Parliamentary questions

Patrick Harvie

1,454 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

18 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will allow national voluntary organisations to access the 2011-12 Climate Challenge Fund and, if so, whether it considers that the resources allocated to the fund in the 2011-12 draft budget are adequate to meet any subsequent increased demand.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: There are no plans to allow national voluntary organisations access to the 2011-12 Climate Challenge Fund.

18 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the application process for the Climate Challenge Fund is straightforward for small community groups.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Climate Challenge Fund has successfully supported applications from a very substantial number of smaller and newly established community groups. However, we plan to review the application process of the extension to the Climate Challenge Fund to ensure it…

18 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the balance between large and small grants awarded to date by the Climate Challenge Fund.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The balance between smaller or larger grants has been driven by the applicant communities that come forward and the assessment of their applications by the independent panel. We will continue to evaluate performance of the fund and the efficiency and effectiv…

18 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether changes are planned in the administration or objectives of the Climate Challenge Fund in 2011-12.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: It is intended that Keep Scotland Beautiful will provide the administration services to support the Climate Challenge Fund in 2011-12. No changes to the objectives of the fund are planned and they remain as below. The community must be at…

2 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any assurances, statements, views or comments were given by the First Minister to the Trump Organization on the likely outcome of its planning application for the Menie Estate at his meeting with their representatives on 3 December 2007.

Answer · John Swinney: No. Mr Salmond undertook this meeting in his capacity as the MSP for Gordon and was excluded from the decision making process on this application.

2 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that any communication from ministers or civil servants between 29 November and 10 December 2007 could be interpreted as encouraging the Trump Organization to expect that its planning application for the Menie Estate would be granted and, if so, who was involved in an…

Answer · John Swinney: No.

2 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) phone calls, (b) letters, (c) emails and (d) other communications were made between its ministers, officials and representatives and the Trump Organization between 29 November and 10 December 2007.

Answer · John Swinney: Substantial information was published by the Scottish Government on the Menie Estate planning application. These documents, which include the period between 29 November and 10 December 2007, are available on the Scottish Government website at: <a hr…

11 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it remains its intention to publish the final identity management and privacy principles in October 2010, as stated in a letter dated July 2010 from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, and whether a date has been set.

Answer · John Swinney: The analysis report was published on 30 September 2010 and comments were requested by 15 October 2010, with the aim of publishing the final version of the principles before the end of October 2010. On 12 October 2010, Scottish Government officials presented t…

30 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has researched the risk exposure to the economy of an EU or UK-wide moratorium being agreed on offshore drilling.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has consistent data, collected by Oil and Gas UK, which estimate that 33,800 people are directly employed by the sector with 73% of those in Scotland. Clearly, this suggests that any moratorium could impact significantly in Scotland.</…

24 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has researched the risk exposure to the economy of an oil spill resulting from deepwater drilling.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government recognises the potential seriousness of any such incident in both environmental and economic terms. Because of such concerns the First Minister wrote to the Prime Minister suggesting that a major oil spill exercise be held as soon as p…

16 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has sought, or intends to seek, with the Committee on Climate Change regarding the national planning framework, and whether it will publish this advice.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: As consultations on the second National Planning Framework preceded the formal establishment of the Committee on Climate Change, the opportunity to seek advice from the committee on the framework''s content was not available. The Scottish Government''s climat…

16 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has sought, or intends to seek, with the Committee on Climate Change regarding the proposals for a new coal-fired power station at Hunterston, and whether it will publish this advice.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Given the role of Scottish ministers in determining this application it would be inappropriate to comment on its specifics at this stage. A decision will be made on this application in due course. Advice received from the Committee on Climate Change …

16 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Disability Working Group last met; what plans there are for future meetings, and what role the group has in informing policy on disability.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Disability Working Group was established by ministers as a strategic short-term group in 2004, following the European Year of Disabled People (EYDP) in 2003. The remit of the group was: to establish priorities for the Scottish Government and part…

1 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed rail timetable for Ayrshire and Inverclyde passenger services will require changes to the Glasgow Airport Rail Link Act 2007.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No. The Glasgow Airport Rail Link Act (2007) authorises the construction and subsequent maintenance of certain specified authorised works associated with railway infrastructure. Operational railway timetables are a matter for Network Rail Infrastructure Limit…

1 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to consult on the future use of the additional capacity in the rail network between Glasgow and Paisley.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We can confirm that there will be consultation on the revisions to the Ayrshire and Inverclyde rail passenger timetables, brought about as a consequence of the additional capacity arising from the Paisley Corridor Improvements project. This process has not ye…

14 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it expects local authorities to fund support services for disabled people who (a) reside in the local authority area or (b) come from the local authority area but reside in another.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government expects all local authorities to have a range of services in place to meet the needs of its local population. Under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, Scottish local authorities have a duty to provide community care ser…

7 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to conduct a public consultation exercise to examine the merits of any proposal from the Scottish Funding Council to merge Glasgow Metropolitan College, the Glasgow College of Nautical Studies and Central College, Glasgow.

Answer · Keith Brown: Ministers launched a public consultation exercise on the prospect of the merger on 21 December 2009. Ministers are also aware of the outcome of the separate consultation exercise undertaken by the colleges concerned. Ministers have received since then a range…

7 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the information used by it to inform its decision on any proposal from the Scottish Funding Council to merge Glasgow Metropolitan College, the Glasgow College of Nautical Studies and Central College, Glasgow will be made public.

Answer · Keith Brown: We will be happy to make available all information upon which Ministers base their decision, with the exception of information which might be exempt under freedom of information legislation.

7 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information will be available to it to inform its decision on any proposal from the Scottish Funding Council to merge Glasgow Metropolitan College, the Glasgow College of Nautical Studies and Central College, Glasgow.

Answer · Keith Brown: The proposal to merge has been made to ministers by the colleges themselves. Ministers will consider the detailed merger proposal document submitted by the colleges and the advice of the Scottish Funding Council, which has a statutory duty to advise ministers…

10 Jun 2010 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the likely reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as a result of the recession.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The emissions projections used by the Scottish Government and the Committee on Climate Change take account of the recession based on the 2009 growth forecasts. These show emissions falling by 0.4% between 2007 and 2008, by 1.2% between 2008 and 2009, and by 0…

9 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many primary school children travelled to school by school bus in each local authority area in each of the last three years.

Answer · Keith Brown: This information is not collected centrally. However, I understand that the Hands Up Survey, which can be found electronically on the organisation Sustrans web site at <a href="http://www.sustrans.org.uk/">www.sustrans.org.uk</a>, may be able to provide some …

9 Jun 2010 · Written Question

Answer · Keith Brown: The information requested is not available. I am, however, able to provide information with regard to the total spend on school transport in each authority for financial years 2007-08 and 2008-09, the latest year for which we have information. The information…

9 Jun 2010 · Written Question

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The following table sets out Scottish Government investment that includes support for encouraging primary school children to cycle and walk to school in financial years 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead…

9 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase the number of schoolchildren who travel to school by school bus in order to reduce the number travelling by car.

Answer · Keith Brown: Free school transport is already provided for school children living some distance from school. For those living nearer, the work of School Travel Co-ordinators is already significantly focused on this issue of reducing car journeys, but by increasing walking…

9 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many miles it expects primary school children to walk to school before being offered transport.

Answer · Keith Brown: Authorities have a duty under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to make such arrangements as they consider necessary for the transport between home and school of pupils residing, and attending schools, in their area. In considering whether to make arrangement…

9 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage primary school-age children to walk or cycle to school.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government is supporting a range of initiatives to encourage primary school children to walk and cycle to school. This includes support for local authorities to encourage active travel through the Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets grant of £9.09…

1 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that a lack of up-to-date statistics on the social enterprise sector, including number of organisations, employees and turnover, is a barrier to measuring how effective the Enterprising Third Sector Action Plan is in developing the sector.

Answer · John Swinney: As part of the national performance framework the Scottish Government annually publishes the indicator on social economy turnover, this includes the social enterprise sector. This information is available on the Scotland Performs website: <p …

1 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers the major barriers are in mapping the social enterprise sector.

Answer · John Swinney: As there is no legal definition or regulation for social enterprise, there is no single source of data to support mapping of the sector. We fund the Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition as a strategic partner of Scottish Government to provide advice and infor…

27 May 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any members of the British National Party who are currently employed as classroom teachers in Scottish schools.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is not aware of any members of the British National Party who are currently employed as classroom teachers in Scottish schools.

27 May 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has the legal power to prohibit members of organisations such as the British National Party from holding public service posts including that of classroom teacher.

Answer · Michael Russell: The General Teaching Council Scotland Code of Professionalism and Conduct states that teachers must not be prejudiced in their views about learners lifestyle, culture, disability, beliefs, colour, gender, language, sexuality or age. If a teacher breached the …