Liam McArthur

9 Feb 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the introduction of the proposed permitted development rights for domestic microgeneration equipment is likely to have on the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: It is likely that the introduction of the proposed permitted development rights for domestic microgeneration equipment will increase the number of applications for grants through the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative. We will monitor de…

9 Feb 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the economic impact on the microgeneration industry of the introduction of the proposed permitted development rights for domestic microgeneration equipment.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: A Regulatory Impact Assessment was completed and published on the Scottish Government Planning website to accompany the proposed Order. It considers the impact upon businesses to ensure the proposed Order is developed with a full consideration of this impact.…

9 Feb 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs may be created through the introduction of the proposed permitted development rights for domestic microgeneration equipment.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Removing barriers to the uptake of microgeneration equipment is expected to stimulate market demand for those technologies granted permitted development rights and therefore to create additional jobs in the manufacturing, installation and maintenance industri…

9 Feb 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs may be secured through the introduction of the proposed permitted development rights for domestic microgeneration equipment.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Removing barriers to the uptake of microgeneration equipment is expected to stimulate market demand for those technologies granted permitted development rights and therefore to secure jobs in the manufacturing, installation and maintenance industries. The num…

23 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the green jobs strategy introduced by the previous administration and what targets the Scottish Government aspires to for growth in the green job sector, including renewable energy.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Green Jobs Strategy was published in June 2005 and implemented under the previous administration. A fresh approach has been taken by this Scottish Government under the Government Economic Strategy, which sets out how we will achieve our overall purpose to…

23 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it predicts the growth of the renewable energy sector will be in each of the next five years, also broken down by sector.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has set a target to generate 50% of Scotland''s electricity demand from renewable sources by 2020, with an interim milestone of 31% by 2011. The renewables capacity installed, consented and under construction now exceeds the capacity w…

23 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive by how much the renewable energy sector has grown in each of the last five years, also broken down by sector.

Answer · Jim Mather: As a key indicator for the growth of the renewables sector, the following table shows figures for electricity generation from renewable sources in Scotland for each of the last five years, broken down fuel source. This information is taken from the September …

23 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it predicts that the growth in green jobs will be in each of the next five years.

Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20171 on 5 February 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/App…

23 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were employed in green jobs excluding renewable energy and waste management but including biofuels, construction and sustainable design, organic farming, eco-tourism and outdoor recreation, cleaner technologies and carbon sequestration, and consultancy and energy audits in…

Answer · Jim Mather: The information requested is not held centrally.</p>

23 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a formal definition of green jobs and, if so, what it is.

Answer · Jim Mather: The 10 pledges for a Greener Deal for Scotland, announced on 2 February, make reference to the employment potential for greener jobs within the following sectors: renewable energy, clean fossil fuel technologies, energy efficiency, low carbon transport and re…

23 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it predicts the growth in employment in the waste management and recycling sector will be in each of the next five years.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: It is difficult to predict what the growth in employment will be in the waste management and recycling sectors over the next five years, particularly given the current economic climate.</p> <p >However, the on-going review of the National Waste Plan will att…

23 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were employed in the waste management and recycling sector in each of the last five years.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: It is difficult to provide exact figures on the numbers employed in these sectors over the last five years, particularly as the Office for National Statistics counts those employed in waste management as including those working in sewage and sanitation.</p> …

23 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it predicts the growth in (a) direct and (b) indirect employment in the renewable energy sector will be in each of the next five years, also broken down by sector.

Answer · Jim Mather: Our Renewable Energy Action Plan, to be published in the summer, will include an analysis of economic development opportunities and future potential for growth across the renewable energy sector.</p> <p >Estimates set out in the UK Renewable Energy Strategy…

23 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were employed (a) directly and (b) indirectly in the renewable energy industry in each of the last five years, also broken down by sector.

Answer · Jim Mather: This information is not held centrally.</p> <p >The Scottish Government''s Renewable Energy Action Plan will include an analysis of economic development opportunities and future potential for growth across the renewable energy sector. The Scottish Government…

14 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any assessment of the potential benefits for farmers and crofters from the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) payment and the single farm payment being made in the same year.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-19776 on 28 January 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/Apps…

14 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make an announcement on the outcome of any investigation into making the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) payment and the single farm payment at the same time and, if so, when.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I will be making an announcement about our strategy for LFASS and SFPS (Single Farm Payment Scheme) payments and aim to do so in due course.</p>

14 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there is any legal impediment to making the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) payment and the single farm payment in the same year.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Under the existing legislation there is no legal barrier to making LFASS and SFPS (Single Farm Payment Scheme) payments in the same year. However, they each have eligibility criteria that must be met before payments can issue. This is a legal requirement.</p>…

14 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the European Commission on the possibility of making the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) payment and the single farm payment in the same year.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Provided the EC''s legislative pre-payment conditions are met, and audit requirements observed, there is no need to discuss with the EC what is essentially an operational issue.</p>

14 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has taken on the possibility of making the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) payment and the single farm payment at the same time.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Officials are looking at the feasibility of making LFASS and SFPS (Single Farm Payment Scheme) payments at the same time. This is an operational issue, although there is a need to ensure that the different legislative requirements are met. We will seek the ad…

14 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that the next round of Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) payments and single farm payments can be made in 2009.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: As the member is aware, I recently wrote to him and explained that my officials are already looking carefully at what is possible in terms of improving the position on the issue of payments - including the feasibility of combining, or paying in parallel, the …

14 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps were taken by Scottish Government officials to bring forward Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) payments before the end of 2008.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Payments of LFASS 2008 were made into bank accounts from 16 January, some three weeks earlier than last year. Over 11,000 payments worth £52 million, or 85% of the budget, had been made by 26 January.</p> <p >Steps taken to achieve the issue of these payment…

8 Jan 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of NFU Scotland.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: <i > This PQ was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:</i></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0108-01.htm">http://www.scottish.p…

19 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving to local authorities to halt the decline in analytical services.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is providing local government in Scotland with record levels of funding. The vast majority of funding, including funding for a public analyst service, is provided by means of a block grant. It is the responsibility of each local author…

19 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Aberdeen City Council regarding the future of its Public Analyst Laboratory.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has had no discussions on this matter with Aberdeen City Council. However, the Food Standards Agency Scotland has been kept informed of proposals relating to the future of Aberdeen City Council''s Public Analyst Laboratory, given the a…

19 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to maintain an adequate public analyst service.

Answer · Shona Robison: It is the statutory responsibility of local authorities to appoint public analysts for the purposes of ensuring food safety, and to take any necessary action in pursuit of that duty.</p> <p >In addition, as part of the Food Standard Agency Scotland''s overv…

19 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government and the Food Standards Agency regarding public analyst laboratories in Scotland.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has had no discussions with the UK Government or Food Standards Agency on this subject.</p> <p >However, the Food Standards Agency Scotland has been contributing to on-going discussions with the Association of Public Analysts and oth…

19 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the importance of analytical facilities to the monitoring of the safety and standards of the public’s food, water and other consumer products.

Answer · Shona Robison: We consider analytical facilities to be an important component in the monitoring of the safety and standards of the public''s food, water and other consumer products. Public analysts are a statutory requirement under the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 19…

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what statistical baseline has been established to monitor future energy use, as described in its response to the Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration: Achieving a Low Carbon Future: A Strategy for Scotland consultation in June 2008.

Answer · Jim Mather: Work on data sets to monitor future energy use, to complement existing information, continues to develop. Since the Scottish Government''s response to the strategy consultation was published in June 2008, a number of new reports have been issued. These includ…

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it has set for energy efficiency and microgeneration in (a) new and (b) existing buildings.

Answer · Jim Mather: Specific Scottish Government targets already set include:</p> <p >(a). For new buildings, we have set targets to limit both the carbon emissions and energy demand through the building standards system. Scottish standards are currently the most demanding in …

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report on the progress on energy efficiency and microgeneration across all programmes and initiatives, across all Directorates, including relevant milestones and targets and the anticipated carbon savings from these actions.

Answer · Jim Mather: We will report on the progress on energy efficiency and microgeneration across all programmes and initiatives, across all Directorates, including relevant milestones, targets and anticipated carbon savings as part of the mandatory energy efficiency action pla…