Liam McArthur

18 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications to the Land Managers Options mechanism received in 2008 were paid out in 2009, broken down by (a) option and (b) size of allowance allocated, also expressed as percentages.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The following table shows the number of Land Managers Option (LMO) applications received in 2008 and paid in 2009 (the remainder of the payments are still being made, in 2010) by option. LMO is non-competitive and there is no approval process so applicants ar…

18 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications to the Land Managers Options mechanism were received in 2009 and how many have been (a) approved and (b) rejected, broken down by (i) option and (ii) size of allowance allocated, also expressed as percentages.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The following table shows the number of Land Managers Option (LMO) applications received in 2009 by option. LMO is non-competitive and there is no approval process so applicants are eligible for payment if they apply and comply with the rules. The maximum all…

12 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total value was of the approved Energy Saving Scotland home loan applications in each month since March 2009.

Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32380 on 23 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 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many Energy Saving Scotland home loan applications have been approved in each month since March 2009.

Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32380 on 23 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 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many Energy Saving Scotland home loan applications have been received in each month since March 2009.

Answer · Jim Mather: The following table illustrates the number of loans applied for and approved, plus the value of these, under the Energy Saving Scotland home loans scheme, broken down by month since the launch of the scheme on 8 October 2009.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing…

12 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much financial support was provided to microgeneration technology installations in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Jim Mather: Domestic installations supported by Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grants (formerly part of Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative) and home loans:</b></p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td widt…

12 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many microgeneration technology installations have been supported financially in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Jim Mather: Domestic installations supported by Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grants (formerly part of Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative) and home loans:</b></p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td vali…

12 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of non-domestic buildings are estimated to have microgeneration technologies installed.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government gathers data on the number of non-domestic installations supported by Energy Saving Scotland small business loans and the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES). These figures in total are as follows:</p> <p >Number of Installa…

12 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of domestic properties have microgeneration technologies installed.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government gathers data on the number of domestic installations supported by Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grants and home loans. These figures in total are as follows:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td va…

12 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much energy is produced by microgeneration technologies installed in buildings occupied by it and its agencies, also expressed as a percentage of the overall energy usage across the estate.

Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32374 on 24 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 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the energy used in buildings occupied by it and its agencies that have microgeneration technologies installed is derived from such technologies.

Answer · Jim Mather: Information relating to energy produced by microgeneration technologies currently installed in buildings occupied by the core Scottish Government is not currently recorded separately. Panels for solar water heating are installed at Tweedbank in Galashiels and…

12 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of buildings occupied by it and its agencies have microgeneration technologies installed.

Answer · Jim Mather: Panels for solar water heating are currently installed at Tweedbank in Galashiels. With the estate comprising 68 buildings, where the Scottish Government are the sole or major occupier, this represents 1.5%. As part of a current refurbishment project at Saugh…

12 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-16666 by Jim Mather on 22 October 2008, what assessment it has made of the impact of any changes introduced since 1 January 2009 to the accreditation standards for installers of microgeneration equipment on the (a) cost of accreditation, (b) numbers …

Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32370 on 19 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 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-16666 by Jim Mather on 22 October 2008, whether a consultation into possible changes to the accreditation standards for installers of microgeneration equipment has been undertaken and, if so, what the result was.

Answer · Jim Mather: There has been no formal Scottish consultation into possible changes to the accreditation standards for installers of microgeneration equipment. The industry-led group proposing the changes represents the views of many Scottish installers and they have ensure…

12 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-16666 by Jim Mather on 22 October 2008, what changes have been introduced since 1 January 2009 to the accreditation standards for installers of microgeneration equipment and what the reasons are for such changes.

Answer · Jim Mather: No changes have yet been made to the accreditation standards for installers of microgeneration equipment in Scotland. The Scottish Government recently received proposals for changes to the accreditation requirements from the industry led working group. We are…

2 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the strategic environmental assessment for offshore wind in Scottish territorial waters will spatially identify areas for development, including areas (a) requiring significant protection from development and (b) of search where development is likely to be acceptable, and what the…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Strategic Environmental Assessment will assess the likely impact upon the environment of offshore wind developments (including cumulative effects from more than one development, and from other types of developments) and identify three types of spatial are…

2 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) for offshore wind in Scottish territorial waters has not yet been completed, given that an SEA for the rest of the United Kingdom’s territorial waters was completed in June 2009.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32077 on 15 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/…

2 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the habitats regulations apply to its plan to develop offshore wind in Scottish territorial waters and, if so, what consideration will be given to the implications for Natura 2000 sites.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc.) Regulations 1994 do apply to the plan to develop offshore wind in Scottish territorial waters. Therefore, as part of the offshore wind SEA Environment Report commission, the Scottish Government has also undertaken a p…

2 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what date consultants were commissioned to undertake the strategic environmental assessment for offshore wind in Scottish territorial waters.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The SEA was taken forward in two parts. The first part; a screening and scoping assessment, was taken forward within government in spring 2009 and consulted on with key stakeholders. This assessment has been publicly available since June 2009. </p> <p >The …

2 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its news release of 29 October 2008, Potential of offshore wind energy, stating that it would prioritise completion of a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) on offshore wind energy within one year, what the reason is for the delay in the SEA’s completion.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is required to ensure that the process of developing the SEA on offshore wind is fully compliant with the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005, and furthermore than the SEA informs the future development plan. In order for this…

2 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when consultation will take place on the environmental report from the strategic environmental assessment for offshore wind in Scottish territorial waters.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: A formal consultation on the Environment Report from the Strategic Environmental Assessment will start in April 2010.</p>

2 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates that the environmental report from the strategic environmental assessment for offshore wind in Scottish territorial waters will be published.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Environment Report from the Strategic Environmental Assessment will be published in April 2010.</p>

2 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how (a) environmental, (b) fisheries, (c) recreational and (d) shipping interests are represented on the (i) Marine Energy Spatial Planning Group and (ii) Marine Strategic Studies Forum.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Marine Energy Spatial Planning Group (MESPG) is primarily a Scottish Government/local government partnership on marine renewables and does not contain wider representation.</p> <p >The Marine Strategic Studies Forum has representatives from the West of …

2 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what opportunities there will be for public and stakeholder participation in the preparation of the marine spatial plan for the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government intends to carry out an initial consultation on the framework and draft regional locational guidance starting in April 2010. There will be a full formal public consultation on the final draft of the marine spatial plan, in 2011.</p>

2 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish a marine spatial plan for the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The marine spatial plan for the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters is being developed in three stages. Stage 1, which sets out the existing relevant data on these waters as well as the framework for the final plan, will be published in April 2010, alongside dra…

2 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates the (a) Marine Energy Group, (b) Marine Strategic Studies Forum and (c) Marine Energy Spatial Planning Group has met since its inception.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Marine Energy Group has met on:</p> <p >January 2009 </p> <p >March 2009</p> <p >April 2009</p> <p >May 2009</p> <p >July 2009</p> <p >September 2009</p> <p >December 2009</p> <p >February 2010.</p> <p >The Marine Strategic Studies Forum…

2 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the membership is of the (a) Marine Energy Group, (b) Marine Energy Spatial Planning Group and (c) Marine Strategic Studies Forum.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The membership of the Marine Energy Group consisted of representatives from the following:</p> <p align=left >Scottish Renewables Forum</p> <p align=left >The Crown Estate</p> <p align=left >Scottish Government Energy </p> <p align=left >Marine Scotla…

2 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the role is of the (a) Marine Energy Group, (b) Marine Energy Spatial Planning Group and (c) Marine Strategic Studies Forum.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The role of the Marine Energy Group (MEG) was to accelerate delivery of the world''s leading marine energy industry in Scotland and deliver a road map for the sector. The group has completed the road map and (as is common with other Forum for Renewable Energy…

29 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-30269 by Richard Lochhead on 27 January 2010, whether it will give an example of an Act in which the term public authority is undefined that might serve as a precedent to determine the meaning of the expression in the Marine (Scotland) Bill.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Acts frequently refer to public authorities without listing which authorities are covered, or defining them in detail.</p> <p >The Human Rights Act 1998 is a good example. It contains no list or basic definition of public authority, and there is case law rel…

29 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-30269 by Richard Lochhead on 27 January 2010, whether the group of public authorities to which the Marine (Scotland) Bill will apply will be most similar to the group of bodies defined as public authorities in (a) section 6(3) of the Human Rights Act…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is of the view that any authority which is public for the purposes of the legislation referred to and which has devolved functions is also likely to be a public authority for the purposes of the bill.</p>