Patrick Harvie

30 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people under 18 have been placed on Lifelong Restriction Orders since the establishment of the Risk Management Authority, and what proportion of the total number of people placed on such orders in Scotland is under 18.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Order for Lifelong Restriction (OLR), which is a life sentence, has been available to the High Court of the Justiciary since June 2006. The following table sets out the number of OLR sentences imposed by the court including those for offenders under the a…

26 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason section 206 of the Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Act 2007 has not been fully commenced and when the insertion of section 73D into the Debtors (Scotland) Act 1987 will be implemented.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Section 206 of the Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Act 2007 inserts section 73D into the Debtors (Scotland) Act 1985. Section 73D contains a requirement for a Debt Advice and Information Package (DAIP) to be provided to a debtor within 48 hours of an…

25 Jan 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its reasons are for placing independent custody visiting on a statutory footing as part of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill.

11 Jan 2012 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to prevent land and property transactions being used for the purpose of laundering money and other criminal activities.

22 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to publish the reports required under section 37(2) of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 on the emissions of greenhouse gases that have been “produced by or otherwise associated with the consumption and use of goods and services” for (a) 2010 and (b) 2011.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government is currently reviewing options for reporting on the greenhouse gas emissions attributable to Scotland’s consumption of goods and services in order to determine the most suitable approach to fulfilling the reporting duty in section 37 o…

21 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that (a) it and (b) other public bodies exercise their functions relating to activities such as opencast coal mining and peat extraction in accordance with the requirements of section 44 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Public bodies exercise their functions in accordance with section 44 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 using guidance required by Part 4 of the Act published in February 2011.

21 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the carbon balance of opencast coal mining, including any carbon losses associated with peatland impacts, are a material consideration when determining planning applications for opencast coal mining and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answer · Derek Mackay: It is for decision-makers to decide if a consideration such as carbon balance is material and to assess the weight to be attached to each material consideration. Guidance on material considerations is given in Annex A of Circular 4/2009 – Development Manageme…

21 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it expects developers of (a) opencast coal mines on peatlands and (b) peat extraction sites to carry out a carbon emissions assessment and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government does not require developers to carry out carbon emissions assessments on opencast coal or peat extraction sites. The Scottish Government has supported the development of a carbon calculator for use in establishing the carbon savings fr…

21 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the carbon impacts of peat removal for opencast coal mining are assessed.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Assessment is a matter for applicants, statutory consultees and decision-takers. While there is no obligation on opencast coal developers to assess the carbon impacts of peat removal, the methodology set out in Technical Note 2.0.1 supporting the Scottish Gov…

21 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether planned or currently operating opencast coal mines impact or will impact on protected sites and, if so, what those impacts are.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Where planned or currently operating opencast coal mines could impact on protected sites, planning conditions will apply to ensure that impacts are avoided or mitigated, for example through habitat management plans. Such conditions are framed by planning auth…

21 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many hectares of (a) lowland raised and (b) upland blanket bog will be used for consented opencast coal mines.

Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04759 on 19 January 2012. 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…

21 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many hectares of (a) lowland raised and (b) upland blanket bog will be used for opencast coal mines that are in the planning system.

Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04759 on 18 January 2011. 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…

21 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many hectares of (a) lowland raised and (b) upland blanket bog have been used for opencast coal mines in each year since 2001.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested.

21 Dec 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs is doing to ensure that diversity is represented in broadcasting and the arts.

14 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-03362 by Aileen Campbell on 16 November 2011, what unauthorised activities or breaches of consent it is aware of.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government does not hold centrally information on unauthorised activities or breaches of consent. These are matters for the relevant authority.

14 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the use of lead shot in the 2014 Commonwealth Games will contravene the Environmental Protection (Restriction on Use of Lead Shot) (Scotland) (No.2) Regulations 2004.

Answer · Shona Robison: No. Consideration is being given to a range of available measures to ensure compliance with the Regulations for the purposes of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

14 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has advised the European Commission of any 2014 Commonwealth Games facilities to be constructed on Natura sites.

Answer · Shona Robison: My understanding is that the circumstances which might require contact with the European Commission in this context do not pertain at this stage in the development of the proposal for shooting on the site at Barry Buddon for the Commonwealth Games.

14 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will propose compensation measures for any short or long-term loss or damage to protected habitats or species as a result of any 2014 Commonwealth Games facilities being constructed on sites of special scientific interest or Natura sites.

Answer · Shona Robison: Proposals for the Commonwealth Games shooting events on the site at Barry Buddon are at an early stage of development. My understanding is that the circumstances which might require the consideration of compensation measures in this context do not pertain at …

14 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has carried out an appropriate assessment for any 2014 Commonwealth Games facilities to be constructed on sites of special scientific interest or Natura sites.

Answer · Shona Robison: The undertaking of an appropriate assessment under the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 (as amended), is a matter for the relevant competent authorities when executing their statutory functions. In the case of the Commonwealth Games site …

14 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether plans for the 2014 Commonwealth Games involve constructing facilities on areas designated as sites of special scientific interest or Natura sites.

Answer · Shona Robison: The only Commonwealth Games site which impacts upon these types of designation is the military training ground at Barry Buddon which will host the shooting events in 2014. I can confirm that the plans as currently drafted involve the construction of temporary…

13 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it has dealt with conflict between prioritisation criteria in the Infrastructure Investment Plan 2011.

Answer · Alex Neil: Scottish ministers decide on the priorities given to the range of potential investments in the light of the government’s purpose and the four prioritisation criteria that are derived from that purpose. Prioritisation occurs at two levels: each cabinet secreta…

13 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which projects deliver which of the four prioritisation criteria outlined in the Infrastructure Investment Plan 2011.

Answer · Alex Neil: The assessment of proposed projects and programmes against the prioritisation criteria is an initial high-level assessment of the outcome. This provides a reasonable overview of the likely outcomes from the full suite of investments, but providing the assessm…

13 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it has assessed the climate impact of the investment proposals in the Infrastructure Investment Plan 2011.

Answer · Alex Neil: As set out on page 13 of the Infrastructure Investment Plan, a high-level initial assessment of how projects and programmes are expected to contribute to the four prioritisation criteria has been undertaken. The four criteria are delivering sustainable econom…

13 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it undertook a strategic environmental assessment for the Infrastructure Investment Plan 2011.

Answer · Alex Neil: As set out on page 5 of the Infrastructure Investment Plan, a strategic environmental assessment has not been undertaken, as budgetary plans and programmes are outwith the scope of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. However, the individual proj…

13 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will require potential sponsors of the 2014 Commonwealth Games to publish country-by-country financial reports as part of the selection process.

Answer · Shona Robison: Commercial sponsorship for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games is a matter for the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee. It is not the intention to publish material drawn upon as part of the selection process but the organising committee will undertake due dilig…

13 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether clear evidence of (a) human rights abuses, (b) environmental crimes or (c) tax evasion will exclude a company from sponsoring the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Answer · Shona Robison: Commercial sponsorship for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games is a matter for the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee. The organising committee applies due diligence checks to all potential sponsors and would never engage with an organisation that has any invo…

13 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used to select corporate sponsors for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Answer · Shona Robison: Commercial sponsorship for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games is a matter for the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee. The organising committee will seek to engage commercial partners across a range of sponsorship categories that are considered to be in the be…

30 Nov 2011 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there is adequate winter resilience preparation across the country.

18 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase the provision of foreign language assistants in schools.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: The employment of Foreign Language Assistants (FLAs) in Scottish schools is a matter for local authorities to decide. Scottish Government is working with British Council Scotland and local authorities to highlight the added value that FLAs bring to a school’s…

10 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what safety assessments it is aware of in relation to extending the lifespan of existing nuclear power stations, following the nuclear incident at Fukushima.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Life extensions of nuclear stations must be agreed by the Health and Safety Executive on behalf of the UK Government. The decision to extend the life of a station will be made on the basis of a Periodic Safety Review of each site.