Claire Baker

26 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether, in light of the Committee on Climate Change report, Reducing emissions in Scotland: 2014 progress report, it considers that it will meet its 2012 target for lowering emissions.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20065 on 19 March 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…

26 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the statement in the Committee on Climate Change report, Reducing emissions in Scotland: 2014 progress report, that “going forward, the achievement of both annual emission targets and sectoral targets remains very challenging.”

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Scotland’s climate change targets are challenging, as they should be given the global impact of climate change. The Scottish Government welcome that the Committee on Climate Change recognise the nature of the challenge, but also that they praise Scotland’s pr…

26 Mar 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the green deal supports the expansion of low carbon options in homes. 

Answer · Derek Mackay: The green deal and green deal finance enables householders to implement energy efficiency measures within their homes with little or no upfront cost. It facilitates the payment of those measures through energy bills and is therefore attached to the home and n…

12 Mar 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met NHS Fife and what issues were discussed.

26 Feb 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what excludes fish processing companies from being eligible for state aid; on what criteria a business is categorised as eligible for state aid, and how such a categorisation can be changed.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The European Commission’s guidance on state aid stipulates that companies of any size can benefit from de minimis aid of up to 30,000 euros over a three year period. Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) can benefit from state aid under the block exempti…

26 Feb 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to ensure the integrity of fish processed and sold in Scotland.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: In August 2013, I wrote to all the key organisations that support businesses in the supply and processing of fishery products, to re-iterate that their labelling practises must be clear and accurate, in order to maintain consumer confidence and to protect the…

19 Feb 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to ensure the highest standards of inspections in care homes. 

10 Feb 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Transport Scotland and what issues were discussed.

30 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what training it provides to Agriculture, Food and Rural Communities area office staff with regard to the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) (Scotland) Regulations 2006.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Agriculture, Food and Rural Communities area office staff have access to detailed guidance on assessing land operations under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) (Scotland) Regulations 2006. Area office local training ensures staff are aware of …

30 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it makes (a) farmers and (b) land managers aware of their obligations in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) (Scotland) Regulations 2006 and with what frequency.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government publishes up to date comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment guidance, including internal guidance on the assessment of projects, on the Farming and Rural Issues pages of its website. It has not been necessary to publish any upda…

30 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria are used to determine whether activities have a significant effect and require screening in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) (Scotland) Regulations 2006.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Agriculture, Food and Rural Communities area office staff use the following three criteria to assess whether an operation requires screening: Whether the land in question is considered to be ‘uncultivated’ or ‘semi-natural’, whether the operation is conside…

30 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much land is deemed (a) uncultivated and (b) semi-natural for the purposes of implementing the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) (Scotland) Regulations 2006; whether Agriculture, Food and Rural Communities area office staff have access to maps of the land and, if so, whet…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government holds a range of land based information, primarily gathered and used to administer support schemes, including the Single Farm Payment scheme. The Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) (Scotland) Regulations 2006 apply to all l…

30 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for activities that require to be screened in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) (Scotland) Regulations 2006 have been (a) received and (b) approved by each Agriculture, Food and Rural Communities area office in each year since 2007.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture)(Scotland) Regulations 2006 came into force in Scotland on 1 January 2007, and constrain operations to carry out intensive agricultural operations on uncultivated or semi-natural land, or large scale restructur…

27 Jan 2014 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the air pollution monitoring results for 2013.

11 Dec 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to touring exhibitions.

4 Dec 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the Royal College of Nursing Scotland and what issues were discussed. 

15 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to refresh its food strategy and, if so, when and will it be subject to a public consultation.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The aims and vision of Scotland's National Food and Drink Policy, as detailed in Recipe for Success, remain as valid today as they were when the document was published in 2009. Since that date we have achieved much through partnership working across the publi…

15 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it collects on levels of potato consumption.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Food Standards Agency in Scotland publish an annual estimation of food and nutrient intake which includes data on potato consumption.

15 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to the potato sector to help with variety development.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government supports potato breeding and variety development activities in Scotland by funding underpinning strategic research into relevant areas such as potato genomics, pests and diseases and agronomy. The total planned investment by the Scotti…

15 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the dietary goal of increasing potato consumption by 25%, as set out in Preventing Overweight and Obesity in Scotland: A Route Map Towards Healthy Weight, is met, and whether it is on course to achieve this.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Preventing Overweight and Obesity in Scotland: A Route Map towards Healthy Weight recommended that the Scottish dietary goals outlined in the National Food and Drink Policy while not directed towards tackling obesity was an appropriate target at a populat…

5 Nov 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Minister for Environment and Climate Change has had with the Minister for Housing and Welfare regarding the environmental benefits of measures to tackle fuel poverty.

30 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions have taken place between the Minister for the Environment and Climate Change and the Minister for Local Government and Planning regarding the final Scottish Planning Policy and the National Planning Framework 3.

Answer · Derek Mackay: I have regular discussions with the Minister for Environment and Climate Change on policy areas of common interest, including those in Scottish Planning Policy and the National Planning Framework.

30 Oct 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing has had with the Minister for Housing and Welfare on food bank provision.

21 Oct 2013 · General Question

To ask to the Scottish Government when it will respond to the Audit Scotland report, NHS financial performance 2012/13.

4 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to consult on the tied model for pubs and, if so, when.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is currently engaged with Pub Sector interests to identify all empirical evidence that is available. At this stage there are no plans to carry out a formal consultation exercise.

4 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is regarding the tied pub model.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is currently engaged with the Pub Sector interests to identify all empirical evidence that is available so that Scottish Ministers can come to a view on this issue.

4 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with pub (a) tenants and (b) companies regarding the tied pub model since 2007.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism has met with a delegation from the Fair Deal for your Local.Com Campaign Group (the group consisted of members of the Scottish Licenced Trade Association (SLTA), UNISON, CAMRA and the Federation of Small Busines…

4 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many pubs have closed in each year since 2005 and how many of these were (a) free houses and (b) run under the tied pub model.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government does not collate information on whether pubs are tied or free houses, nor do we collate information on pub closures. It is not possible to meaningfully compare totals over a longer period of time due to changes in the way licences are …

4 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many pubs there are; how many are free houses, and how many are run under the tied pub model.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government collects figures on premises licensed to sell alcohol each year from local authorities, and these are published at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Crime-Justice/Datasets/DatasetsLiquor The most recent set of figu…

3 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that a wider deposit return scheme to encourage recycling of drink containers would lead to an increase in the retail price of the product.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-17643 on 1 November 2013. 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/parliamentar…