Parliamentary questions
Christine May
48 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 May 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making on partnership working with the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) and trade unions.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Since ministerssigned the Memorandum of Understanding with the STUC in April 2002, there has beensignificant progress in the breadth and depth of partnership working between tradeunions and Scottish Executive ministersand officials across a number of departme…
12 May 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in respect of the recent report by Scottish Chambers of Commerce on economic policy.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The resultsof the recent Scottish Chambers of Commerce Quarterly Economic Survey point towardsfurther growth and optimism in the Scottish economy.</p><p>We are currentlyreviewing our economic development framework and our enterprise strategy in orderto keep o…
21 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has come to any conclusions as a result of its consultation on Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in Scotland and how it intends to establish BIDs in line with A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Andy Kerr: An analysis of the 60 responseswe have received to our consultation on Business Improvement Districts has todaybeen placed in SPICe and the Scottish Executive library, it is also being publishedon the Scottish Executive website.</p><p>The response to the BIDs…
17 Mar 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in accrediting programmes to tackle offending behaviour.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Accreditationof programmes has a key part to play in reducing reoffending by supporting theconsistent delivery of effective practice in offender management programmes andpromoting continuous quality improvements.</p><p>Reduce,Rehabilitate, Reform – the Execut…
29 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a decision has been reached on the appointment of a new chair of Scottish Enterprise.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The First Ministerhas appointed Sir John Ward as the new chair of Scottish Enterprise. Sir John,who is currently chair of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), willtake up post on 14 February for a period of three years. Sir John has extensiveand high …
7 Jan 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to allow monies collected by Ofgem under the fossil fuel levy to be made available to the Scottish Consolidated Fund and what steps it will take to ensure that any such monies are used for the purpose of promoting renewable energy.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Energy Bill, introduced in the House of Lords on 27November, contains a clause which will enable Scottish ministers to directOfgem to pay funds from its Scottish fossil fuel levy account into the ScottishConsolidated Fund. The funds in question are surplu…
31 Dec 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to support urban post offices in central Fife and other areas; when any such support might be available, and how it may be obtained.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Executivehas informed all eligible post offices about the £2 million fund to develop postoffices in deprived urban areas and began accepting applications from March2003. Further information on the fund, along with details of the applicationprocess, can be…
5 Dec 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage increase in recycling there has been since the introduction of the strategic waste fund.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The most recent AccountsCommission figures are for 2001-02. These show that, compared to the previousyear, councils increased the amount of household waste that was recycled from6% to 8%. The Strategic Waste Fund came into operation in the final quarter of200…
5 Dec 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of recycling schemes is (a) community-based and (b) corporate-led, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The information requested isnot held centrally. The Community Recycling Network Scotland iscurrently carrying out a mapping exercise to identify how many communityrecycling schemes there are in Scotland as well as the environmental, social and economicimpact …
5 Dec 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what schemes, and how many, have been funded by the strategic waste fund.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The strategic waste fund wasestablished in January 2001. Twenty one local authorities have received majorawards totalling £99,950,000 to 2005-06 to assist the implementation of theirarea waste plans.</p><p>In addition, in 2000-01, £3 millionwas distributed be…
5 Dec 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been allocated under the strategic waste fund since its inception.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The strategic waste fund wasestablished in January 2001. Expenditure in previous years and amounts awardedto date for the current and future years are set out in the table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Year</p> <…
5 Dec 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to make representations to Her Majesty's Government to gain a reduction in fuel tax for carbon neutral fuels such as biodiesel.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issuesincluding fuel duty.</p>
5 Dec 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any Scotland-based producers of biodiesel.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: There are a number of smallbiodiesel plants in Scotland, but details are not held centrally.</p>
5 Dec 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to encourage the production and use of biodiesel.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: We are working closely withthe UK Government and the developing biofuels sector to encourage theproduction and use of biofuels. In particular, we are currently working with theUK Government on the transposition of the European Commission Directive 2003/30on t…
5 Dec 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the availability of biodiesel is for motorists in Scotland.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: There are two biodieselsuppliers in Scotland, Rix Petroleum Limited and Johnstone Fuels andLubricants. Between them they have 28 biodiesel outlets in Scotland: in Alyth; Auchtermuchty;Bishopton; Brechin; Broughty Ferry; Castle Douglas; Clydebank; Comrie; Crie…
5 Dec 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will use the hosting of the MTV awards to promote (a) Edinburgh and (b) Scotland as a tourist and event destination.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The MTV audience is animportant target market for Scottish tourism, and the hosting of the MTV Awardswill continue to be used as part of marketing Scotland and Edinburgh tothat audience. VisitScotland showed the Active Scotland television advert onMTV during …
29 Oct 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making towards meeting its renewable energy targets.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We haveestablished the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland as a joint public and privatesector initiative to help ensure that Scotland both meets its renewables targets and achieves the maximum economicbenefits from the development of our renew…
8 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Department for Trade and Industry in relation to the security of electricity supply over the winter months.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The regulation of theelectricity sector, including ensuring security of electricity supply, is areserved matter.</p><p>The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) ona wide range of energy-related issues. In par…