Parliamentary questions
Liam McArthur
3,663 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
11 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will engage local communities in the development of the marine energy sector.
Answer · Jim Mather: The development of individual marine energy projects will enable the involvement of and input from local communities via the relevant consents process. We believe that communities should be able to invest in and benefit meaningfully from renewables projects i…
11 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that potential developers and other stakeholders have sufficient information on the possible marine environment sensitivities of the development of marine energy.
Answer · Jim Mather: The data and information provided in our marine energy strategic environmental assessment (SEA) provides a solid foundation for potential developers regarding the environmental sensitivities which their projects ought to take into account.</p> <p >The marine…
11 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make a decision on the extension of the Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme following the final allocation of money in 2008.
Answer · Jim Mather: We continue to issue grant payments to projects supported by the Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme. We will monitor closely the progress made by these projects before making a decision on the provision of further direct grant support.</p>
11 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will encourage the development of appropriate expertise in the marine energy sector in (a) technology development, (b) manufacture and supply of components and devices, (c) operation and maintenance of devices and (d) planning and management of projects.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is encouraging the development of expertise in the marine energy sector in a number of ways.</p> <p >We continue to support activities at and improvements to the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney, including work to develop inter…
11 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will maximise the contribution of marine energy towards its 2020 and 2050 renewable energy targets.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government aims to maximise the contribution of marine energy firstly through long-term market support, such as via the Renewables Obligation (Scotland).</p> <p >Our £13 million Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme will help the development of a…
11 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what contribution it expects marine energy will make towards its 2020 and 2050 renewable energy targets.
Answer · Jim Mather: It is not the Scottish Government''s policy to set targets for capacity from individual renewable energy technologies. However, a resource study in 2001 found that there is enough potential capacity from wave and tidal energy around Scotland''s coastline to m…
11 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to develop the marine energy sector.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is taking action in a number of areas to develop Scotland''s marine renewables sector.</p> <p >Our £13 million Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme is helping a number of wave and tidal energy projects make the transition from researc…
11 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish a marine energy strategy.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government set out its plans for the marine energy sector in a Marine Energy Policy Statement, published in February and available on the Scottish Government website:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/19…
27 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding for the UHI Millennium Institute will be provided to the same level and over the same timescale as budgeted for by the previous administration to be provided through Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council (SFC) is responsible for funding UHI Millennium Institute (UHIMI) alongside Scotland''s other higher education institutions and further education colleges. In 2008-09 UHIMI''s main teaching and researc…
27 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to announce the outcome of its consideration of the responses to the consultation into the future of the small organisation water services charges exemption scheme, which was included in its consultation on the principles of charging for water services.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: An announcement will be made shortly.</p>
26 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the contribution that the planned development of the Ravenscraig site will make to the Scottish Government's stated strategic objectives.
Answer · Jim Mather: The redevelopment of the Ravenscraig site supports all the Scottish Government''s strategic objectives, economic and social. For example, it is expected to create a range of flexible accommodation for a diverse range of local businesses, generate 12,000 new j…
26 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what sources of public funding area are available to public/private partnerships involved in urban regeneration projects.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Support to public/private partnerships is generally provided by local authorities, the enterprise networks and other public bodies. This can take the form of direct funding or the transfer of land and property assets. The Scottish Government also provides dir…
26 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it has given to urban regeneration companies (URCs) in each year from 2002-03 to 2008-09, broken down by URC.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government provided the following funding to Pathfinder Urban Regeneration Companies (URCs) over the period 2002-03 to 2007-08. The amounts included for 2008-09 are the Scottish Government''s budgeted contribution to the respective URCs. No fundi…
26 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive by what criteria it judges applications for funding from urban regeneration companies.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The funding allocated to the six pathfinder urban regeneration companies (URCs) by the Scottish Government was determined following a rigorous appraisal of the business plans and early action proposals submitted by the respective URCs.</p>
26 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it intends to make available to urban regeneration companies in each year from 2008-09 to 2010-11.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government has indicated the following support for urban regeneration companies over the period 2008-11:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td valign=top > <p > </p> </td> <td valign=top > <p align=center…
26 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Ravenscraig partnership regarding the opportunity to include renewable energy, microgeneration and combined heat and power in the plans for the redevelopment of the Ravenscraig site.
Answer · Jim Mather: I understand that the Ravenscraig partnership is keen to advance renewable energy options at the site. I am due to meet with Ravenscraig Limited and North Lanarkshire Council next month, and this is amongst the issues we will be discussing.</p>
20 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-10696 by Stewart Stevenson on 19 March 2008, whether it made use of the significant legal advice at its disposal when considering the legality of its decision to favour a select group of islands when introducing road equivalent tariff fares on ferry …
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government does not normally indicate if legal advice has been taken on decisions.</p>
19 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-9274 by Jim Mather on 28 February 2008, when the proposed one-stop-shop advice network will go live.
Answer · Jim Mather: The one-stop-shop advice network, known as the Energy Saving Scotland Advice Network, went live on 1 April 2008.</p>
19 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-9274 by Jim Mather on 28 February 2008, how the proposed one-stop-shop advice network will help householders to take action on energy efficiency.
Answer · Jim Mather: The one-stop-shop advice network will provide free and impartial advice and practical support to householders on all aspects of sustainable energy including energy efficiency, renewables and transport. This will be achieved with a range of activities includin…
19 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve energy efficiency standards for existing non-domestic buildings and housing stock.
Answer · Jim Mather: A review of the energy standards in Scottish building regulations commenced in February this year. The building standards advisory committee energy working party has been convened with the remit to consider the energy standards and guidance that should apply …
19 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will launch the £4 million energy efficiency fund for universities and colleges.
Answer · Jim Mather: Managed by Salix on behalf of the Scottish Government, the energy efficiency fund for Scotland''s universities and colleges has been operational since January 2008. The original £4 million investment from government will leverage additional funding now bringi…
19 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the costs and benefits of the recommendations of the Sullivan Report, A Low Carbon Building Standards Strategy for Scotland.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Cost benefit analyses are undertaken as workstreams are progressed. In order to consider the low carbon Energy standards proposed for introduction in 2010, an assessment has been commissioned of the impact of higher standards on new housing and non-domestic b…
19 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in taking forward the recommendations of the Sullivan Report, A Low Carbon Building Standards Strategy for Scotland.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The work programme commenced by the Scottish Building Standards Agency will continue to be taken forward by Scottish building standards, a part of the directorate for the built environment. Working party meetings with the industry have already begun to consid…
19 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve the delivery of energy efficiency and microgeneration support; whether such support is targeted and, if so, to whom.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is taking a great deal of action to improve the delivery of energy efficiency and microgeneration support in Scotland including:</p> <p >A new one-stop-shop for domestic consumers in Scotland providing advice on energy efficiency, mi…
19 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it will set for domestic energy efficiency improvements in (a) new and (b) existing buildings.
Answer · Jim Mather: A review of energy standards in Scottish building regulations commenced in February this year. The building standards advisory committee energy working party has been convened with the remit to consider the energy standards and guidance that should apply to n…
19 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will bring forward an energy efficiency strategy.
Answer · Jim Mather: The consultation on the draft Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration Strategy closed on 12 June 2007 and individual responses have been published on the Scottish Government website. We have been analysing the response and will publish a summary report in sprin…
19 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its report on the independent review of energy efficiency and microgeneration support.
Answer · Jim Mather: The report on the independent review of energy efficiency and microgeneration support in Scotland will be published on the Scottish Government website by the end of April 2008.</p>
19 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact on waiting lists for registration with a dentist in rural and island areas of the need for dental practices to comply with the recommendations of the Glennie report on decontamination and what the outcome was of any such assessment.
Answer · Shona Robison: The responsibility for the overall provision of NHS dental services in an area rests with the NHS board for that area. The Scottish Government do not hold waiting lists for NHS dental treatment.</p> <p >The Glennie Report, which was commissioned by the previ…
19 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the financial impact on private dental practices in rural and island areas of the need for dental practices to comply with the recommendations of the Glennie report on decontamination; what the outcomes were of any such assessment, and what additional fundin…
Answer · Shona Robison: The Glennie Report, which was commissioned by the previous administration, highlighted a number of issues facing the dental profession as a whole.</p> <p >Wholly private dental practices must operate safely in order to protect the interests of patients, den…
19 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the financial impact on rural and island NHS boards of the need for NHS dental practices to comply with the recommendations of the Glennie report on decontamination; what the outcome was of any such assessment, and what additional funding it plans to provide…
Answer · Shona Robison: The Glennie Report, which was commissioned by the previous administration, highlighted a number of issues facing the dental profession as a whole.</p> <p >NHS boards are responsible for the planning and provision of NHS services and are funded to do so. Goo…