Parliamentary questions

Richard Lochhead

2,448 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

10 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much research and development funding has been spent on renewable energy in each year since 1999, expressed also as a percentage of the total funding allocated for research and development.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Direct Research and Development funding for renewables projects is carried out at UK level by Westminster and the budget is held by the Department of Tradeand Industry. There are no published figures for the uptake of its various researchand development fundi…

10 Nov 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any new guidance is planned for schools in respect of school trips.

Answer · Euan Robson: We expect to publish guidance on Health and Safety on Educational Excursions later this month.

5 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much, and what percentage of (a) domestic and (b) non-domestic heat was generated from renewable resources in each of the last three years.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Statistical information on energyusage in the UK is collated by the DTI. However, it is not possible tocollect information specifically about the usage of heat generated from renewablesources either at the Scotland or the UK level. Figuresare available…

5 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much, and what percentage of, timber was imported in the last three years.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Figures are not available for Scotland. However, the latest UK figures indicate that the total timber import figures were 10.9 million cubic metres in 2001, 11.4 million cubic metres in 2002 and 12.2 million cubic metres in 2003. These figures cover sawnwood …

5 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was allocated to each NHS board in each of the last three years and how much funding has been allocated for each of the next three years, expressed also on a per capita basis.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Details are as follow:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> NHS Board </td> <td> 2001-02 Total Allocation (£ Million) </td> …

5 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on what countries have voting rights on the executive committee of the North Sea Regional Advisory Council and how many votes each country has.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The North Sea Regional Advisory Council (NSRAC) General Assembly put forward the organisations listed below to its Executive Committee on 4 November 2004. Each organisation with a seat on the Executive Committee will have one vote except for the Danmarks Fisk…

5 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many psychologists are employed in each NHS board, broken down by category and expressed also on a per capita basis, and what the average waiting times are for an appointment for each category of psychologist.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The data on psychologists has been provided in the table below which is based on Whole Time Equivalent and is correct at 30 September 2003.Table 1 - Applied Psychologists by NHS Board (Whole-Time Equivalent (WTE) at 30 September 2003)<table border…

5 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that lay justice provides a mechanism for community involvement in the judicial process.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Lay justices dealt with over 37,000 cases in 2002. This is a significant contribution to our criminal justice system. We are currently considering the responses to the consultation on the future of Summary Justice. Appropriate community involvement will be a …

5 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for any delays in its response to the McInnes Report on the review of summary justice.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: There are no “delays” in responding. The report makes wide ranging and radical recommendations. A significant number of responses to the consultation were received and it is important to consider carefully before we arrive at any conclusions.

5 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will respond to the McInnes Report on the review of summary justice.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: We are currently considering how to take the report forward in the light of the responses to our consultation. We will make an announcement when this process is complete.

1 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the process of funding for research institutes and, if so, whether any measures are being considered that will help ensure the future of those institutes funded directly by it that are unable to compete with the higher education sector for funding from …

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The draft strategy for agricultural and biological research outlined proposals for changes to the funding mechanisms for the commissioning of research by the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department from the main research providers. The fi…

26 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9053 by Lewis Macdonald on 28 June 2004, whether it has any plans to publish additional statistics in respect of energy usage and sources and, if so, what the most up-to-date figures are.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Statistics on energy usage and sources in Scotland are collected and published by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in its energy trends website. DTI has a programme of work to produce energy statistics at sub-national level wherever practical and wh…

25 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the funding promised for each Intermediary Technology Institute has been allocated in each year since such funding was announced and whether such funding will be allocated for each of the next three years.

Answer · Jim Wallace: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.

25 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for delay in the Intermediary Technology Institutes becoming operational and what costs have been incurred for each institute.

Answer · Jim Wallace: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.

25 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to increase or improve the level of teaching of Scottish history (a) in schools and (b) generally.

Answer · Peter Peacock: There are no specific plans to increase or improve the level of teaching of Scottish history (a) in schools or (b) generally. On 1 November, I announced a programme of work which aims to create a single, coherent, Scottish curriculum 3-18. The intentio…

25 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what concordats are currently being renegotiated with Her Majesty’s Government, giving details in each case.

Answer · Margaret Curran: We are currently reviewing the concordat with the Lord Chancellor’s Department to reflect the change of name from Lord Chancellor’s Department to Department for Constitutional Affairs and add a new annex setting out arrangements for dealing with freedom of i…

25 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what concordats have been amended since 1999, showing changes made in each case.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The following concordats have been the subject of minor updating since 1999:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=609> <tr> <td> Department for Transport (formerly Concordat with Department for Transport, Local Government and the Region…

25 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what events, arranged as part of the United Kingdom’s EU presidency in 2005, are scheduled to take place in Scotland, differentiating between events that are finalised and those that are provisional, and what percentage this represents of all such events taking place within the UK.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Information was submitted to the European and External Relations Committee and discussed at their meeting on 26 October 2004. (See the Official Report at:<ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/europe/papers-04/eup04-17.pdf">http:…

25 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to establish targets for heat and fuel sourced by renewable energy.

Answer · Jim Wallace: We have no immediate plans to do so. The Executive will, however, work with UK colleagues in considering the contribution that biomass heat can make to the renewables agenda.

25 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken any studies into the potential for biomass energy within Scotland and potential economic and environmental benefits that could be derived as a result of using biomass energy production.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland has been tasked with preparing proposals for the development of biomass energy in Scotland, with particular reference to the use of wood fuel. The Group is considering both the potential for the sector an…

25 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its long-term strategy is to address fuel poverty.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is given in The Scottish Fuel Poverty Statement published by the Scottish Executive in 2002, a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 23335).