Parliamentary questions
Murdo Fraser
2,062 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
6 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of funds distributed by the Community Broadband Scotland Initiative for projects in (a) each local authority area and (b) each year since its inception in 2012.
Answer · John Swinney: Community Broadband Scotland has awarded grants totalling £2,423,820 to 13 local authorities across Scotland, as of 23 October 2015. The breakdown is as follows: 2013 Local Authority Grant Awarded Argyll and Bute £9,000 Highland £234,259 Moray £14,…
5 Oct 2015 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reports from the Auditor General that it underspent its budget by almost £350 million in 2014-15.
2 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27627 by Fergus Ewing on 1 October 2015, what capacity of hydro-storage projects it believes would be necessary in order to accommodate the intermittency issues arising from onshore wind power in order to equate to the baseload output from the Hinkl…
Answer · Fergus Ewing: We have requested the UK Government and devolved administrations to form a group to examine these and other issues.
2 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27627 by Fergus Ewing on 1 October 2015, what Department of Energy and Climate Change electricity generation statistics it is referring to that demonstrate that the cost of providing sufficient electricity storage to deal with the intermittency issu…
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The statistics referred to in the previous question are from the Department of Energy and Climate Change's document, Electricity Generation Costs (December 2013) and can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/2…
29 Sep 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Bill will maintain democracy in universities.
25 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce an exemption to tail docking for working dogs, following the research that it commissioned from the University of Glasgow that was published in Veterinary Record in April 2014.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-27721 on 18 January 2016. 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/parliamentaryb…
25 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-26902 by Richard Lochhead on 28 August 2015, when it will inform the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee of the findings of its research on tail docking.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-27721 on 18 January 2016. 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/parliamentaryb…
25 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what evidence it has taken in the last six months on tail docking.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-27721 on 18 January 2016. 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/parliamentaryb…
25 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on tail docking for working dogs.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I can confirm that since the publication of the Glasgow University research on tail docking in 2015, and the collection of further evidence about the experience of applying exemptions from the ban on docking for working dogs in other countries, over the last …
23 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the decision on the permanent reintroduction of beavers will be (a) a decision in principle to retain or remove, followed by a further period of time to establish the necessary legal and practical detail to deliver this or (b) a fully considered legal and funded proposal that is …
Answer · Aileen McLeod: The Scottish Natural Heritage report Beavers in Scotland sets out four possible scenarios for the future of beavers in Scotland. Any decision is likely to be based on these options. Furthermore, any announcement would need to provide information on how the pr…
23 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the timetable is for announcing a decision on the future of beavers in Scotland.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: A decision on the future of beavers in Scotland will be announced in due course. Ministers are carefully considering the Scottish Natural Heritage report Beavers in Scotland and meeting stakeholders to hear their views.
22 Sep 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to minimise disruption to local residents and motorists during the A9 dualling.
22 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what evidence it has to support the statement by the Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism on 17 September 2015 that the cost of providing sufficient electricity storage to deal with the intermittency issue arising from onshore wind power “will be far less than the enormous cost of t…
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Large hydro storage projects are an effective way of storing energy produced from onshore wind farms. The Department of Energy and Climate Change electricity generation statistics show that the pre-development and expected construction costs of this technolog…
22 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the economic impact of it declaring Scotland to be GM-food free.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government’s decision to opt out of growing EU approved GM crops was taken to protect the clean, green image of Scotland’s multi-billion pound food and drink sector. As the latest official figures show, the sector generated a record £14.3 billion…
7 Sep 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on rural Scotland of its plans to introduce business rates on sporting businesses.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: The Scottish Government has published a Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment and an Equality Impact Assessment for the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill, which includes the proposal to end the exclusion of shootings and deer forests from the valuation roll. T…
17 Aug 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) location, (b) size, (c) hub height, (d) number constructed, (e) consent for the building, (f) scope of and (g) other information regarding onshore wind turbines it provides to the Department for Energy and Climate Change's Renewable Energy Planning Database.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government does not provide the Department of Energy and Climate Change with the details referred to in the question. Information about wind farm applications that are determined by Scottish Ministers under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 …
12 Aug 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support mechanisms are available to landrace farmers.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government operates the Scottish Landrace Protection Scheme. This enables growers to deposit samples of seed in the long-term seed storage facility at the laboratories of Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture, thereby providing a safety net…
27 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to make changes to environmental impact assessments to ensure that they are conducted by an independent body free from bias.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is required to give effect to the newly amended Directive 2014/52/EU, known as the EIA Directive, by 16 May 2017. Further details of our proposals for implementing the required changes will be made available in due course.
27 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce a uniform format for conducting environmental impact assessments to allow for ease of analysis and comparison.
Answer · Alex Neil: Statutory procedures for conducting environmental impact assessment are set out in legislation in accordance with the requirements of European Directive 2011/92/EU, known as the EIA Directive. Following recent changes to the directive made at European level, …
15 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to (a) reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 to 95% below the 1990 levels or (b) achieve a per capita emissions target of less than two metric tons by 2050.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: Scotland has had a statutory target in place since 2009 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% by 2050. Substantial progress is being made and Scotland is over three quarters of the way towards meeting the interim 2020 target of a 42% reduction in…
22 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what synergies it considers exist for the development of offshore underground coal gasification alongside surface gasification projects to boost jobs and Scottish industry.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government believes that these are ultimately very different types of infrastructure projects, neither of which have been deployed in Scotland.
22 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has received regarding replacing the Longannet coal-fired plant with a new combined-cycle gas turbine plant.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has received representations from members of the public regarding replacing the Longannet coal-fired plant with a new combined-cycle gas turbine plant on the site.
22 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met officials from the Department of Energy and Climate Change to discuss the Cockenzie power plant and its potential replacement with a combined-cycle gas turbine plant.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The coal-fired power station at Cockenzie closed in March 2013 and is currently being decommissioned. The Scottish Government granted consent for a new combined-cycle gas turbine plant at Cockenzie on 5 October 2011. In terms of new thermal generation in Scot…
22 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met officials from the Department of Energy and Climate Change to discuss the proposed closure of Longannet power plant and its potential replacement with a combined cycle gas turbine plant.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: I have sought a meeting with Amber Rudd to discuss a number of energy matters since her appointment. An agreement was eventually made to meet her on 12 October 2015. The Scottish Government has had extensive engagement with a range of parties over Longannet.…
22 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) discussions it has had with HM Treasury and (b) estimate it has made regarding potential tax revenues from the (i) development and (ii) operation of deep offshore underground coal gasification projects from licences issued in Scotland by the Coal Authority.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has had no discussions with HM Treasury on these matters.
22 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when ministers last met the Coal Authority to discuss the potential for Scotland to develop a deep underground coal gasification sector.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has not met with the Coal Authority to discuss the potential for Scotland to develop an underground coal gasification sector.
22 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will (a) calculate and (b) issue updated estimates of the coal resource that could be suitable for deep underground coal gasification development in Scottish locations as identified by the Coal Authority.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has no plans to calculate or issue updated estimates of coal resource suitable for underground coal gasification.
22 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to simplify any regulations under its responsibility relating to underground coal gasification projects and what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding simplification of UK-level regulations.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Environmental protection is of paramount importance to the Scottish Government. We are clear that energy technologies, including underground coal gasification, must be subject to the most rigorous and robust regulatory frameworks to ensure that the environmen…
22 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to ensure that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency is adequately resourced and equipped to determine permit applications and oversee underground coal gasification projects.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is funded by a combination of grant in aid received from the Scottish Government and charging income recovered from regulated activities. The Scottish Government regularly monitors SEPA’s performance against i…
22 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with and what representations it has made to the Department of Energy and Climate Change working group on underground coal gasification.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has had no discussions with the Department of Energy and Climate Change working group on underground coal gasification and has made no representations to it.