Parliamentary questions
Lewis Macdonald
2,224 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
5 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many places will be available at each information event regarding the implementation of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.
Answer · Fiona McLeod: A total of 500 places were available at regional information events held by the Scottish Government. A total of 90 places were available at the information event for parents, carers, children and young people held on 20 June 2015.
5 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have registered to attend the information events regarding the implementation of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, and what information it has regarding how many (a) have applied or (b) are expected to apply for reimbursement of (i) travel and (ii) childc…
Answer · Fiona McLeod: Approximately 600 people registered to attend the three regional information events. A total of 90 people registered to attend the information event held on 20 June 2015. Any parents, children and young people who attended any of these public information even…
5 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which organisations are providing funding toward the information events regarding the implementation of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, broken down by amount provided.
Answer · Fiona McLeod: The Scottish Government is providing funding for a number of public information events on the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014. It has budgeted £100,000 for this purpose.
5 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it is providing toward the information events regarding the implementation of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.
Answer · Fiona McLeod: The Scottish Government has budgeted £100,000 for public information events on the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.
5 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) expenses and (b) incentives are offered to participants at the information events regarding the implementation of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 and which organisations are paying for these.
Answer · Fiona McLeod: The Scottish Government has held three regional information events on the Act that were open to the public. No expenses or incentives were offered at these events. A further information event specifically for parents, children and young people was held on Sat…
2 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-25588 by Fergus Ewing on 2 June 2016, which ministers held bilateral meetings with senior representatives of Iberdrola and on what dates.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-25895 on 26 June 2015. 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/parliamentary…
2 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-25591 by Fergus Ewing on 2 June 2016, whether ministers have had bilateral meetings with representatives of the workforce at Longannet and, if so, on what dates.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-25895 on 26 June 2015. 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/parliamentarybus…
2 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-25589 by Fergus Ewing on 2 June 2016, whether ministers have held bilateral meetings with UK ministers to discuss future generation at Longannet, and, if so, which ministers from the respective administrations met and on what dates.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The answers to the member’s previous questions S4W-25246, S4W-25247, S4W-25248, S4W-25588, S4W-25589 and S4W-25591 include details of the many steps the Scottish Government has taken to pursue the closely related issues of Longannet’s future and the security …
26 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated cost to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has been of responding to emergency calls to reported fires at the Broadford Works in Aberdeen in each of the last four years.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: This is a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. The information requested is not held centrally.
21 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which government directorate, agency or public body will have responsibility for licensing the (a) onshore and (b) offshore aspects of underground coal gasification projects in Scotland.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Coal Authority is responsible for awarding licences to operators for underground coal gasification development in Scotland.
21 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the responsibility of licensing the (a) onshore and (b) offshore aspects of underground coal gasification projects in Scotland.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has had no discussions with the UK Government on this matter.
21 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to assess the potential for deployment of solar panels on the Scottish Government estate.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government published its updated carbon management plan in 2014 and commissioned energy saving audits on all of the buildings on our estate. The result was our carbon management project register. Projects are prioritised based on their carbon sav…
21 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to investigate the potential capability of solar photovoltaics (PV) as a renewable energy source.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is engaging with the Solar Trade Association, the Scottish Renewables Solar Network and the Scottish Institute for Solar Energy Research as well as other stakeholders to ensure that we are doing what we can to provide an environment wh…
21 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the current National Grid contract with Peterhead Power Station ending in 2017, whether it anticipates that Scotland will remain a net exporter of power beyond that date.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Peterhead Carbon Capture and Storage project, which I recently visited, could secure the future of unit 1 at Peterhead for 15 years. Scotland is an energy rich country that consistently exports a significant proportion of electricity generated to the res…
21 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the current National Grid contract with Peterhead Power Station ending in 2017, whether it anticipates that Scotland will have a functioning thermal generating plant with ongoing contracts to supply the grid beyond that date.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-25667 on 15 June 2015. 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/parliamentarybus…
20 May 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the National Grid contract with Peterhead Power Station finishing in 2017, what its forecast is for electricity generation from fossil fuel sources by 2020.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Peterhead Carbon Capture and Storage project, which I recently visited, could secure the future of unit 1 at Peterhead for 15 years.
18 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-25246 by Fergus Ewing on 1 May 2015, what discussions it had with representatives of the workforce at Longannet power station regarding the future of the facility prior to October 2014
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Scottish Power has invested heavily at Longannet over many years, with the intention to maintain generation at the power station until or beyond 2020. On 24 October 2013, Energy Minister Fergus Ewing visited the power station to inspect a recent phase of majo…
18 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-25248 by Fergus Ewing on 1 May 2015, what discussions it had with the UK Government regarding the future of the Longannet power station prior to October 2014.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Throughout the Scottish National Party administration since 2007, the Scottish Government has engaged with the UK Government to promote the full spectrum of Scotland’s wide-ranging energy interests and support the electricity generation sector in Scotland. M…
18 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-25247 by Fergus Ewing on 7 May 2015, how many times and on what dates ministers met representatives of Iberdrola to discuss Longannet power station prior to October 2014.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: During the Scottish National Party government since 2007, Scottish Ministers have engaged regularly with representatives of the Iberdrola Group – the parent company of Scottish Power – and its associated businesses that operate in Scotland, including Scottish…
11 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) average and (b) longest waiting time has been since June 2014 for people in the NHS Grampian area who have accepted invitations to participate in the bowel scope screening study to be given a flexible sigmoidoscopy.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Table 1 presents waiting times data derived from developmental management information submitted to the Scottish Bowel Screening Centre. These data are provisional and have not been subject to data validation processes for the submission of data for the bowel …
11 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people in the NHS Grampian area who accepted invitations to participate in the bowel scope screening study are waiting for a flexible sigmoidoscopy.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Table 1 presents data derived from developmental management information submitted to the Scottish Bowel Screening Centre. These data are provisional and have not been subject to data validation processes for the submission of data for the bowel scope study to…
15 Apr 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made in rolling out access to local authority flooding datasets that have been developed through the use of Lidar technology.
2 Apr 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4T-00988 by Alasdair Allan on 31 March 2015 (Official Report, c. 8), when it was announced that the Global Excellence Initiative to support world leading research in Scotland's universities would be time limited, and by whom.
Answer · Angela Constance: The previous Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Michael Russell, wrote to the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) in March 2013 and asked them to consider allocating additional funding (the ‘global excellence initiative’) to help universities m…
2 Apr 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by Fergus Ewing on 25 March 2015 (Official Report, c.18), how the proposals put forward by the Scottish coal industry "to the UK Government for restoration coal, which would introduce a carbon price support exemption for opencast coal sites" would help reduce Lo…
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The industry led carbon price support (CPS) proposal for ‘restoration coal’ is with the UK Government for consideration. The current cost of coal for Longannet is circa £40 per tonne. Generators then need to pay a circa £40 carbon tax on each tonne of coal r…
2 Apr 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government in each year since 2007 regarding the future of the Longannet power station.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has consistently argued throughout the Scottish National Party administration for reform of the UK transmission charging regime introduced by the Labour government in 2005 that unfairly penalises Scottish generators such as Longannet. …
2 Apr 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many times and on what dates ministers have met representatives of Iberdrola to discuss Longannet power station and what subsequent action it took following each meeting.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Scottish Ministers have regular contact with representatives of Scottish Power, part of the Iberdrola Group, at which the company’s current generation assets and future investment plans are discussed. Following Scottish Power’s decision to opt-out Longannet …
2 Apr 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had in each year since 2007 with representatives of the workforce at Longannet power station regarding the future of the facility.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has regular contact with representatives of Scottish Power at which the company’s existing generation assets and future investment plans are discussed. Following Scottish Power’s decision to opt-out Longannet from the UK Capacity Mark…
30 Mar 2015 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions took place between the Scottish Funding Council and the University of Aberdeen before the announcement of a £10.5 million budget reduction and the loss of 150 jobs.
25 Mar 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-24870 by Derek Mackay MSP on 23 March 2015, what commitments Abellio has made with regard to the delivery of refurbished or new rolling stock as part of the ScotRail franchise, and when those commitments have to be met in order to avoid penalties.
Answer · Derek Mackay: All of the information related to Abellio’s commitments to introduce new and refurbished rolling stock is within the Franchise Agreement, Schedule 1.6, Part 1. This is the formal contract between Scottish Ministers and Abellio ScotRail and has been available …
12 Mar 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether there are penalties in the Abellio ScotRail franchise agreement for late delivery of refurbished or new rolling stock and, if so, what penalties and when and how they can be imposed.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-24870 on 23 March 2015. 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/parliamentary…