Parliamentary questions
Maurice Golden
1,697 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what target it has set for the number of people to be trained via the sustainable procurement training framework, including what timescale it has set for this to be met.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Use of the Sustainable Procurement Training Framework in the first year is in line with advertised values published in its procurement. This translates into over 350 places allocated so far. Take up is from a range of public sector organisations and geographi…
11 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in its document, Programme for Scotland 2017-18, which organisations have been invited to join the advisory group "to consider fiscal and other measures to reduce waste and boost the circular economy", and whether the terms of reference of the group will be pub…
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Both the membership of the group and its terms of reference will be published when they are finalised.
11 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when an updated waste data strategy will be published, and which organisations were consulted in its development.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scotland’s new Waste Data Strategy will be published on 26 September 2017. This strategy has been written by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) and the Scottish Government, in consultation with the following stakehold…
6 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it carried out of the potential impact that a rise in business rates would have on the commercial and industrial property rental market.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government has reduced non-domestic rates bills this year by cutting the poundage, limiting the extent of the large business supplement and expanding the Small Business Bonus Scheme - as well as targeting further support in light of the 2017 reva…
6 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much revenue it expects to generate from empty commercial and industrial properties that are subject to newly increased business rates, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government does not collect this information.
6 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has undertaken of potential economic and logistical implications for consumers and businesses of phasing out new petrol and diesel vehicles in Scotland eight years before the planned UK Government phase-out date of 2040.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Programme for Government sets a bold new ambition on ultra-low emission vehicles, including electric cars and vans, with a target to phase out the need for petrol and diesel vehicles by 2032. This ambition is underpinned by our recently published Switch…
6 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to identify the optimum placement of electric vehicle charging points.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: As detailed in last week’s Programme for Government announcement, in order to lead the way on electric vehicles we plan to significantly expand our electric charging infrastructure between now and 2022, in rural, urban and domestic settings. To identify the o…
6 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what target it has set for the number of electric vehicle charging points to be installed by 2022.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: As detailed in last week’s Programme for Government announcement, in order to lead the way on electric vehicles, we plan to significantly expand our electric charging infrastructure between now and 2022, whether in rural, urban or domestic settings. We will s…
6 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided to public transport operators in each of the last five years to purchase low-carbon buses and other passenger transport, broken down by operator.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: This information is published on the Transport Scotland website at: https://www.transport.gov.scot/public-transport/buses/scottish-green-bus-fund/#45456.
29 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the potential circular economic and financial benefits of leased and bought service provision options, and what steps it is taking to support their inclusion in public sector procurement contracts.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government uses procurement and climate change policy, law and practice to achieve circular economy outcomes in public contracts and frameworks. ‘Making Things Last – A circular economy strategy for Scotland’ commits us to working with public org…
28 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses in the West Scotland parliamentary region it has met in the last year to discuss business rates.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government has met with a wide range of businesses and their representative organisations across Scotland over the last year to discuss non-domestic rates, but does not hold confirmed attendance details for all engagements.
15 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out on the potential (a) impact on unemployment rates among different sectors of increased numbers of circular economy jobs and (b) for circular economy jobs to mitigate unemployment in occupations considered vulnerable to job losses.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has not carried out any analysis on (a) impact on unemployment rates among different sectors of increased numbers of circular economy jobs or (b) for circular economy jobs to mitigate unemployment in occupations considered vulnerable t…
15 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken to identify the geographic distribution of potential circular economy jobs.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-04802 on 29 November 2016. 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/parliamentary…
14 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken to identify adaptation strategies for low-carbon transport measures to ensure that rural communities are not negatively impacted.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the whole of Scotland to adopt low carbon transport. One example is the development of the ChargePlace Scotland electric vehicle charging network. We have partnered with all 32 local authorities to meet loca…
14 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many public procurement contracts in 2016 included an option for leasing or buying a service, rather than capital purchase.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The information requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
14 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what planning it has undertaken to identify opportunities for community-owned renewable projects to benefit from wind turbine decommissioning via the reuse of wind turbine blades and associated parts.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Local Energy Scotland, who deliver the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Schemes (CARES) work with communities to deliver community owned renewable energy, which includes considering the potential for procuring refurbished/remanufactured wi…
31 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when Scotland’s Creative Industries Partnership last met, and whether minutes of the meeting will be published.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Scotland’s Creative Industries Partnership last met on 3 August 2017. The next meeting is scheduled for 9 November 2017. Minutes of meetings are agreed at the succeeding meeting, prior to being published on the Creative Scotland website: http://www.creativesc…
31 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed the potential of developing a Scottish eco-design label to encourage sustainable design.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: In our circular economy strategy 'Making Things Last', the Scottish Government sets out our priorities for keeping products and materials out of landfill and in high-value use for longer. While this work does not specifically explore a Scottish eco-design la…
31 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the (a) profile, (b) quantity and (c) quality of post-industrial waste material, such as knitted, woven or bonded materials and yarn from the textile industry.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.
31 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether hazardous wastes, such as air pollution control residues, will continue to be allowed to go to landfill even if they exceed the waste acceptance criteria outlined in the EU Landfill Directive.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: This derogation from the Landfill Directive, which - where alternative treatment options are limited - can allow air pollution control (APC) residues that exceed waste acceptance criteria (WAC) to go to landfill, is still in place. However, although provided …
31 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to tax all landfilled materials at the standard rate.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution will announce proposed Scottish Landfill Tax rates and bands for 2018-19 as part of the draft Scottish Budget. The Scottish Government is mindful of the importance of maintaining a stable policy and inves…
31 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce a credit system whereby tax applied to waste under illegal waste provisions could be reclaimed if it is disposed, at a later date, in a licensed landfill by a legitimate operator.
Answer · Derek Mackay: In the first instance the person who made the original unauthorised disposal is liable for any subsequent clean-up costs, including any landfill tax accrued. In situations where that person cannot be identified SEPA and local authorities can apply for an exem…
31 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to extend the liability for taxation at illegal waste sites to persons other than the illegal waste site controller, such as landowners, waste transporters or waste producers.
Answer · Derek Mackay: As set out in the Landfill Tax (Scotland) Act, the person liable to pay Scottish Landfill Tax on a taxable disposal at an unauthorised site is the person who made the disposal or the person who knowingly permitted the disposal to be made. The Scottish Governm…
25 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the independent auditing of industry efforts to reduce plastic pellet loss and what support it can provide toward this.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The auditing of industry efforts to reduce plastic pellet loss will be discussed at the next meeting of the Marine Litter Strategy Steering Group, on 7 September 2017. The Scottish Government is committed to the actions it laid out in the Marine Litter Strate…
25 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking promote awareness of the voluntary scheme, Operation Clean Sweep, which aims to reduce plastic pellet loss.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The promotion of the voluntary scheme, Operation Clean Sweep, will be discussed at the next meeting of the Marine Litter Strategy Steering Group meeting on 7 September 2017, and opportunities for the Scottish Government to aid in its promotion will be identif…
5 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has carried out to define eligibility criteria for concessionary travel for carers, and what those criteria are.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government has no current plans to extend concessionary travel to carers although many can already benefit from concessionary travel under existing criteria. A substantial number of carers are aged 60 or over and are therefore already eligible fo…
5 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with carers and carers' organisations as part of its consultation on concessionary travel regarding the introduction of concessionary travel for carers.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: No discussions have been held with carers and carers' organisations as part of the preparations for the consultation, which is due to be published later this year. The consultation's focus will be on securing the long term sustainability of the scheme and it …
5 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions ministers have had with the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division regarding the adoption and application of a consistent methodology in calculating housing and land supply in appeals processes.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Ministers have not had discussions with the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division on this issue. Scottish Government Planning and Architecture Division officials are having regular discussions with the DPEA and wider stakeholders as part of the ongoing …
5 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it supports the consistent use of the five-year land supply methodology found in table 1 of the Scottish Government's Draft Planning Delivery Advice: Housing and Infrastructure throughout the planning and appeals processes.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The only Scottish Government published method to calculate a 5 year effective housing land supply is contained in the Draft Planning Delivery Advice: Housing and Infrastructure’ advice note of 2016. This document was published in order to allow for further di…
3 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the proposed introduction by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service of tactical response vehicles.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: Decisions on the allocation of SFRS resources, including vehicles, are a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and its Board.