Liam McArthur

28 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, prior to issuing its news release on 23 January 2013 on fuel poverty, what discussions it had with Ofgem regarding the investigation into claims of wholesale energy price fixing and whether the regulator indicated to it that the investigation had concluded.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has not had any discussions with Ofgem regarding its investigation into claims of wholesale energy price fixing. The Scottish Government has repeatedly called on Ofgem and the UK Government to take firmer action to deliver an energy m…

24 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much time (a) officials and (b) special advisers spent on (i) developing the six-point list of demands on fuel poverty and (ii) checking the accuracy of the telephone hotline number contained in its news release on fuel poverty published on 23 January 2013.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: A key responsibility of officials and special advisers is to advise and brief Ministers on an ongoing basis, in particular for debates and events. The Minister for Housing and Welfare required and received briefing for the fuel poverty debate on 23 January 20…

24 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has of how many calls were made to the telephone hotline number on fuel poverty published on 23 January 2013 online and in a news release and for what reason the hotline number appears to have been incorrect.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is not possible to estimate how many calls were made to the telephone number initially uploaded in the online news release as this is not a number maintained by the Energy Saving Trust. There was no significant difference in the overall number of calls rec…

24 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it decided to issue the news release published on 23 January 2013 containing its six-point list of demands on fuel poverty.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is normal practice to issue a news release to accompany significant events such as key government debates and summits.

24 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with the UK Government on the operation of the energy company obligation prior to the joint energy summit held on 24 January 2013.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has been liaising with the Department of Energy and Climate Change on a regular basis to discuss the policy relating to the Energy Companies Obligation (ECO) since its inception and throughout its development. As ECO moves to implement…

24 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its news release on fuel poverty of 23 January 2012, which called for information on the operation of the energy company obligation to be put in the public domain, whether it was aware that the UK Government had already done so in summer 2012.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government’s ask is “That the UK Government ensures the Scottish Government receives robust and relevant information on how its new ECO schemes is being delivered in Scotland” and did not refer to more general information about the operation of t…

24 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it first informed the UK Government that it wanted to table its six-point list of demands on fuel poverty at the joint energy summit held on 24 January 2013.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government had a number of meetings and communications with Scotland Office officials, dating from August 2012, to organise a joint energy summit and to ensure that the event achieved positive outcomes for Scottish households suffering from high …

24 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with the UK Government regarding the agenda for the joint energy summit that was held on 24 January 2013 and when it advised the UK Government that it had prepared the news release, which was published on 23 January 2013, containing its six-point list of demands o…

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12497 on 6 February 2013. Scottish Government officials liaised with the UK Government officials regularly in the build-up to the summit. The Scottish Government issued the news release following a debate on fu…

24 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the briefing notes prepared for ministers for the fuel poverty debate on 23 January 2013 (Official Report, c.14759) referred to the six-point list of demands on fuel poverty, which were contained in its subsequent news release and, if not, whether it will publish these notes.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Briefing notes for the fuel poverty debate covered all issues pertinent to the opening and closing speeches, items likely to be raised in the debate, the motion and proposed amendments.

24 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason ministers did not appear to refer to the six-point list of demands on fuel poverty during the debate on 23 January 2013 (Official Report, c.14759), which were contained in its subsequent news release.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The opening and closing speeches for the fuel poverty debate referred to the Government motion and issues raised by members in the debate. The Minister for Housing and Welfare updated members on the Deputy First Minister’s meetings with the major energy compa…

21 Jan 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will complete the service model assessment for ferry services in Orkney.

15 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the findings of the audit of the processes by which colleges compile waiting lists.

Answer · Michael Russell: As I indicated to the Parliament on 16 January 2013, an update for MSPs on the audit has been placed in Scottish Parliaments Information Centre (SPICe). (Bib number 54653) The update makes clear that the report will be published in February.

15 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning has met colleges to discuss waiting lists in the last six months.

Answer · Michael Russell: I have been involved in no such meetings in the last six months. I did however meet with the Chair of the Board of Scotland’s Colleges on 7 November 2012, at which we discussed Scotland’s Colleges’ approach to the issue.

18 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to consider whether the charitable activities of independent schools should entitle them to relief on non-domestic rates payments.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government published a consultation paper "Supporting Business, Promoting Growth" on non-domestic rates on 27 November 2012. This paper poses questions about all current rate reliefs funded by the Scottish Government, which includes charitable re…

17 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has cost to install district heating systems in the areas neighbouring biomass plants, broken down by plant.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: There are currently no district heating systems in the areas neighbouring biomass plants.

17 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many biomass plants have a method of recovering the heat produced by burning materials; how many of these are used to provide heating in the surrounding area, and how many properties are served by each.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The station at Lockerbie provides heat to a local timber and saw mill business, while the station at Invergordon uses the heat produced to dry wood pellets at the site. The station at Irvine uses the heat for the operation of the paper mill and other onsite o…

17 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what biomass electricity generating plants have been built in Scotland and how much government subsidy they have received.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: There are four biomass power stations currently operating in Scotland, listed in the following table. Operator Location Details Funding Support Date Funding Awarded Balcas Invergordon 8.8 MW combined heat and power (CHP) station, fuelled by wood chi…

11 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it took to resolve the industrial dispute involving Serco NorthLink, the RMT union and the Northern Isles ferries between the issue being raised (a) by Tavish Scott MSP during First Minister's Questions (FMQ) on 1 November 2012 and by Liam McArthur MSP during FMQ on 6 December…

Answer · Keith Brown: The industrial dispute between the RMT union and Serco NorthLink Ferries was rightly a matter to be resolved through negotiation between the two parties. However, from 31 October 2012 - the point at which the RMT announced their intention to ballot members – …

5 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what aspects of youth employment policy from other UK jurisdictions were promoted by the Minister for Youth Employment when representing the UK at the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council meeting on 27 November 2012.

Answer · Angela Constance: My contribution at the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council on 27 November 2012 focused on structured arrangements in the UK and in Scotland for supporting and enabling representative groups of young people to have their say in decisions. I highlighted…

5 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions took place with ministerial counterparts in other parts of the UK before the Minister for Youth Employment represented the UK at the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council meeting on 27 November 2012.

Answer · Angela Constance: Decisions on ministerial attendance and representation at council meetings are taken on a case-by-case basis by the lead UK Government Minister. Rt Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Education wrote to me to confirm that I would represent the UK at the E…

5 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what percentage of buildings occupied by it and its agencies are carbon neutral.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: There is no single definition of carbon neutral. In October 2009 the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) published the following definition of carbon neutrality: “Carbon neutral means that through a transparent process of calculating emissions,…

5 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what percentage of buildings occupied by it and its agencies have microgeneration technologies installed.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04170 on 7 December 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentar…

5 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the buildings in its estate by energy performance certificate rating.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04170 on 7 December 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentar…

5 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimates it has of the annual running costs of operating a new tax system in an independent Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: There are a number of variables that could affect the annual running costs for operating a new tax system in an independent Scotland. The Scottish Government will publish estimates in due course. We will always seek to maximise efficiency, reducing the costs…

19 Nov 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether all secondary schools have decided how many subjects pupils will be able to study in S4 and at what stage they will choose these subjects.

15 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors the implementation of the joint strategic advocacy plans of NHS boards and local authority partners.

Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-11267 on 29 November 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/MAQASe…

15 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many and which NHS boards and local authority partners have submitted joint strategic advocacy plans for its agreement since May 2007 and when.

Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-11267 on 27 November 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/MAQASea…

15 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what requirement there is for NHS boards and local authorities to produce joint strategic advocacy plans.

Answer · Alex Neil: Section 259 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 places a legal duty on local authorities and health boards to work together to ensure that independent advocacy services are available and accessible to those with a mental health disor…

5 Nov 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Ambulance Service regarding the adequacy of emergency response cover on the smaller Orkney isles.

1 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many claims for student funding from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland still to be processed as at 1 November 2012 were received (a) before 30 June 2012 and (b) between 30 June and 1 September 2012.

Answer · Michael Russell: (a) SAAS received 105,405 applications for funding by the 30 June 2012 and successfully delivered the Guarantee. All these applications were processed as submitted by the end of August 2012. (b) SAAS received 41,343 applications between 1 July and 1 Septem…