Parliamentary questions

Peter Peacock

1,395 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

3 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what considerations it takes into account when determining applications for onshore wind farm developments and whether such considerations include (a) whether the proposal has a positive carbon payback period and (b) the length of any positive payback period.

Answer · Jim Mather: Scottish ministers are responsible for determining applications for energy consents over 50 MW under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989, which requires them to consider all material evidence. A carbon lifecycle assessment can be one such material…

3 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of evidence that releases of non-native game birds have been implicated in damage to (a) wildlife on Sites of Special Scientific Interest or (b) the wider environment.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is aware that release of non-native red legged partridge was implicated in damage to a SSSI (Craig Leek) near Braemar. The birds were released at a location adjacent to but not within the SSSI and started to roost in concentrated numbe…

3 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-native (a) red-legged partridges and (b) pheasants are released into the wild each year and what trend the number of releases has shown over recent decades.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: This information is not available. There is no requirement for land managers to provide information on the numbers of game birds released on their land.

16 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-31046 by John Swinney on 3 February 2010 in which it states that it estimates that the non-domestic rate poundage will deliver a benefit to Scottish business of around £220 million in 2010-11, what the equivalent figures were for (a) 2008-09 and (b) …

Answer · John Swinney: The information requested is not held. It is not possible to retrospectively provide an estimate as to what assumptions we would have made in setting the 2008-09 and 2009-10 poundage rates.

27 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be a preference for existing users over new users in relation to legitimate uses of the sea, as referred to in the Marine (Scotland) Bill.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Marine (Scotland) Bill introduces a new framework for marine planning for the first time. Marine planning will provide the tools to resolve conflict and encourage co-operation between all users of the marine area.

27 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that each non-urgent Marine Protected Area designation will be subject to a 12-week consultation, as referred to in the Marine (Scotland) Bill.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government intention is to consult on non urgent designation orders for a minimum of 12 weeks before the order is intended to be made. However, on occasion it may be necessary to move quicker than this, such as the discovery of a rare species. In…

27 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that all marine renewables and their associated works are legitimate uses of the sea, as referred to in the Marine (Scotland) Bill.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The definition of legitimate use of the sea in relation to marine renewables has been the point of discussion at Stage 2 of the Marine (Scotland) Bill. The official report of the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee for 18 November 2009 makes clear the Sco…

26 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the funding it has made available in 2009-10 to achieve parity with the non-domestic poundage rate in England and Wales compares with figures for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31046 on 3 February 2010. 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…

26 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has made available in 2009-10 to achieve parity with the non-domestic poundage rate in England and Wales.

Answer · John Swinney: The total funding provided by the Scottish Government to local government in Scotland in 2009-10 for non domestic rates is £2.165 billion. The poundage rate in Scotland has been maintained equal to that for England since 2007-08. It is below that set for Wale…

26 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the future of the Bull Hire Scheme, whether it is considering an option of tendering for the provision of the service.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The very informative and detailed report presented to me by the Bull Hire Review Group on 30 November 2009 presented a number of options. One of these related to tendering for the provision of the service. I have, however, decided in the interests of delivery…

26 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the report of the Bull Hire Review Group.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I have carefully considered the report and have decided that in the interests of delivery timescales and efficiency that the scheme should continue from a streamlined government owned stud based at Inverness. The report and minutes of the Bull Hire Review Gro…

11 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to secure a share of the £1 billion announced by the UK Government on 7 January 2010 for the roll-out of super-fast broadband.

Answer · Jim Mather: Whilst it is not yet known how the UK Government will allocate the £1 billion that it announced on 7 January 2010 for the roll-out of next-generation broadband, the Scottish Government will continue to liaise with the Department of Business, Innovation and Sk…

7 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to the Review of the General Permitted Development Order 1992: Final Report in any recent reviews of permitted development rights.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government''s current priorities are householder permitted development and domestic microgeneration technologies. The recommendations in the Heriot-Watt report in relation to microgeneration were a consideration when drafting the Town and Country…

5 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the provisions for clearing snow on the A9 between Perth and Inverness.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30359 on 14 January 2010. 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/Apps…

5 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the expected response time is for the contractor to grit the A9 between Inverness and Perth.

5 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what conditions need to be met before it is deemed necessary to grit the A9 between Perth and Inverness.

5 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what schedule is required to be followed by the contractor responsible for gritting the A9 between Perth and Inverness on (a) Monday to Friday, (b) Saturday and (c) Sunday.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The contractual requirements that our Operating Company, Scotland TranServ, has to deliver are set out in a document that is available on the Transport Scotland Website at: <a href="http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/files/documents/reports/north-we…

5 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what grounds of appeal there will be against decisions taken by the Scottish Ministers under section 23 of the Marine (Scotland) Bill to suspend, revoke or vary a licence and what powers sheriffs will have in dealing with such appeals.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: As currently drafted, Section 52 of the Marine Bill requires Scottish ministers by regulation to make provisions for any person, who is subject to a notice under section 23 (variation, suspension or revocation notice), section 34 (compliance notice), section …

5 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what grounds of appeal there will be against decisions taken by the Scottish Ministers under section 22 of the Marine (Scotland) Bill and what powers sheriffs will have in dealing with such appeals.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: As currently drafted section 29 of the Marine Bill requires Scottish ministers, by regulation, to make provisions for any person who applies for a marine licence to appeal against a decision under section 22. These regulations must come into force on the day …

5 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what provision it will make for reasons to be given to applicants for a licensing decision under section 22 of the Marine (Scotland) Bill.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Ministers are committed to producing guidance on the new marine licence application process. However, it is expected that in practice the process will involve continuous dialogue between the applicant and Marine Scotland before a licensing decisi…

5 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what provision it will make for reasons to be given to licensees for decisions to suspend, revoke or vary a licence under section 23 of the Marine (Scotland) Bill.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30353 on 15 January 2010. 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/App…

5 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what safeguards it will put in place to ensure the independence and impartiality of decision making on the suspension, revocation or variation of a licence under section 23 of the Marine (Scotland) Bill.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Decisions on the suspension, revocation or variation of a licence under section 23 will be taken on evidence. All decisions taken by Marine Scotland and the evidence on which they are based will be subject to public scrutiny through the Freedom of Information…

5 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what opportunity it will give to licensees to put their case to the Scottish Ministers before a licence is suspended, revoked or varied under section 23 of the Marine (Scotland) Bill.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: A marine licence will only be suspended, revoked or varied, if through compliance monitoring or a complaint, Marine Scotland believes that a breach has been made. If it is not an emergency situation the licensee may be asked to temporarily suspend operations …