Parliamentary questions
Liam McArthur
3,663 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the start and finish dates were of the Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) pilot for which its news release of 3 August 2009 reported a 14% increase in passenger numbers and 23% increase in car traffic on the CalMac Ferries Ltd operated services to the Western Isles and what the percentage …
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The period over which the early results of the Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) were reported and monitored was 1 October 2008 to 30 June 2009. The comparison was with the period 1 October 2007 to 30 June 2008. The pilot commenced on 19 October 2008.</p> <p >On …
13 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what incentives are in place for people to opt out of the electricity grid system and be entirely energy self-sufficient.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is committed to supporting and accelerating uptake of renewable energy technologies to allow people to tap into Scotland''s abundant local sources of renewable heat and power thereby helping them be more energy self-sufficient.</p> <p…
13 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will estimate the percentage of non-domestic buildings being built, or built within the last 36 months, that fall into each energy performance certificate rating.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government does not hold sufficient information on which to base an accurate estimate.</p>
13 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will estimate the percentage of dwellings being built, or built in the last 36 months, that fall into each energy performance certificate rating.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government does not hold sufficient information on which to base an accurate estimate.</p>
13 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will estimate the number of non-domestic properties that fall into each energy performance certificate rating, broken down by region.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government does not hold sufficient information on which to base an accurate estimate. The feasibility of establishing a database to hold information from non-domestic Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) is under consideration.</p>
13 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will estimate the number of dwellings that fall into each energy performance certificate rating, broken down by region.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government does not hold sufficient information on which to base an accurate estimate. The following table details Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) bandings for existing dwellings subject to sale or rental and excludes new construction subjec…
29 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to reduce the level of funding for the Scottish Agricultural College to undertake research into the suitability of agricultural crops for Scottish environments in the next two years and, if so, for what reasons.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26214 on 17 August 2009. 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…
29 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding it estimates it will provide to the Scottish Agricultural College to undertake research into the suitability of agricultural crops for Scottish environments in 2010-11.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26214 on 17 August 2009. 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…
29 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding it has provided to the Scottish Agricultural College to undertake research into the suitability of agricultural crops for Scottish environments in each of the last four years.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government commissioned a research programme on Profitable and Sustainable Agriculture “ Plants in 2006, from which the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) is receiving an annual grant for strategic research of approximately £1.5 million for the …
13 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which indicators are used to assess the impact of the transformational projects referred to in Highland and Islands Enterprise’s operating plan on the targets set out in The Government Economic Strategy.
Answer · Jim Mather: The setting of indicators to assess the impact of Highland and Island Enterprise''s transformational projects on targets set out in <i >The Government Economic Strategy</i> is an operational matter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). However, HIE has …
13 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s operating plan, whether it will publish the GVA impacts that the transformational projects and programmes are expected to generate.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has no plans to publish the GVA impacts attributable to the transformational projects identified within Highlands and Islands Enterprise''s operating plan for 2009-12. The publication of this information, when quantified, is an operati…
13 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the reduction in Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s budget over the spending review will impact on the creation of replacement high quality jobs as Dounreay continues to decommission.
Answer · Jim Mather: Highlands and Islands Enterprise''s budget was reduced to reflect the refocusing of the organisation as part of this government''s reform of the enterprise networks.</p> <p >Rather than having a negative impact on the economy, the reforms will enable it to …
13 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the reduction in Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s budget over the spending review will impact on the development of renewable energy projects associated with the Pentland Firth.
Answer · Jim Mather: Highlands and Islands Enterprise''s budget was reduced to reflect the refocusing of the organisation as part of this government''s reform of the enterprise networks.</p> <p >Rather than having a negative impact on the economy, the reforms will enable it to m…
13 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations ministers have received from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) about the impact that reductions in the HIE budget would have on the ability to support economic development in the Highlands and Islands.
Answer · Jim Mather: Highlands and Islands Enterprise''s budget was reduced to reflect the refocusing of the organisation as part of this government''s reform of the enterprise networks.</p> <p >While Highlands and Islands Enterprise has had regular dialogue with Scottish Govern…
13 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact on the Highlands and Islands economy of the reduction in the budget for Highlands and Islands Enterprise over the course of the current spending review.
Answer · Jim Mather: Highlands and Islands Enterprise''s budget was reduced to reflect the refocusing of the organisation as part of this government''s reform of the enterprise networks.</p> <p >Rather than having a negative impact on the economy, the reforms will enable it to m…
13 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive by how much the budget for Highlands and Islands Enterprise will fall over the period of the current spending review, from 2007-08 to 2010-11, in (a) real and (b) cash terms.
Answer · Jim Mather: The latest Gross Domestic Product deflators issued by Her Majesty''s Treasury shows 2008-09 as base year, 2009-10 as 1% and 2010-11 as 1.5%.</p> <p >The right hand column of the table below shows the effect of applying these deflators to the Highlands and Is…
13 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been saved by the refocusing of Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s priorities.
Answer · Jim Mather: Highlands and Islands Enterprise has identified savings of £2.3 million for the period 2008-13 as a result of the refocusing of their priorities.</p>
13 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses that previously received support from Highlands and Islands Enterprise have had their applications for future support rejected.
Answer · Jim Mather: The collection and collation of information on businesses applying, successfully or unsuccessfully, to Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) for support is an operational matter for that body.</p> <p >I have written to HIE''s Chief Executive, Sandy Cumming,…
13 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses or organisations have applied to Highlands and Islands Enterprise for assistance since its refocus of priorities and how many of these were successful.
Answer · Jim Mather: The collection and collation of this information is an operational matter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise.</p> <p >I have written to HIE''s Chief Executive, Sandy Cumming, asking him to respond to you directly on this issue.</p>
13 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of businesses in (a) the Highlands and Islands and (b) Scotland falls into the category of significant and high growth businesses, as referred to in Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s operating plan.
Answer · Jim Mather: As at March 2008, there were 282,300 enterprises in Scotland of which 154,635 were registered for VAT or PAYE. Given the size and dynamic nature of the business base and the data requirements for monitoring these businesses, neither the Scottish Government no…
13 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many considers it believes fall into the category of significant and high growth businesses, as referred to in Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s operating plan.
Answer · Jim Mather: This information is not collated or routinely held by the Scottish Government. However, Highlands and Islands Enterprise has advised the Scottish Government that it is currently developing relationships, or has agreed growth plans, with around 250 businesses …
13 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what formal criteria are set for significant and high growth businesses, as referred to in Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s operating plan.
Answer · Jim Mather: Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is responsible for determining which businesses are considered to be significant and/or to have high growth potential. However, I understand that, in doing so, HIE takes a number of factors into account including market …
13 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated in the Highlands and Islands to (a) the Small Business Rates Relief Scheme, (b) Skills Development Scotland, (c) Business Gateway, (d) the Campbelltown/Ballycastle ferry, (e) Road Equivalent Tariff, (f) the Scottish Co-investment Fund, (g) the Scottish …
Answer · Jim Mather: Details of the data available on various funding allocations in the Highlands and Islands is as follows:</p> <p >The Small Business Rates Relief Scheme:</p> <p >The Small Business Rate Relief Scheme was replaced in 2008-09 with the Small Business Bonus Sch…
13 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was allocated in the Highlands and Islands in each of the last five years to (a) supporting small businesses, (b) the third sector, (c) tourism, (d) innovation and (e) renewable energy and how these figures compare proportionally with the spend across the rest of Scotland.
Answer · Jim Mather: The funding for business support, including support for small businesses, across Scotland is an operational matter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise. Budget allocations to the two agencies are not disaggregated on a small business b…
13 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding each local authority in the Highlands and Islands area has allocated to Business Gateway since the scheme’s introduction.
Answer · Jim Mather: Local authority budget allocation spend is a matter for individual councils, and I would suggest that you contact the relevant Highlands and Islands local authorities to obtain this data.</p>
13 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the budget allocated to Highlands and Islands Enterprise in each year from 2002-03 was spent in full and, if not, by how much it was underspent in each year.
Answer · Jim Mather: The budget allocated to Highlands and Islands Enterprise has been utilised as follows for each year from 2002-03 to 2008-09:</p> <p >2002-03: under spent by £0.9 million,</p> <p >2003-04: under spent by £2.27 million,</p> <p >2004-05: under spent by £5.…
13 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what budget it has allocated to Highlands and Islands Enterprise in each year since 2002-03 and what budget it will allocate in each year to 2012-13.
Answer · Jim Mather: The budget allocated to Highlands and Islands Enterprise since 2002-03 is shown in the following table:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td width=70 valign=top > <p align=center >2002-03</p> <p align=center >(£000)</p> </…
25 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the new definition of active farming to be used to focus Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) 2010 funding on farmers and crofters who are genuinely active will include activity aimed at achieving environmental objectives.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: In principle, the Scottish Government intends that all agricultural activity will be taken into account in the new activity rules. However, the detailed rules have still to be drawn up and this will be one of several issues to be discussed by members of the t…
25 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what definitions of active farming it used to assess the contribution to the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) 2010 budget of linking LFASS payments to active farming and what its assessment is of the impact of those definitions on the LFASS funding that each area will receive.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) payments for 2007-09 were calculated on certain frozen LFASS 2006 historic values, including grazing categories. For LFASS 2010, it is the intention to rebase using 2008 data. The precise detail of how this rebasi…
25 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the outcome of the consultation with stakeholders on the definition of active farming to be used to focus Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) 2010 funding on farmers and crofters who are genuinely active will be the subject of a full public consultation.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The future of the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) post-2010 has already been subject to a full public consultation. Following an analysis of the consultation responses, it was the consensus view that LFASS payments must be linked to activity. At the…