Parliamentary questions
Rob Gibson
971 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
4 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to offer support to young curlers who have to travel long distances to rinks.
Answer · Shona Robison: Funding for supported athletes is available and routed through the recognised sports governing bodies, in this instance the Royal Caledonian Curling Club, who enter into an annual investment agreement with sportscotland to support the development plan for the…
4 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the location is of each rink available for curling.
Answer · Shona Robison: A comprehensive list of ice-rinks in Scotland where curling is played can be found on the website of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club, the governing body for curling in Scotland. This information can be found at: http://www.royalcaledoniancurlingclub.org/rcc…
4 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it gives to curling rinks to help ensure their availability.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has provided over £1 million through sportscotland''s sports facilities fund to support the development of curling and the upgrading of ice sport facilities. Since 2007-08, this investment has delivered upgraded facilities in Dumfries …
22 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will meet its obligations under section 71 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 regarding permitted development rights for microgeneration equipment on non-domestic properties.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Town And Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Non-Domestic Microgeneration) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2011 (SSI 2011/136), to introduce permitted development rights for microgeneration equipment on non-domestic properties, was laid in the Pa…
19 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide an update on its policy for the long-term management of higher activity radioactive waste arising in Scotland.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I am pleased to announce publication today of the policy for higher activity radioactive waste arising in Scotland and also the Post-Adoption Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Statement. The documents can be accessed at www.scotland.gov.uk/hawpolicy an…
24 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce its decision on the future of the Sustainable Development Commission Scotland.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Following the UK Government''s decision to withdraw funding from the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC), the Scottish Government has considered the options for the way forward in Scotland. We have valued the SDC''s work promoting and advising on sustain…
13 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish advice, in the form of public documents or private correspondence, given to farmers regarding the importation of cloned embryos or selling the products from clones and their offspring into the food chain, including that given by the Department for Environment, Food…
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has not issued any advice to farmers regarding importing embryos or placing products from clones or their offspring on the market.</p> <p >Guidance on the rules for the importation of bovine embryos is on the Defra website. This guid…
30 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on broadband support in areas under the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) and when details of delivery will be announced.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I am pleased to announce today that a new Challenge Fund will deliver support for rural broadband solutions through the LEADER network in Scotland.</p> <p >This will deliver one million euros of much needed support for broadband projects in rural areas and …
29 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the annual progress report on tackling climate change will be published.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: <i >The Climate Change in Scotland: Annual Report 2009-10</i> is now available at <strong><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/06/29093219">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/06/29093219</a>.</strong></p>
2 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many hectares of tree planting have been approved in 2010-11 under the Scotland Rural Development Programme.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: There are two elements of the Scotland Rural Development Programme under which woodland creation may be funded.</p> <p >For Rural Priorities, the amount of tree planting approved under woodland creation options is 7,500 hectares in 2010, and 1,027 hectares i…
27 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to limit any damage to the soil on the farm near Coupar Angus where potato seed infected with Dickeya solani imported from the Netherlands via a farm in England has been found.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Dickeya infection is most likely to persist in the soil if potato material remains. For this reason the planted potatoes were ordered to be lifted immediately, before they could rot or produce new tubers. No potatoes are to be planted in the field until 2012,…
27 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the new planting rates are in Scottish forests.
30 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times has the scheduled call at Kirkwall in the Aberdeen to Lerwick Northlink service and the Lerwick to Aberdeen service been abandoned since April 2003.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Since the current contract started on 1 July 2006, 41 calls into Kirkwall have been cancelled. It is not possible to provide the figures prior to the start of the current contract, since the data is not readily available.</p>
30 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many days have the Aberdeen to Lerwick service and the Lerwick to Aberdeen services been interrupted by adverse weather conditions in each year since April 2003.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The information requested is not recorded in terms of the number of days the services are disrupted. The following tables list the reliability and punctuality figures for each operating year (July to June) since the current contract started. It is not possibl…
30 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many days have the Scrabster to Stromness and the Stromness to Scrabster services been interrupted by adverse weather conditions in each year since April 2003.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The information requested is not recorded in terms of the number of days the services are disrupted. The following tables list the reliability and punctuality figures for each operating year (July to June) since the current contract started. It is not possibl…
30 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual figures are for (a) passengers, (b) cars and (c) commercial vehicles carried on each ship in the Northlink fleet since April 2003.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Annual carrying statistics are recorded by route as follows:</p> <p >Lerwick-Aberdeen-Lerwick</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td valign=top > <p align=center >Year</p> </td> <td valign=top > <p align=ce…
30 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the quality of oil burned by the three ships in the Northlink fleet has ever changed since 2003.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The fuel/oil used by NorthLink Ferries on all of its vessels must comply with the European marine fuel directives. As emission targets change, the company ensures that compliant fuel is purchased.</p>
30 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost of bunker fuel has been in each year from April 2003 for the three ships in the Northlink fleet.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: NorthLink Ferries Ltd leases five vessels (three passenger ferries and two freighters). It is not straightforward to provide all the information requested, since the data is not readily available. However, the estimated cost of bunker fuel in the current cont…
30 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual costs are of leasing the three ships in the Northlink fleet which commenced in 2002.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: NorthLink Ferries Ltd leases five vessels (three passenger ferries and two freighters). The current annual leasing charge for the three passenger ferries leased by NorthLink Ferries Ltd is £9.9 million.</p>
6 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what actions it can take to legislate to regulate the use of Crown Estate land and Crown property rights in Scotland.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Scottish Parliament legislation may in general apply to Crown land in Scotland as it applies to other land. In the case of the Crown Estate, this is however subject to two restrictions. Scottish Parliament legislation cannot deal with the management of the Cr…
6 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what dues are paid to the Crown Estate from commercial harbours around Scotland.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: This information is not held centrally. Dues paid are negotiated on an individual basis between the Harbour Authorities and the Crown Estate.</p>
6 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the Treasury Committee’s Eighth Report of Session 2009-10, The management of the Crown Estate, in so far as it relates to land in Scotland.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government welcomes the Treasury Committee''s Report and its acknowledgement of the concern in Scotland on current arrangements for the Crown Estate Commissioners. Building on the Treasury Committee recommendations and working constructively with…
12 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on calls from the Scottish Surfing Federation for a Scottish team to take part in International Surfing Association events.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31777 on 10 March 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/…
12 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it supports surfing.
Answer · Shona Robison: EventScotland provided £25,000 to the 2009 O''Neill Coldwater Classic event and a further £25,000 to the 2008 O''Neill Highland Open which were both extremely successful events.</p> <p >Surfing is one of five key sports promoted via VisitScotland''s adventur…
12 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it could support the creation of a Scottish surfing team to take part in international events.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31777 on 10 March 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/…
12 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on calls from the Scottish Surfing Federation for a Scottish surfing team to take part in international events.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government would be supportive of the Scottish Surfing Federation developing a Scottish surfing team to take part in International events. However, they have not yet gone through the formal process for recognition as the sports governing body in …
11 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses will benefit from the new rates relief scheme for renewables companies, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) constituency.
Answer · John Swinney: Micro-generation and offshore energy generation are already exempted from payment of business rates. It is not possible at this stage to give details of the number of businesses that will benefit from the new rates relief scheme for renewable energy producers…
14 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide an update on its policy for the long-term management of higher activity radioactive waste arising in Scotland.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I am pleased to announce publication today of a Consultation Document and Environmental Report on Scotland''s Higher Activity Radioactive Waste Policy. The consultation is on a Detailed Statement of our Policy to support long‘term near surface, near site stor…
16 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make its determination on applications to upgrade the Beauly to Denny overhead transmission line.
Answer · Jim Mather: The decision regarding the upgrading of the Beauly to Denny overhead transmission line is an important one that has rightly generated a great deal of interest across Scotland. The evidence gathering involved the largest and longest running Public Local Inquir…
10 Dec 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what schemes offer the best examples of ways in which drug and alcohol offenders can build constructive lives.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The best way to reduce alcohol and drug-related crime is to get problem drug users into appropriate treatment and support services. We are committed to providing opportunities at all stages of the criminal justice system for people to access treatment.</p> <…