Parliamentary questions

Tavish Scott

2,683 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

19 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when applications made at the end of 2009 to the European Fisheries Fund, provisionally to be put to a project assessment committee (PAC) in March 2010, were put to a PAC and what the reason for the delay was.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Applications for the fourth round of awards under the European Fisheries Fund were considered by the project assessment committee on 10 September 2010. The fourth round was postponed from March 2010 to enable a full analysis of payments made in the 2009-10 fi…

14 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total administrative cost is to (a) it and (b) sportscotland of the (i) development, (ii) implementation and (iii) supervision of the £800,000 top-up swimming programme.

Answer · Shona Robison: There are no administrative costs to the Scottish Government as this work is part of the ongoing sponsorship tasks of sportscotland and the top-up swimming programme is delivered through sportscotland in partnership with Scottish Swimming. This is an operatio…

14 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the typical administrative cost to local authorities consulting on the use of their share of the £800,000 top-up swimming programme of (a) developing, (b) seeking consent from sportscotland on and (c) implementing a plan and what percentage the total amount represe…

Answer · Shona Robison: This is a matter for local authorities.

6 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-36525 by Alex Neil on 4 October 2010, whether it is considering measures to reduce the average time from referral to Stage Four of the installation of Energy Assistance Package measures in Shetland closer to the national average.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is working with Scottish Gas, which has been appointed as the Stage Four Managing Agent under a new contract that sets demanding performance criteria that link payments to performance on a regional basis, including a target of 60 days …

6 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-36525 by Alex Neil on 4 October 2010, whether it has investigated the reason for the average time from referral to Stage Four of the installation of Energy Assistance Package measures in Shetland being 123% higher than the national average and 58% hi…

Answer · Alex Neil: Officials regularly monitor delivery times and discuss issues with the managing agent. Reasons for the higher average delivery time in Shetland for the 10 installations to the end of August 2010, include electrical load checks or load upgrades …

5 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the Scotland Rural Development Programme budget is for 2010-11 and what sums have been (a) spent and (b) committed for projects in each Regional Proposal Assessment Committee region, broken down into the various delivery schemes used.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Scottish Government outturn for financial year 2010-11 will be published in the Consolidated Accounts during 2011, following the end of the current financial year.

5 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the Scotland Rural Development Programme funding in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09, (c) 2009-10 and (d) to date in 2010-11 was or has been spent on administrative work by (i) the Scottish Government, (ii) Scottish Natural Heritage and (iii) other public bodies.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scotland Rural Development Programme budget is entirely spent on supporting rural development; therefore, none of the programme budget is spent on administration.

5 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the European Fisheries Fund programme awards due to be announced in September 2010 are to be announced.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The European Fisheries Fund awards were announced on 24 October 2010.

16 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the 36 completed applications to the Scotland Rural Development Programme Community Services and Facilities support programme that have been redirected to other funding sources.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: On 3 August, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment Richard Lochhead announced changes to the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP). This included the transfer of Community Services and Facilities (CSF) projects from the Rural Priorities (R…

13 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the consultancy contract that it has awarded in order to provide advice or carry out research on lifeline ferry services since May 2007, broken down by the (a) name of the consultancy, (b) value of the contract, and (c) description of the contract specification, and, …

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The following contracts have been awarded in respect of the Scottish Ferries review and Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) since May 2007 to carry out research or provide advice and similar services in relation to the provision of ferry services: <table b…

20 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost is of the study by BM Consulting and Reference Economic Consultants into potential cost reduction measures on the Northern Isles ferry services, broken down by (a) consultants’ fees, (b) internal staff costs and (c) other costs.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The costs to engage the consultants to undertake the study will be about £25,000. No specific budget for internal staff costs was set aside, as this task fell within normal ferry contract management activities and ongoing engagement with the local communitie…

20 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what target cost savings it has asked the study by BM Consulting and Reference Economic Consultants into cost reduction measures on the Northern Isles ferry services to achieve and how the target was determined.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No target cost savings were set as part of this exercise. The consultants were simply tasked with assessing the potential impacts a number of cost reductions measures, if implemented, would have in Orkney and Shetland.

4 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what areas of Scotland have been or are to be assessed under the goose policy review being undertaken by a consortium led by the British Trust for Ornithology Scotland.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The review is intended to make recommendations on the national goose policy framework. Therefore, the British Trust for Ornithology Scotland will assess the suitability of the goose policy framework across the whole of Scotland.

4 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide the dates for the various stages of the research project, Carbon implications of Wind Farms located in peatlands – update of the web-based SG carbon calculator tool, including the (a) award of the contract to undertake the work, (b) completion of the research proje…

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is currently evaluating tenders received for work to update the carbon calculator tool and hopes to award the contract in the next month. If this is the case, the research project should be completed before the end of the year and publ…

4 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when discussions between its officials and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to formalise the provision of advice by SEPA on wind farm developers’ carbon impacts calculations will be concluded.

Answer · Jim Mather: Discussions are ongoing between the Scottish Government and SEPA as to SEPA''s role in validating information supplied by developers from their use of the carbon calculator in onshore wind farm planning applications under Section 36 of the Electricity Act (19…

3 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail its assessment of the impact on (a) passenger, numbers, (b) accompanied vehicle numbers and (c) freights tonnages of each of its options for cutting the operational costs of NorthLink Ferries Ltd, broken down according to the routes between (i) Lerwick and Aberdeen,…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: This information is currently being collated as part of the Northern Isles Study process and will be made available in due course.

3 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimates are of the cost savings of each of the options for cutting the operational costs of NorthLink Ferries Ltd, showing the impact on the net estimated cost saving of the changes in (a) fuel costs, (b) staff costs, (c) passenger and accompanied vehicle revenue, (d) freight r…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: This information is currently being collated as part of the Northern Isles Study process and will be made available in due course.

3 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what savings in net operational costs it has instructed Highlands and Islands Airports Limited to make in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Details of the efficiencies identified for Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd as part of the 2007 Spending Review (2008-11) are published on the Efficient Government pages of the Scottish Government''s website as follows: <a href="http://www.scotland…

3 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its (a) revenue and (b) capital budget allocation to Highlands and Islands Airports Limited was for (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11 and what the proposed equivalent budget allocations are for 2011-12.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The figures requested are as follows: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=107 valign=top > Financial Year </td> <td width=97 valign=top > Revenue </td> <td width=78…

2 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to persuade the Government of the Faroe Islands to drop its plans to catch 85,000 tonnes of North Atlantic mackerel in 2010.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35556 on 26 August 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="www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Busine…

2 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to persuade the Government of Iceland to drop its plans to catch 130,000 tonnes of North Atlantic mackerel in 2010.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The actions of Iceland and Faeroes in setting unilateral total allowable catches (TACs) for mackerel in the North East Atlantic are irresponsible and risk the future sustainability of the stock, which in turn could have serious impacts for the Scottish Pelagi…

29 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it provided or has provided to Shetland Islands Council for probationer teaching posts in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11 and how many posts this allocation has fully funded or will fully fund.

Answer · Michael Russell: The following table shows the numbers of probationer teachers working in Shetland Islands Council''s schools and the amount of funding distributed to the council in the relevant academic years. <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <…

29 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding Shetland Islands Council bid for or has bid for to fund probationer teaching posts in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11 and how many posts this would have fully funded in each of those years.

Answer · Michael Russell: Rather than bid for specific levels of funding in relation to the teacher induction scheme, local authorities offer teaching posts that are suitable for probationer teachers. The following table shows the number of probationer posts that Shetland Islands Coun…

29 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place to help probationer teachers obtain a probationary post in a local authority area of their choice and what role it or any of its agencies play in the setting up and supervision of any such procedures.

Answer · Michael Russell: Student teachers are invited to indicate the five local authorities in which they would prefer to serve their probationary year and are subsequently allocated to one of those authorities. Alternatively they can select the ˜preference waiver'' option (and rece…

27 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what instructions it has given to the Crofters Commission regarding applications to install a wind turbine on land held under crofting tenure where the proposed installation has been granted planning permission by the local authority.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government has given the Crofters Commission no instructions regarding applications to install a wind turbine on land held under crofting tenure. The Crofters Commission has made available, since May 2008, a leaflet on its website on wind farm de…

29 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether oral and written evidence to the Accounts Commission public inquiry into Shetland Islands Council, which is holding its public hearing in Lerwick on 28 and 29 June 2010, is protected by privilege.

Answer · John Swinney: The inquiry referred to was held under the terms of section 103B of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. The act does not address the legal status of evidence given at such inquiries, nor the extent to which witnesses at such inquiries are protected by p…

23 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-33959 and S3W-33960 by Richard Lochhead on 18 June 2010, when it instructed the provision of the IT reports to provide a regional breakdown of Rural Development Contracts - Rural Priorities scheme payments and contracts; when the information on the…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The request for a suite of IT reports, including the regional breakdown of Rural Development Contracts - Rural Priorities scheme payments and contracts, was issued on 26 November 2009. IT staff have been developing and testing the first batches of th…

16 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a policy for it or its agencies to use data centres sited in the Highlands and Islands and, if so, what the policy is.

Answer · John Swinney: Work is presently underway to develop an overarching ICT Strategy for the Scottish public sector, which sets out high-level aims aligned to our purpose and strategic priorities. Any specific policy on public sector data centres will be informed by an intended…

16 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a policy to encourage the development of data centres powered by renewable energy sources and, if so, what the policy is.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government''s commitment to renewable energy is one of the factors providing a strong incentive for the development of data centres in Scotland, while Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) states that building design will make a significant cont…

16 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the data management contracts that it and its agencies have out to tender or planned, showing (a) the basic scope of the contract, (b) the start and end dates of the contract and (c) any specified limitation on the location of the data centre to be used to provide the…

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34573 on 29 June 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/Apps2/B…