Tavish Scott

21 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has in place to monitor the number of employers in Scotland adopting green transport plans.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: We expect to publish by December a report entitled <I>Green Commuter Plans - Do They Work? </I>by Napier University Transport Research Institute. The report examines the effectiveness of travel plans at three key sites. The Executive will keep under review wh…

18 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has asked the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to investigate the proposal to ship 500 kilograms of plutonium from Dounreay to the United States of America.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-9948.

18 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it, or any agency within its control, has made representations to Her Majesty's Government concerning the proposal to ship 500 kilograms of plutonium from Dounreay to the United States of America.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I understand from the Department of Trade and Industry that there are no plans to undertake such a shipment from Dounreay to the United States.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Responsibility for the regulation of storage and handling of all nuclear fuel held at Dounreay re…

18 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it, or any agency within its control, has made representations to British Nuclear Fuels Ltd concerning British Nuclear Fuels Ltd's role in the decommissioning of the Magnox nuclear power station at Hunterston.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-9946.

18 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has asked the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to investigate British Nuclear Fuels Ltd's role in the decommissioning of the Magnox nuclear power station at Hunterston.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Under the terms of the nuclear site licence issued by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) the licensee, British Nuclear Fuels plc, will be required to put in place a plan for decommissioning the Magnox nuclear power station at Hunterston. British Nuclear Fu…

5 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in putting in place a scheme to reduce the burden of water and drainage charges on low income households before the start of the 2001-02 financial year.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Executive is currently considering whether it can improve on the assistance provided to many low income households through the link between water and sewerage charges and council tax bands. I expect to publish a consultation paper on this shortly.

2 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to promote alternatives to peat sourced from lowland raised peat lands for use by amateur gardeners.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The UK Working Group on Peat Extraction and Related Matters (in which the Scottish Executive and Scottish Natural Heritage participate) published a report on peatland issues in November last year. Among a number of recommendations were the need to look furthe…

2 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to protect raised peat bogs in Scotland.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Raised bogs in Scotland are protected in a number of ways, through planning guidance, forestry guidance and through ownership or management by conservation bodies, but the most comprehensive protection is through statutory site designation. There are at prese…

2 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Rural Stewardship Scheme will include any provision for the maintenance and enhancement of peat bogs.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Yes. The requirements of Good Farming Practice, which will apply across the whole of any farm, croft or common grazing entered into the Rural Stewardship Scheme, will ensure that peat bogs are maintained in their current condition. In addition, payments are a…

27 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Airports and Air Services Study will be completed and when a report will be published.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Airports and Air Services Study has now been completed and it is intended that its findings will be published later this year along with a formal consultation paper on issues arising from all the regional air service studies.

20 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is encouraging Executive Agencies and other public bodies within its responsibility to run their vehicles on Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) and, if so, which agencies and bodies (a) already run LPG powered vehicles, (b) are in the process of converting their fleet to include LPG po…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive disseminates information and encourages Executive Agencies and other public bodies to consider converting their vehicles to run on LPG through its participation in the UK-wide Powershift scheme. Responsibility for purchasing vehicles is…

14 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what role the Scottish Fisheries Agency will have in enforcing new regulations in international waters in the north east Atlantic.

Answer · John Home Robertson: The international waters of the North East Atlantic are regulated by the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission, (NEAFC), of which the European Union is a Contracting Party. As of last year, new EU regulations on the control and enforcement of fishing activ…

13 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made representations to Her Majesty's Government or to the Crown Estate regarding the production tax imposed by the Crown Estate on Scottish aquaculture businesses.

Answer · John Home Robertson: The Scottish Executive is constantly in touch with the UK Government on a range of matters. Lease rentals have also featured in discussions which the Scottish Executive has held with the Crown Estate Commissioners.

13 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of the Crown Estate and what matters were discussed.

Answer · Donald Dewar: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Crown Estate on a range of issues.

3 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to advertise externally the position of Secretary to the Crofters Commission.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The post of Secretary to the Crofters Commission has been advertised internally within the Scottish Executive. If there is insufficient interest or the applicants do not have the skills and abilities for the post, the position will be advertised externally.

30 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will raise with Her Majesty's Government the criticisms of the public consultation on the reprocessing and storage options for fuel from the Dounreay Fast Breeder Reactor Programme made by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in its response to the public consultation.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: We shall be consulted by Department of Trade and Industry Ministers before they reach a decision on the fuel management option to be adopted. In making our views known to DTI, we shall take into account a wide range of aspects, including the nature of all the…

28 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7490 by Sarah Boyack on 21 June 2000, whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre a copy of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency's strategy for monitoring discharges into the environment from the sites of (a) the United …

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The programme of monitoring for radioactivity in the environment undertaken on behalf of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) by the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) includes the sampling and measurement of radioactivity in various e…

28 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7490 by Sarah Boyack on 21 June 2000, what the annual cost is to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, including overheads, of its activities authorising, overseeing and monitoring the discharges into the environment from (a) the United Kingdom…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The annual costs to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, including overheads, in the period 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000, from authorising, overseeing and monitoring of radioactive discharges into the environment were:<OL TYPE="a"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><…

14 Jun 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether its regulations for early education and childcare have the flexibility to permit local areas to meet their differing needs.

Answer · Peter Peacock: We intend that in future a new Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care will regulate services. The aim is to ensure quality of provision and consistent requirements on providers of similar services across different parts of Scotland. All providers will…

9 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what presence the Strategic Rail Authority will have in Scotland and in particular where its Scottish office will be located and how many full time staff it will employ.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The administration of the SSRA is matter for its Chief Executive.

8 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in its role as the body responsible for Scotland's environment, it has responded to Her Majesty's Government's consultation exercise into the options for managing the fuel from Dounreay's Prototype Fast Reactor and, if so, whether it will place a copy of its response in the Scott…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has received copies of the responses to the consultation exercise. We are currently considering these and will liaise with DTI Ministers before a final decision is reached.

6 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, during the development of its integrated transport policies, consideration was given to introducing a levy on customer parking at out-of-town retail developments specifically in order to improve the ability of town centres to compete with such developments.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-7628.

6 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government about proposals to allow 44 tonne trucks on Scottish roads.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has made no representations to the United Kingdom Government on this matter.

5 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research or evidence it used to rule out a levy on non-workplace customer parking provided at large out-of-town retail developments on page eight of Tackling Congestion and whether further research is being undertaken in this area of transport policy.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The focus of the Executive's policy in this area is on travel to work, as traffic congestion is most concentrated in the morning and evening peak. The Executive believes that congestion is most effectively tackled by a variety of means, including walking and …

5 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is proposing to address the traffic impact created by extensive customer parking provided at out-of-town retail and leisure facilities as an alternative to a customer parking levy.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: National Planning Policy Guidelines 8 and 17 provide that new retail and leisure facilities should be sited where there is a choice of transport. The Executive is keen to work with operators of major retail and leisure facilities and local authorities to redu…

5 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for tightening the laws governing parking controls around bus stops, pedestrian crossings and schools.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Local roads authorities have wide ranging powers to control parking by promoting Traffic Orders under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. These powers enable the authorities to regulate parking on roads throughout their area, including parking around bus st…

5 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the preparation of local transport strategies by local authorities is non-statutory.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Executive does not believe it necessary to make Local Transport Strategies statutory. All 32 local authorities, together with Strathclyde Passenger Transport, submitted interim strategies. Moreover, a statutory requirement will not guarantee the quality o…

5 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will specify any targets relating to transport use and the environment that relate to the proposals within its proposed Integrated Transport Bill.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Take up of the proposed powers in the Integrated Transport Bill will vary depending on local circumstances. It would not be appropriate to set national targets relating to these provisions.

5 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to encourage large employers to adopt green transport plans.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Executive is collaborating with the UK Government in offering guidance to employers; undertaking research on the practical delivery of green transport plans; and encouraging local authorities to promote green transport plans with the context of their Loca…

5 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is developing policies that explicitly link traffic reduction targets with the realisation of commitments to reduce carbon dioxide emissions or whether it has any evidence indicating that carbon dioxide targets can be met without taking this action.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Consultation on a Scottish Climate Change Programme closed earlier this month. Responses will assist the development of a final programme, due for publication in the autumn. The final programme will contain measures in a number of sectors, including transport…