John Scott

19 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it expects to publish the Energy Efficiency Action Plan for Scotland.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Energy Efficiency Action Plan for Scotland will be published before the summer recess. The action plan will set out a suite of ambitious policies and programmes to reduce Scotland''s energy consumption across all sectors.</p>

15 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any volcanic ash settling on Scottish soil as a result of the eruption at the Eyjafjallajoekull glacier in Iceland would affect or contaminate crop production.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Current monitoring information in Scotland suggests that it is unlikely that volcanic ash settling on Scottish soil as a result of the volcanic eruption in Iceland will affect or contaminate crop production in Scotland. Officials in the Scottish Environmental…

15 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there would be any danger to livestock consuming volcanic ash from the eruption at the Eyjafjallajoekull glacier in Iceland.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Current monitoring information in Scotland, suggests that it is unlikely that volcanic ash settling on Scottish soil, as a result of the volcanic eruption in Iceland, will affect livestock in Scotland. Officials in the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency…

15 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any volcanic ash settling on Scottish soil as a result of the eruption at the Eyjafjallajoekull glacier in Iceland would have implications for food production.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Current monitoring information in Scotland suggests that it is unlikely that volcanic ash settling on Scottish soil as a result of the volcanic eruption in Iceland will affect food production in Scotland. Officials in the Scottish Environmental Protection Age…

30 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the national procurement plan for interpreting services will be ready to put out to tender.

Answer · John Swinney: There are currently no plans to release a national tender for interpreting services.</p>

29 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much (a) milk and (b) other dairy produce it purchases annually; by whom it is supplied, and what the farms of origin are.

Answer · Jim Mather: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I will ask its chief executive to reply to you.</p>

26 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what difficulties and barriers there might be to bringing forward legislation to create a single or integrated environmental permitting scheme.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: We are currently exploring the legislative implications of such a change.</p>

26 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had discussions with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency regarding the need to bring forward legislation to create a single or integrated environmental permitting scheme and, if so, what the outcome was.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: We have regular discussions with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on its Better Regulation work which aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of environmental regulation while reducing the burden on businesses which are regulated, consisten…

26 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had discussions with industry organisations regarding the need to bring forward legislation to create a single or integrated environmental permitting scheme and, if so, what the outcome was.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: We have not yet had such discussions. Before any single or integrated environmental permitting scheme was introduced, consultation with organisations affected, including those which would benefit from a reduced regulatory burden, would be required in order to…

26 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to bring forward (a) primary or (b) secondary legislation to create a single or integrated environmental permitting scheme.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: We are currently considering with Scottish Environment Protection Agency the feasibility and the legislative implications of streamlining existing environmental regulation. We have no immediate plans to bring forward legislation to introduce such changes but …

26 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many hectares of woodlands have (a) received support and (b) been approved for claim in which year under (i) the Areas of even-aged plantation undergoing restructuring felling category of the Sustainable Management of Forests option and (ii) each of the four categories of Restructurin…

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The area receiving grant payments for (i) Restructuring felling and (ii) Restructuring Regeneration is shown in table 1. The Restructuring Regeneration Area is an estimate and a breakdown by the separate categories is not available at this stage.</p> <p >Th…

24 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many hectares of new woodland planting has been approved under the Scotland Rural Development Programme for 2007-13 through the (a) Regional Proposal Assessment Committee (RPAC) and (b) Forestry Commission Scotland’s ongoing approval process, broken down by woodland model.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The amount of woodland creation approved under the Scottish Rural Development Plan is (a) 8,603 hectares by the Regional Proposal Assessment Committees (RPAC''s) and (b) 1,452 hectares by the ongoing approval process.</p> <p >Area approved by Woodland Creati…

24 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many hectares of new woodland planting took place in 2009, broken down by woodland model supported under the Scotland Rural Development Programme.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The total woodland creation grant aided under the Scottish Rural Development Plan in calendar year 2009 was 1,864 hectares. This consists of 1,088 hectares under the woodland creation models and 776 hectares under legacy schemes.</p> <p >A breakdown by wood…

24 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will accept all eligible applications to the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme for electricity generating technologies and for new build properties lodged before 24 February 2010.

Answer · Jim Mather: All eligible applications to the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme received on or prior to 24 February 2010 have been accepted and are being processed, including those which are for electricity generating renewables systems or for new build …

24 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason applications to the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme are not always processed within 15 working days, as stated on the application pack.

Answer · Jim Mather: The application pack for the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme outlines that there is an aim to process applications within 15 working days.</p> <p >In most cases applications are processed within these timescales. However, at times of exce…

24 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme has been withdrawn for electricity generating technologies and for new build properties.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme has been withdrawn for electricity generating technologies and new build properties because new initiatives will encourage significant uptake of these technologies and in these properties. Home renewable…

16 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of new forestry planting in the last five years has been productive and whether it is achieving the 60:40 split in favour of productive forestry as set out in The Scottish Government's Rationale for Woodland Expansion.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government''s Rationale for Woodland Expansion was published last year. Around 45% of the new woodland created in Scotland over the past five years can be considered as productive forestry. The majority of the remaining area is native woodland wh…

16 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what amount of new woodland planting took place in 2009.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The amount of new woodland created in Scotland in 2009 was 2,154 hectares.</p>

9 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken regarding the recommendations of the Fuel Task Force.

Answer · Alex Neil: In response to high fuel prices and the recommendations of the Fuel Task Force the Scottish Government introduced safety payments, grants for the purchase of fuel flow meters, support for fuel efficiency measures through the European Fisheries Fund and commis…

16 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many injuries to dog walkers by livestock have been recorded since the implementation of the rights of access under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and what measures are being undertaken to ensure that the public is educated regarding required conduct in the countryside.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Information on the number of injuries to dog walkers by livestock is not held centrally.</p> <p >The Scottish Outdoor Access Code, prepared by Scottish Natural Heritage, provides detailed guidance to dog owners on responsible behaviour in proximity to livest…

12 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether a cost-benefit analysis of Scotland’s Environment and Rural Services (SEARS) has been conducted and, if so, what the results were.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The main focus of the SEARS Programme is to improve customer experiences of accessing and using the services of SEARS partners. While some of these benefits could potentially be measured using a full cost-benefit analysis, there are concerns that the effort i…

12 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much money Scotland’s Environment and Rural Services (SEARS) can be expected to save in the future.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The main focus of the SEARS Programme in the future will continue to be to improve customer experiences of accessing and using the services of SEARS partners. The staff time freed up by reducing inspections will continue to be re-deployed in improving service…

12 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much money Scotland’s Environment and Rural Services (SEARS) has saved since its formation.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The main focus of the SEARS Programme is to improve customer experiences of accessing and using the services of SEARS partners. Staff time freed up by reducing inspections has been re-deployed to improve service delivery. </p>

12 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the further benefits are of continuing Scotland’s Environment and Rural Services (SEARS).

Answer · Richard Lochhead: SEARS will continue to focus on improving customer experiences of accessing and using the services of SEARS partners. There will be further opportunities to reduce and combine separate service-generated inspections and visits to rural land managers. These cha…

15 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has expressed a view to the European Commission or the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on proposals to allow member states to make their own decisions on GM approvals based on socio-economic criteria and, if so, what that view was.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has long argued that socio-economic criteria should be taken into account in the European GM approvals process. The government has expressed this view to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on numerous occasions at b…

15 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to EU Regulation 21/2004 on the identification of sheep and goats, whether the implementation of critical control points will be dependent on the introduction of a fully funded central database and, if so, whether it will provide that funding.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Implementation of critical control points (CCP''s) is not dependant on the introduction of a new database or continued use of the existing animal movement database. CCP''s are being introduced to assist with the recording of individual animals for the purpose…

15 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27485 by Richard Lochhead on 1 October 2009, whether it will permit producers to carry out, record and report within-business moves of sheep more than five miles from the main holding on a batch basis following the introduction of EU Regulation 21/20…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is still considering this issue in the wider context of the rules to be introduced regarding the new provisions of EU Regulation 21/2004. Once decisions have been made, guidance will be issued to all sheep and goat keepers explaining t…

15 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions its officials have had with the European Commission regarding new cross-compliance enforcement procedures, particularly in relation to livestock penalties.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Officials from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland met with Commission officials in February 2009 to discuss proposed changes to discuss proposals to revise the cross-compliance payment reduction systems as a result of the 2008 audits in England and Wales.…

10 Dec 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive Scottish Executive for what reason the National Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation Scheme has not supported projects connected to the Scotch Whisky industry or its supply chain.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation grant scheme is principally concerned with projects that enhance the production and processing of food products.</p> <p >On Tuesday I announced the latest round of awards under the Food Processing, Marketing an…

2 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that people entitled to Carer’s Allowance receive it with the minimum of bureaucracy.

Answer · Shona Robison: This is a matter for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), who are responsible for the administration and payment of the Carer''s Allowance. I have written to DWP ministers previously to convey concerns about the level of the Carer''s Allowance.</p>