Tavish Scott

5 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government where Wave Energy Scotland will be based; what its remit will be, and how many staff it plans to have in post by 31 March 2015.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Wave Energy Scotland (WES) will be a subsidiary of Highlands and Islands Enterprise and it is expected that most of the early stage team will be based in Inverness. I set out the remit of WES in my parliamentary statement during topical questions on 25 Novemb…

5 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it commissioned an external operational or financial assessment of Pelamis Ltd prior to Scottish Enterprise's decision to withdraw financial support from the company and, if so, by whom.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Our enterprise agency, Scottish Enterprise, commissioned a number of external due diligence reports during late 2013 and 2014 to understand the operational and financial position of the company. Operational due diligence was undertaken by Black and Veatch, Mu…

5 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with Scottish Enterprise about the operational and financial position of Pelamis Ltd prior to the agency's decision to withdraw financial support for it; what the basis was for withdrawing the support, and on what date the company was advised of the decision.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government had regular and frequent discussions with Scottish Enterprise throughout 2014. Along with Scottish Enterprise, we remained the last funders in Pelamis for some time. Scottish Enterprise is required to comply with the state aid framewor…

5 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the principal objective of the Energy North Oil & Gas Taskforce remains to establish the Inverness-Cromarty Firth as a new oil and gas hub with sub-hubs across the Highlands and Islands and, if so, how this will be met in light of the findings of the report that was commissioned …

Answer · Fergus Ewing: A key strand of the Energy North Oil and Gas Taskforce work is to capitalise on the significant new energy port investments by Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the Scottish Government and local authorities in the Inner Moray Firth over 2009-14. Nigg and Inve…

5 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the remit of the Energy North Oil & Gas Taskforce is consistent with the findings of the report that was commissioned by Scottish Enterprise, Economic impact of Aberdeen Harbour Nigg Bay Development.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The findings of the report are consistent with the aims of the taskforce in ensuring that we continue to have a strong infrastructure in Scotland, to assist the oil and gas industry. The Energy North Oil and Gas Taskforce was created to ease the capacity iss…

5 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the port displacement figures set out in the report that was commissioned by Scottish Enterprise, Economic impact of Aberdeen Harbour Nigg Bay Development.

Answer · Derek Mackay: As Scottish ports policy is market led, with investment decisions taken by individual ports themselves, the Scottish Government has no comment on the content of this report, including the displacement figures.

5 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of how the ban on tail-docking has impacted on working dogs.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government supported a research project by the University of Bristol and the Royal Veterinary College on tail injuries in working dogs across Great Britain that was conducted during 2008-09, and published in 2010. We commissioned a further resear…

19 Dec 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what issues were discussed at the December 2014 meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee on climate change.

Answer · Aileen McLeod: The second meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee on climate change was held on 8 January 2015, and discussed the collective action required across government to ensure Scotland remains on track to meet our world leading target of a 42 per cent reduction in emi…

8 Dec 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which elected representatives were invited to the first meeting of the Scottish Rural Parliament.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The inaugural Scottish Rural Parliament took place in Oban 6-8 November 2014 and was attended by over 400 delegates from across rural Scotland. The event was organised by Scottish Rural Action, an independent, not-for-profit organisation. All political parti…

2 Dec 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many speeding incidents it has recorded on the stretches of the A9 covered by average speed cameras; how many resulted in (a) a fine, (b) a custodial sentence and (c) penalty points, and what the total value is of any fines issued.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The information requested is not held by the Scottish Government.

2 Dec 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what date average speed cameras became operational on the A9.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The average speed camera system on the A9 between Dunblane and Inverness became operational on 28 October 2014.

19 Nov 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce the funding for the Support and Connect Fund for 2015-16.

Answer · Alex Neil: This is a matter for the Big Lottery Fund. The information requested is not held centrally.

12 Nov 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how often the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Climate Change plans to meet each year, and what contact the sub-committee has had with the (a) Public Sector Climate Leaders' Forum and (b) Climate Change Delivery Board since June 2014.

Answer · Aileen McLeod: The Cabinet Sub Committee on Climate Change plans to meet three to four times annually. The committee met for the first time in October 2014 and a further meeting is planned for December 2014. The Climate Change Delivery Board (CCDB) and Public Sector Leader…

3 Nov 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many foreign trawlers were identified as being illegally inside the 12 nautical mile territorial limit of the mackerel fishery around Shetland in each of the last three months; how many were subsequently (a) approached, (b) contacted and (c) boarded by the Scottish Fisheries Protecti…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: We have not identified any foreign trawlers as illegally fishing inside the 12 nautical mile limit around Shetland in each of the last three months. A foreign trawler being present within the 12 nautical mile territorial limit is not illegal as long as it is…

13 Oct 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the new entrants scheme will be extended into the coming year as part of its new common agricultural policy arrangements.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: In 2013 I announced funding of £2 million for new entrants. The two year scheme saw successful individuals being given an initial payment in October 2013 and a second in April 2014. From January 2015 Scotland will be implementing a new common agricultural po…

7 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the Youth Employment Scotland Fund participants have moved, following their placement, to (a) full-time employment, (b) part-time employment, (c) education and (d) training, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Angela Constance: We will be undertaking an interim evaluation of the Youth Employment Scotland Fund later in the year and the results are likely to be published in early 2015.

7 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the 10,000 Youth Employment Scotland Fund places have been filled, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Angela Constance: A full breakdown by local authority of the allocation of the 10,000 Youth Employment Scotland Fund places is not yet available.

5 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-22029 by Keith Brown on 28 July 2014, how it defines “basic modelling” and whether it will provide full details of the modelling that was carried out.

Answer · Keith Brown: In this instance, ‘basic modelling’ was defined as a calculation of the notional road equivalent tariff (RET) fares on local authority run services. These calculations, from 2012, used information on route mileage, fares and the values in the then RET formul…

28 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans or proposals there are to take forward renewables projects in the Scottish Government estate.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government currently has renewable technology in the form of solar heating panels at our offices at Saughton House in Edinburgh and Tweedbank near Galashiels and we have just commissioned the installation of biomass boilers at our offices in Fask…

17 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the definition of permanent grassland for the purposes of the implementation of the common agricultural policy in Scotland includes (a) permanent pasture, (b) shrubs and/or trees which can be grazed and (c) land which can be grazed and which forms part of established local practi…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I can confirm that for the future implementation of the common agricultural policy 2015, the definition of permanent grassland does include the elements listed in the question. The legislative references are Article 4(1)(h) and (i) of Regulation 1307/2013 of …

11 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its position “that the Scottish Government will not use our fisheries as a bargaining chip to be traded away for other objectives”, what other resources it has considered to be suitable for negotiation with the rest of the UK in the event of independence.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: After a democratic vote for independence, it will be in the interests of both Scotland and the rest of the UK to come to a swift and co-operative settlement. In the Edinburgh Agreement, the UK and Scottish governments agreed they will continue to work togeth…

11 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what evidence it has to support the position expressed by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment in his letter to Mr Bertie Armstrong of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation dated 26 June 2014 in relation to the allocation of relative quota shares to EU member s…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The relative sharing of resources is a sensitive and extremely complex subject, particularly given the future demands that will be faced upon implementation of the landing obligation. The position of other countries has to date been very clear and during the …

11 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has done to establish the position expressed by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment in his letter to Mr Bertie Armstrong of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation dated 26 June 2014 that “we would, of course, negotiate our continuing membership…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The position of strength referred to is self-evident given what is now known about the distribution patterns and abundance of stocks in Scotland’s northern waters. This distribution means our waters are very important to up to 12 non Scottish nations that fis…

11 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to a worst-case-scenario timescale for negotiating entry to the EU if it takes longer than 18 months, and how long it considers this would be.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is confident that its approach will deliver full and timely EU membership for an independent Scotland. As set out in Scotland’s Future, the Scottish Government will approach EU membership negotiations operating on the principle of con…

11 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what evidence it bases the position expressed by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment in his letter to Mr Bertie Armstrong of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation dated 26 June 2014 that “we expect EU Member States to be keen to see an independent Scotland …

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government expects that EU member states will be keen to see an independent Scotland assume full and timely EU membership. Scotland has been a constituent part of the EU since the accession of the UK in 1973 and benefits greatly from the peace, s…

11 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what evidence it has to support the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment in his letter to Mr Bertie Armstrong of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation dated 26 June 2014 that “there will be no detriment to any other member of the European Union as …

Answer · Richard Lochhead: As set out in Scotland’s Future, the Scottish Government will approach EU membership negotiations operating on the principle of continuity of effect: that is a transition to independent membership that is based on the EU treaty obligations and provisions that…

11 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to ensure that the cost of replacing the internal ferry services of Orkney and Shetland does not become the sole responsibility of the local authorities.

Answer · Keith Brown: Internal ferry services in Orkney and Shetland, including vessel provision and maintenance, are currently the responsibility of the local authorities. In the Ferries Plan, we made clear that we are willing to assume responsibility for all lifeline ferry serv…

11 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what additional financial mechanisms it considers should be deployed to enable the delivery of island grid upgrades, and what steps it has taken to explore them.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-22028 on 30 July 2014. 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/parliamentarybu…

11 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether, further to comments on page 43 of Empowering Scotland’s Island Communities, it ensures that islands’ interests are given a voice in discussions at the North Sea and North West Waters regional fisheries management groups.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The island communities are well represented in all of the Scottish Government’s fisheries management bodies. Based on discussions in national forums the Scottish Government is able to ensure that the islands’ interests are given a voice in discussions at the …

11 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the (a) gross and (b) net annual income from leasing the seabed around the Scottish islands, and what estimates it has made of future income.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Crown Estate Scotland Report 2014 states that gross revenue from Scotland was £13.6 million and net revenue was £11.2 million in 2013-14. Revenue from aquaculture, dredging and coastal activities in Scotland was £3.3 million, £0.1 million and £2.9 million…