Parliamentary questions

Liam McArthur

3,663 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

7 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24912 by Jim Mather on 17 June 2009, whether it intends to publish thermal generation guidance for Scotland based on a consultation applicable only to England and Wales.

Answer · Jim Mather: Thermal generation guidance for Scotland will be based on the revised section 36 guidance for the development of thermal power stations which was published in late 2008 for consultation. In addition to this consultation process, we have also had on-going enga…

7 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will encourage new coal-fired power stations to operate carbon capture and storage from the outset or to be able to meet an equivalent emissions performance standard by other means.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government''s thermal guidance will set out policy on the development of CCS technology for both new and existing power plant. This guidance will be issued following consideration of responses to our consultation on this subject last year and the…

7 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to match its thermal generation guidance with that introduced by the UK Government.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is awaiting the completion of the UK consultation process before finalising its own thermal generation guidance to ensure that the regulatory framework in broad terms is similar across the UK as a whole, with the overall objective of e…

7 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what minimum percentage of a new coal-fired power plant’s gross output of emissions it considers should be able to be covered initially by carbon capture and storage.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government will issue its final thermal guidance later this year following the completion of the UK consultation process. This thermal guidance will set out policy on the introduction of CCS levels to new and existing power plant, in terms of tim…

7 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it acceptable for new coal-fired power stations to have a defined carbon capture and storage capacity of no more than 400 megawatt (gross).

7 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it aims for new coal-fired power stations in Scotland to demonstrate carbon capture and storage capacity greater than that required in England and Wales.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government aims to encourage early carbon capture and storage deployment in Scotland with the objective of decarbonisation of the electricity sector by 2030. styl

7 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the UK Government proposals for carbon capture and storage (CCS) demonstration projects to demonstrate CCS on only 400 megawatt (gross) of capacity.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government aims to ensure that the regulatory framework in broad terms is similar across the UK as a whole, with the overall objective of encouraging CCS deployment and the objective of decarbonisation of the electricity sector by 2030. We will a…

7 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the development of an emissions performance standard for power plants in Scotland.

Answer · Jim Mather: The question of an emissions performance standard was raised in response to our consultation on draft thermal guidance last year. It was also discussed in the recent UK consultation on clean coal. Responses to this consultation have been copied to the Scottis…

7 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it plans to carry out on the development of an emissions performance standard for power stations.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government have received a number of representations on an emissions performance standard in response to our consultation on thermal guidance. The development of an emissions performance standard is also considered in the UK consultation on clean…

7 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it plans to carry out on the development of carbon capture and storage.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government held a consultation on its draft thermal guidance, which included questions on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Carbon Capture Readiness (CCR), which closed earlier this year. Following the consultation, we have had on-going engage…

4 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that milk production should be based on imported animal feed or grass-fed production.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government does not promote one particular feeding regime over another. The method by which dairy producers feed their animals is a matter for the farmer to determine.

4 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it supports voluntary producer supply management in the milk industry.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: In a deregulated dairy industry producers are free to make their own business decisions, including the volume of milk produced.

4 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports a reduction in EU export refunds for the milk industry.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: EU export subsidies are subject to restrictions, as agreed in the Uruguay Round of international trade negotiations. Further modifications may be agreed in the context of the current WTO Doha Round. In the meantime the government supports the European Commiss…

4 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to establish more sustainable relations between rural and urban economies, addressing issues such as demographic change and migration, energy saving and efficiency, low-carbon emission and short distance food chains and biological and cultural diversity.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: As set out in the Government Economic Strategy we are focussed on giving greater priority to achieving more balanced growth across Scotland, in order to reduce regional disparities. As part of this we are ensuring a more strategic approach to the growth of Sc…

4 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports a requirement on member states to report to the European Union on what changes they have implemented to combat climate change and conserve biodiversity and progress on implementation of the new challenges in rural development measures, including the milk sector and rel…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: As part of implementing the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Health Check, the Scottish Government was required to submit changes to the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) to the European Commission by 15 July 2009 to show how it was meeting the new …

4 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the establishment of seed conservation programmes.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Scottish Government already supports a programme to protect and conserve seed of traditional Scottish varieties and other significant seed collections.

4 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scotland Rural Development Programme includes measures for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in agriculture.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: There are a range of measures to support conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in agriculture in a number of Scotland Rural Development Programme schemes, including Rural Priorities and Land Managers'' Options. More information is available on the …

4 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports an increase in EU funding for plant and animal genetic resources.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government would welcome an increase in EU funding for plant and animal genetic resources in areas where this reflects our current policies on plant and animal improvement.

4 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that EU assistance should be provided for the use of genetically modified organisms as energy crops.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: No. The Scottish Government does not support the cultivation of genetically modified crops in Scotland. In addition, the recent Health Check of the Common Agricultural Policy abolished the Energy Crop Scheme (ECS) since the rapid growth in the bio-energy mark…

4 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that funding for energy crops should be provided only when a positive energy and environmental balance can be demonstrated.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scotland Rural Development Programme under Rural Priorities offers farm businesses funding to diversify into alternative forms of agricultural production including energy crops, and a specific option to plant short rotation coppice crops for similar purpo…

4 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the withdrawal of EU funding for the growing of raw tobacco.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The government supports the decision taken by the EU in 2004 to remove all subsidies linked to the cultivation of tobacco from 2010.

4 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the withdrawal of the beef special premium scheme for bulls that are used in lethal bull fighting.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Entitlement to beef special premium payments for stock destined for bull fighting is a matter for the European Commission and those member states where such practices are permitted.

4 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the creation of a European farm price and margin observatory.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The uniform monitoring of prices across Europe could be a useful tool to help analyse how food affordability differs across countries and how these trends evolve through time. Any monitoring of prices, price transmission and contractual arrangements should, h…

4 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to enhance farmers’ and consumers’ initiatives to establish low-carbon emission, low-energy consumption and locally marketed food chains.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Scottish Government action to reduce emissions from farming is currently based around our Farming for a Better Climate initiative with support through the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP). SRDP also provides assistance to support collaborative acti…

4 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports an increase in EU funding to support low-carbon, low-energy and locally marketed food production.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: EU funding for the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) is fixed at ‚¬679 million for the programme period 2007-13. The Scottish Government has flexibility to deploy that funding across the SRDP, subject to EU rules on minimum spending levels on the va…

4 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports an increase in funding at EU level for the creation of farming co-operatives, as proposed in amendment 5254 to the EU agriculture budget.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The government is in favour of farmers organising themselves into co-operatives and other collaborative structures in order to strengthen their commercial position. Financial support for such collaboration can be offered in a number of ways, using both nation…

4 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that public money should not be used to promote the consumption of products that have a negative impact on climate change.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 demonstrates the Scottish Government''s commitment to tackling climate change. Policy options and public spending decisions are already contributing to reducing emissions. The Scottish Government has made a commitment to…

4 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the abolition of using EU funds to promote meat from farm animals, as proposed in amendment 5260 to the EU agriculture budget.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The promotional and marketing activity of bodies such as Quality Meat Scotland, which is part funded by the EU, ensures iconic brands such as Scotch beef retain their premium status and contribute to providing a sustainable future for livestock production in …

4 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the withdrawal of EU funding from compensation for withdrawals and buy-ins, as proposed in amendment 5258 to the EU agriculture budget.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Withdrawals and buy-ins has received only limited use in Scotland. Should the proposed amendment be adopted, the Scottish Government anticipate that it would not have a significant impact in Scotland.

4 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the abolition of EU export refunds in such areas as beef, poultry, eggs, pig meat and live animals.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: EU export subsidies are already subject to restrictions, as agreed in the Uruguay Round of international trade negotiations. Further modifications may be agreed in the context of the current WTO Doha Round. In the interim the Scottish Government supports the …