Parliamentary questions
Patrick Harvie
1,454 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
3 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what greenhouse gas emissions from existing domestic buildings were in each year since 1989 in million tonnes of CO2 equivalent (MTCO2e).
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There is a range of ways in which emissions data can be presented and data given in published reports will vary according to the assumptions made and what is included/excluded.</p> <p >However, from 2006 information on carbon dioxide emissions from household…
3 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what greenhouse gas emissions from existing non-domestic buildings were in each year since 1989 in million tonnes of CO2 equivalent (MTCO2e).
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Such detailed information on the greenhouse gas emissions from existing non-domestic buildings is not held by the Scottish Government. However, from 2007 information from the Building Research Establishment, it is estimated that the non-domestic building stoc…
1 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice and support it intends to offer to Scottish university and college students if they refuse to comply with the UK Government’s ID card scheme.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is opposed to the UK National Identity Scheme and Scottish ministers have made clear to the Westminster Government that they are opposed to the implementation of the National Identity Scheme and the introduction of identity cards linke…
25 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the submissions received by the reporters were (a) partly and (b) fully outside the remit of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route public local inquiry.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The reporters appointed by the Scottish ministers will consider only those representations that fall within the remit of the public local inquiry and the terms of their appointment. The information requested will be contained in their report.</p>
25 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many written submissions to the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route public local inquiry the reporters considered and how many were from (a) individuals and (b) organisations.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The reporters appointed by the Scottish ministers will consider only those representations that fall within the remit of the public local inquiry and the terms of their appointment. The information requested will be contained in their report.</p>
25 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many written submissions to the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route public local inquiry the reporters received and how many were from (a) individuals and (b) organisations.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Scottish ministers have received more than 10,000 representations concerning the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. These have been passed to the reporters appointed to conduct the public local inquiry and will be considered as they formulate their findings a…
14 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what dialogue it has had with the HIV Blood Transfusion Group on the development of terms of reference for a public inquiry into contaminated blood and blood products.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I have met twice with representatives of the Scottish Haemophilia Forum about the public inquiry into hepatitis C and HIV infection from NHS treatment with blood and blood products. The Scottish Government has not had a direct meeting with the HIV Blood Trans…
17 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the expert group on privacy will report on its work and whether such reports will be published.
Answer · John Swinney: The expert group has been tasked with developing high-level draft principles on identity assurance and privacy. It is anticipated that it will report to ministers on its work by March 2009, and that a public consultation on the draft principles will follow.</…
17 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the expert group on privacy has examined the operation of Scottish citizen accounts.
Answer · John Swinney: The examination of the operation of the Scottish Citizen''s Account is not within the remit of the expert group.</p> <p >Atos Consulting have been commissioned by the Scottish Government to carry out an independent review of the security and data protection …
17 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the expert group on privacy will next meet and what issues will be included on its agenda.
Answer · John Swinney: The expert group will meet next on 15 December 2008. An agenda has not yet been prepared.</p>
17 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how often the expert group on privacy has met since it was announced on 9 September 2008 and what issues were discussed at each meeting.
Answer · John Swinney: The expert group has met once on 6 October 2008. At that meeting the group discussed the terms of reference and ways of working, and its remit to develop draft principles on identity assurance and privacy for public consultation, and provide high level advic…
17 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there have been to the membership of the expert group on privacy since it was announced on 9 September 2008.
Answer · John Swinney: There has been one change: Gareth Crossman from Liberty accepted a new job in an unrelated field and therefore withdrew from the group before its first meeting.</p>
17 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15893 by John Swinney on 17 September 2008, in what ways a register covering the whole population would differ from a national identity register.
Answer · John Swinney: In this context, a register covering the whole population would be a list of everybody resident in Scotland on a particular date, similar to the census. Like the census, it would be used for statistical and research purposes, not as a way of establishing iden…
10 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any ministers have met representatives of BAA since May 2007 and, if so, when these meetings were, who was present and what matters were discussed.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Ministers have met senior officials from BAA on four occasions since May 2007 and were accompanied by a senior official from the Scottish Government at each meeting. The information is set out in the following table:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpa…
10 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which airport operators ministers have met since May 2007; when these meetings took place; who was present, and what issues were discussed at each meeting.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Ministers have met airport operators on 10 occasions since May 2007 and were accompanied by a senior official from the Scottish Government at each meeting. The information is set out in the following table:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 >…
4 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many charges brought under section 13(9) of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 have been (a) reported to procurators fiscal by police and (b) prosecuted in each year since 2003-04.
Answer · Frank Mulholland: The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has not received any reports containing charge(s) under Section 13(9) of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995.</p>
4 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many charges recorded as aggravated by religious prejudice under section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 have been (a) reported to procurators fiscal by police, (b) prosecuted, (c) marked for no proceedings and (d) disposed of in other ways in each year since 2003-04.
Answer · Frank Mulholland: The following table shows the number of charges reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service with a religious aggravation recorded and how these charges were dealt with.</p> <p >Charge Aggravations: Religious<sup>1,2,5</sup></p> <table border…
4 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many charges brought under sections 18 to 23 of the Public Order Act 1986 have been (a) reported to procurators fiscal by police, (b) prosecuted, (c) marked for no proceedings and (d) disposed of in other ways in each year since 2003-04.
Answer · Frank Mulholland: The following table shows the number of charges reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service under Sections 18, 19 and 23 of the Public Order Act 1986, and how these charges were dealt with.</p> <p >Charges: Public Order Act 1986, Sections 18, …
4 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many charges recorded as racially aggravated under section 96 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 have been (a) reported to procurators fiscal by police, (b) prosecuted, (c) marked for no proceedings and (d) disposed of in other ways in each year since 2003-04.
Answer · Elish Angiolini: The following table shows the number of charges reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service with a racial aggravation recorded and how these charges were dealt with.</p> <p >Charge Aggravations: Racial<sup>1,2,4</sup></p> <table border=0 cel…
4 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many charges brought under section 50A of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 have been (a) reported to procurators fiscal by police, (b) prosecuted, (c) marked for no proceedings and (d) disposed of in other ways in each year since 2003-04.
Answer · Frank Mulholland: The following table shows the number of charges reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service under Section 50A of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995, and how these charges were dealt with.</p> <p >Charges: Criminal Law (Consol…
1 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to replace the Census with an alternative method of gathering information and, if so, what alternatives it has considered.
Answer · John Swinney: There are no such plans.</p>
1 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with the Registrar General for Scotland regarding the replacement of the Census with an identity register.
Answer · John Swinney: The Registrar General for Scotland and the Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism have discussed informally the scope for providing improved census-type information, for instance through some form of register covering the whole population. But, as I said…
1 Aug 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans to conduct further research into the improvements in road safety that can be made through the introduction of 20mph speed limits.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There are no such plans at present.</p>
1 Aug 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities are able to introduce 20mph speed limits on traffic distributor roads.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Local authorities have power to introduce 20mph speed limits on any road for which they are the roads authority, where that level of speed limit is considered to be appropriate.</p>
1 Aug 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the legal status is of the term traffic distributor road.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The term traffic distributor road has no legal status.</p>
24 Jul 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what records it maintains of public buildings, including schools, that were constructed with the use of asbestos and if this information (a) has been or (b) will be made available to the public.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government does not hold information on the incidence of asbestos in schools or other public buildings. The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2006 place a duty on those with responsibilities for buildings to manage the risk from asbestos. I…
23 Jul 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when ministers expect carbon capture and storage technologies to be ready for use in Scotland.
Answer · Jim Mather: The current Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) competition being run by the UK Government sets a deadline of 2014 for the chosen project to be operational on a commercial scale. We are hopeful that a Scottish based project will win that competition.</p> <p >We…
23 Jul 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact would be on carbon emissions if coal-fired generation capacity were replaced by equivalent renewable capacity.
Answer · Jim Mather: It is likely that thermal baseload, utilising carbon reducing technology, will be required into the future to help meet security of supply objectives.</p> <p >If fitted with carbon capture and storage equipment, estimates from the Intergovernmental Panel on…
23 Jul 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of electricity generation capacity ministers expect to be delivered by coal by 2020.
Answer · Jim Mather: The composition of Scotland''s future electricity generation will be dependent on a number of factors, including relative cost of fuels, requirements in relation to carbon emissions and related investment decisions made by the private sector. Therefore, we do…
23 Jul 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much investment in clean coal technologies ministers plan to make (a) in the current financial year and (b) during the current spending review period.
Answer · Jim Mather: Investment in clean coal technologies in Scotland is largely a matter for the private sector promoted by regulation in relation to carbon emissions. However, financial support is required for demonstration of carbon capture and storage and we have urged the U…