Parliamentary questions
Peter Peacock
1,395 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 Oct 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the report on the pilot capture and release of sparrowhawks will be published.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The report on the trial will be published by the end of November and will be available on the SNH website. The Scottish Government regrets the delay in publishing the report. Producing and agreeing the report among the project partners has taken longer than a…
9 Oct 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many ravens were killed under licences issued by Scottish Natural Heritage in each six month period from 1 January 2005 to 30 June 2009, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26954 on 18 September 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parli…
9 Oct 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many licences were issued by Scottish Natural Heritage for the control of ravens in each six month period from 1 January 2005 to 30 June 2009, broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) number of ravens covered by each licence.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: None.</p>
9 Oct 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many ravens were killed under licences issued by it in each six month period from 1 January 2005 to 30 June 2009, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28149 on 5 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliam…
9 Oct 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many licences it issued for the control of ravens in each six month period from 1 January 2005 to 30 June 2009, broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) number of ravens covered by each licence.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Licences for the control of ravens have been issued during the period in question only for the purpose of preventing damage to livestock. Licences are normally limited so as to apply to the calving and lambing season. The following table shows numbers for cal…
9 Oct 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who serves on the COSLA and Scottish Executive group looking at funding for flood protection schemes and the distribution of future funds to local authorities; when that group will report and to whom, and whether its report will be made public.
Answer · John Swinney: The joint distribution review group comprised officials from both the Scottish Government and COSLA. The report has been completed and passed to Scottish Government ministers and the COSLA leadership for consideration. Any agreed recommendations of the report…
9 Oct 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the draft budget for 2010-11 for local government has had or will have additional resource added over the current year to assist local authorities with expenditure on constructing flood defences.
Answer · John Swinney: It was agreed during Spending Review 2007, that the funding of flood prevention schemes would be rolled up into the General Capital Grant distributed to local authorities with effect from 1 April 2008. The distribution of this funding took into account the th…
9 Oct 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assumptions are made in the draft budget for local government on the funding made available to local authorities to deal with building flood defences.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Funding of flood prevention and coast protection schemes has been rolled up into the General Capital Grant distributed to local authorities since 1 April 2008. The distribution of this funding took account of the then expected costs of a number of known schem…
9 Oct 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates the value to be of risk to properties built for and in the ownership of local authorities from damage and from buildings not performing to standard.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not make such estimates. As independent corporate bodies it is for local authorities to manage their assets.</p>
9 Oct 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated spend per annum is on maintenance of properties built by local authorities and financed by borrowing.
Answer · John Swinney: This is a matter for individual local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
9 Oct 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average debt repayment period is for capital spending financed by borrowing by local authorities for capital works other than roadworks.
Answer · John Swinney: Local authorities are able to determine the repayment periods for borrowing undertaken to support capital expenditure within maximum limits set by ministers. The maximum period over which the repayments of advances from the loans fund are made is determined b…
9 Oct 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the accumulated capital debt is of local authorities for capital works undertaken by traditional borrowing.
Answer · John Swinney: Borrowing undertaken by each local authority in support of its capital works is reflected by that authority in a separate statutory fund - the loans fund. The level of debt recorded by the loans fund is the value that must be charged to services over a number…
25 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the announcement on broadband for rural Scotland by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth in a news release of 23 September 2009, who will decide which exchanges will be upgraded.
Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-27750 on 7 October 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2…
25 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the announcement on broadband for rural Scotland by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth in a news release of 23 September 2009, whether there will be upgrades to British Telecom exchanges in the (a) Western Isles, (b) Argyll and Bute, (c) Highland, (d) Mo…
Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-27750 on 7 October 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions area available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps…
25 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the announcement on broadband for rural Scotland by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth in a news release of 23 September 2009, what the timescales for upgrades to exchanges will be in the (a) Western Isles, (b) Argyll and Bute, (c) Highland, (d) Moray, (…
Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-27750 on 7 October 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions area available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps…
25 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the announcement on broadband for rural Scotland by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth in a news release of 23 September 2009, whether communities will be able to bid to have their exchanges upgraded.
Answer · Jim Mather: I can confirm that the exchanges to be upgraded in the upgrade programme, as announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth in the Scottish Government''s news release of 23 October 2009, are currently being considered by the Scottish Go…
22 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the results of pilot work undertaken by BT in the Highlands on extending the distance from exchanges of good quality broadband capacity; whether the result of the work offers improved possibilities for expanding good quality broadband across Scotland, and what plans…
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government understands that BT''s trials for Broadband Enabling Technology (BET) in sites in Dingwall and Inverness were a technical success and that BET offers the opportunity for 2Mbps broadband services to be delivered to remote locations. Oth…
22 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost is of financial assistance towards the costs of preparation of outcome plans by agents, or agents and specialists, given to applicants for support under the Rural Priorities scheme, expressed as a percentage of the total amount of financial support committed under the scheme.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The total expenditure on outcome plan claims by agents under Rural Priorities, to 22 September 2009, is as follows.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td width=343 valign=top > <p >Outcome plan prepared by agent:</p> </td> …
22 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total amount of financial support to date has been to successful applicants under the Rural Priorities scheme, broken down by total area farmed by the individual or business of (a) under 100, (b) 100 to 500, (c) 500 to 1000, (d) 1,000 to 10,000 and (e) greater than 10,000 hectare…
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Rural Priorities is a multi-faceted scheme which delivers opportunities for funding for a wide range of rural businesses and groups who can demonstrate that they meet the relevant priorities identified for their region. It is important to note that this is no…
22 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking in response to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents report on Watersports Safety Abroad.
Answer · Shona Robison: As the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) report and subsequent fact sheet is designed to advise holidaymakers in choosing watersports operators while abroad, it is therefore not for the Scottish Government to respond to this specific repor…
22 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures and powers exist to regulate the use of jet skis in fresh and sea water.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: It is the responsibility of local and harbour authorities to consider the need to regulate the use of jet skis in their areas by means of local byelaw powers.</p> <p >In addition, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency is consulting on proposed amendments to Mer…
10 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that Clydeport is obliged to consult, or could do more to consult, local residents regarding laid-up shipping presently berthed in Loch Striven, Argyll.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: These are matters for Clydeport Ltd in its role as the statutory harbour authority. Its powers and duties derive from the local legislation which applies to the port.</p>
8 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the capacity is of the backhaul for the schools connected under the Pathfinder North project.
Answer · Jim Mather: This information is not held by the Scottish Government or by Highland Council, the lead partner for Pathfinder North, which has responsibility for all operational matters relating to the Pathfinder North project. Highland Council has however confirmed that n…
8 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the broadband connections to primary and secondary schools connected under the Pathfinder North project can be readily scaled up.
Answer · Jim Mather: Highland Council, the lead partner for Pathfinder North, which has responsibility for all operational matters relating to the Pathfinder North project, has confirmed that the Pathfinder North network is readily scaleable. Network scaleability was a requiremen…
8 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the speed of broadband connection is for primary and secondary schools connected under the Pathfinder North project in the Highlands and Islands.
Answer · Jim Mather: Highland Council, the lead partner for Pathfinder North, which has responsibility for all operational matters relating to the Pathfinder North project, has confirmed that the speed of broadband connection for primary and secondary schools connected under the …
3 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the Output Monitoring Group, formed by the Water Industry Commission and various stakeholders, has been effective in reducing the gap between the perceived need by stakeholders for investment and the Draft Water Industry Commission Determination.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Outputs Monitoring Group is a group formed by ministers and chaired by the government. It is responsible for monitoring the delivery of the Ministers'' Objectives for the water industry as set out in the Investment Directions to Scottish Water.</p> <p >…
3 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual spend on investment by Scottish Water was for (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08; what the estimated spend for 2008-09 is, and how the annual rate of spend for the current Quality and Standards period compares with the annual rate of investment spend that would be achievable unde…
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The annual spend on investment by Scottish Water for the years requested is available from Scottish Water''s Annual Reports which are held in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. The Bib. numbers for these documents are as follows:</p> <table border=…
3 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will issue its directive to Scottish Water for the Quality and Standards 3B period.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Ministers intend to issue the investment directions to Scottish Water in the next few weeks to enable the Water Industry Commission for Scotland to determine customers'' charges for the period 2010-15 by 30 November 2009.</p>
3 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to reduce the borrowing powers of Scottish Water during the Quality and Standards 3B period.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Ministers'' draft statement on the Principles of Charges made clear that they are prepared to lend Scottish Water up to £150 million per year for the next regulatory period (which runs from 2010-15). Ministers will be finalising their statement shortly. The d…
3 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funds it has allocated, and is planning to allocate, for the implementation of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009, in particular for (a) staff to implement the provisions of the Act, (b) development of a research strategy for natural flood management, (c) implementing the …
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The costs of implementing the act, including staff costs, were identified in the Financial Memorandum. We intend to make available to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency additional funding of £0.6 million in 2009-10, subject to approval by the Parliame…