. As explained in my previous answer, Transport Scotland will be undertaking an evaluation of the project, in…

30 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23332 by Fiona Hyslop on 30 May 2019, in what specific ways the Planning (Scotland) Bill will support the operation of live music venues.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Amendments were agreed at stage 2 of the Planning Bill, which sought to implement the Agent of Change principle in legislation. Further amendments may be considered at stage 3. The Scottish Government has already committed to embed the Agent of Change princi…

22 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the figures setting employment by local authority at web-table 2.3 of its paper, Regional Employment Patterns in Scotland: Statistics from the Annual Population Survey 2018, were collated, and what its position is on their accuracy.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The information published in Table 2.3 of the publication 'Regional Employment Patterns in Scotland: Statistics from the Annual Population Survey 2018' is sourced from the model based unemployment published by the Office for National Statistics. This data ca…

22 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of table 6.2.2 in Transport Scotland's DMRB Stage 1 Assessment Report - A96 Dualling Inverness to Aberdeen, whether it will publish average annual daily traffic volume figures for each section of the A96 named in that table for each year since 2012.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The following table contains recorded annual average daily traffic flow volumes at locations along the A96 Trunk Road between Aberdeen and Inverness for each year since 2012. The data contained within the table has been extracted from Transport Scotland’s Nat…

21 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the reported comments of the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity in Aberdeen on 20 May 2019, what assessment it has made of the number of drivers who have chosen to divert from Aberdeen city centre to the AWPR since the rout…

Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-23336 on 4 June 2019. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28…

21 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the reported comments of the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity in Aberdeen on 20 May 2019, what assessment it has made of traffic volumes (a) on the former A90 in Aberdeen and (b) in Aberdeen city centre since the opening …

Answer · Michael Matheson: Initial information on traffic flow and journey time analysis since the opening of the AWPR/B-T project has been derived from data from traffic counters on the former A90, now known as the A92, and the AWPR. Transport Scotland will be undertaking an evaluati…

21 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the reported comments of the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity in Aberdeen on 20 May 2019, what assessment has been made of travel times between Stonehaven and Dyce during the (a) morning and (b) evening peak travel period…

Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-23336 on 4 June 2019. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28…

21 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) Creative Scotland and (b) representatives of the music industry regarding the (i) financial and (ii) other support that can be provided to support grassroots live music.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that there is a thriving music industry in Scotland, including grassroots music venues and their activities which support talent. We have regular contact with Creative Scotland and representatives of the music…

21 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) financial and (b) other support it is providing to assist the grassroots live music sector, and what future support it plans.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that there is a thriving music industry in Scotland, including grassroots music venues and their activities play in supporting talent. We have provided financial and other support in a number of ways. Through …

20 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the question S5O-03236 by Michael Matheson on 15 May 2019 (Official Report, c.16), in light of the cabinet secretary's comment that the "planned dualling of the A96 will involve approximately £3 billion of investment", how much it estimates it will cost to dual …

Answer · Michael Matheson: At this early stage of development it is difficult to give an accurate estimate of the cost of dualling between Inverness and Aberdeen. However, it is estimated that the cost of dualling will be similar to the dualling of the A9 and be in the region of £3 bil…

15 May 2019 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what grounds Transport Scotland has failed to reveal which further option or options it has abandoned for dualling the A96.

Answer · Michael Matheson: As is the case for all our major road projects, it is important that we maintain transparency throughout the route selection process and that we provide everyone with an interest an equal opportunity to view our plans and discuss them directly with the proj…

30 Apr 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what grounds a local authority can refuse to provide a grant for the replacement or improvement of a private water supply, where there is no access to mains water.

25 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been killed in road accidents on the A90 between Dundee and Stonehaven in each quarter since 1 April 2016.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The following table shows how many people have been killed in road accidents on the A90 (Dundee to Stonehaven), between Emmock Roundabout Dundee and where the A957 Slug Road crosses the A90 at Stonehaven. Year - 2016 Number of Fatal Casualties April – June…

25 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) injury and (b) non-injury road accidents on the A90 between Dundee and Stonehaven have been reported in each quarter since 1 April 2016.

Answer · Michael Matheson: a) personal injury accidents. A90 Dundee to Stonehaven Personal Injury Accidents (Between Emmock roundabout Dundee and where the A957 Slug Road crosses the A90 at Stonehaven) Year - 2016 Number of Personal Injury Accidents April – June 5 July – Septemb…

25 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-22274 by Roseanna Cunningham on 3 April 2019, what monitoring it has undertaken to determine whether agri-environment delivery has been effective for waders, including the curlew, and what further such monitoring it has planned.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) will shortly be letting a contract, on behalf of the Scottish Government, to evaluate the Biodiversity outcomes of the 2014-20 SRDP Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS). This will be undertaken through a selection of case stu…

25 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-22272 by Mairi Gougeon on 3 April 2019, what recommendations it has received under phase two of the 2016 Special Protection Area Review to tackle the issues identified in phase one and improve the network for breeding and non-breeding curlew.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Third UK Special Protection Area (SPA) Review phase two report highlights that few locations in Scotland will support numbers of breeding curlew near the threshold for biogeographic importance (as provided by the UK SPA Selection Guidelines) and that scop…

24 Apr 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will initiate cross-party discussions regarding Agent of Change in advance of stage 3 of the Planning (Scotland) Bill.