Parliamentary questions
Maurice Golden
1,697 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
3 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it supports the agreement between the Scottish Fire Brigades Union and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service of sending a minimum of nine firefighters and two fire engines to house fire incidents.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: Decisions on the allocation of SFRS resources, including crewing models, are a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and its Board.
3 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown by operational area of the allocation of specialised equipment for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service for the last five years, and what representations ministers have made to allocate specialised equipment to particular operational areas during the s…
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: This information is not held centrally. Decisions on the allocation of SFRS resources, including specialist equipment, are a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and its Board. No representations have been made by Ministers to allocate specialist e…
3 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it considers to be the minimum safe deployment of Scottish Fire and Rescue Service aerial ladder platforms in each operational area.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: Decisions on the allocation of SFRS resources, including aerial ladder platforms, are a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and its Board.
15 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government who the members are of the Cabinet Subcommittee on Climate Change; how often the subcommittee meets; whether it will publish the (a) minutes and (b) action points of the subcommittee's meetings; what the subcommittee's priorities are for 2017-18, and how the subcommittee (i) has influenc…
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Current members of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Climate Change are: Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform (Chair); Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity; Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution; Cabine…
7 Jun 2017 · SPCB Oral Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it plans to increase the number of electric vehicle charging points.
25 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many charging points and bays under the ChargePlace Scotland scheme have been installed in each local authority area, also broken down by the average number installed each month.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: 564 charging points (usually 2 bays per charge point) have been installed in Scotland by all Scottish local authorities since 2011 with a further 250 installed by commercial businesses as part of the ChargePlace Scotland network. This total does not include c…
25 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it promotes recycling to people from ethnic minorities.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is committed to engaging and supporting ethnic minority groups as part of delivering Scotland’s ambitious recycling targets. Zero Waste Scotland provides guidance to local authorities on how to engage effectively with ethnic minority g…
25 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages the higher education sector to promote sustainability across undergraduate courses.
Answer · John Swinney: Scotland’s universities are autonomous bodies, responsible for the provision and content of undergraduate courses. However, the Scottish Government supports the study and development of sustainability in higher education by funding activities through the Scot…
25 Apr 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on Skills Development Scotland's progress towards establishing a zero waste skills academy.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Zero Waste Scotland and Skills Development Scotland are currently exploring the scope for a circular economy and resource management skills academy. A stakeholder workshop was held in March to explore the skills needed to support this transformation.
10 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to (a) review and (b) regulate speculative land purchasing practices to obtain planning permission on greenbelt and agricultural land.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The primary responsibility for the operation of the planning system lies with strategic planning authorities, and local and national park authorities. It is for these authorities, through their development plans, to set out a spatial strategy and policies tha…
10 Apr 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether timber value chain co-products will be one of the three main feedstock areas to have a feasibility study, based on previous technological appraisals, as outlined in The Biorefinery Roadmap for Scotland.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Yes. Timber value co-products will be one of the three main feedstock areas to have a feasibility study as part of delivering on our commitment in The Biorefinery Roadmap for Scotland.
4 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what modelling it has undertaken of maximising solar energy capture in new housing developments to assess the potential (a) financial benefits to homeowners and (b) wider economic and societal benefits.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government has not carried out the modelling specifically referred to in the question, however, European Directive 2002/91/EC on the energy performance of buildings required: “For new buildings with a total useful floor area over 1000 m², Member…
4 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many electric vehicle charging points have been included in new housing developments since its Scottish Planning Policy was published in 2014.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The information specific to the request is not held centrally. Scottish Planning Policy encourages electric vehicle charging points to be considered as part of any new development and provided where appropriate. Planning authorities should make decisions base…
4 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what research it has carried out on the long-term value of resource efficient building in the housing sector.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government values the substantial contribution of the house building industry and is working with Homes for Scotland and others to support the sector. In 2015 we commissioned Homes for Scotland to undertake research into mainstreaming more effici…
23 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to concerns that the maximum penalties under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 for causing unnecessary suffering are not sufficient.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Ministers announced, on 4 October 2016, that it would undertake a full review of the penalties under existing animal health and welfare legislation. As I announced, in response to S5W-06556 on 3 February 2017, initial communication has taken plac…
23 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the provision of care to children under the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 can consist of educational activities.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: In considering the scope of the provision of care to children under the Public Services Reform Act (Scotland) 2010, it is necessary to consider the definition of “day care of children”, which is found in schedule 12. This definition is then restricted to serv…
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division to establish criteria for holding joint planning appeals.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The vast majority of planning appeals are delegated to a Scottish Government reporter who is appointed by Scottish Ministers to make a decision on their behalf. It is at the appointed person’s discretion to decide whether further procedure is needed to obtain…
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consultations it has carried out with relevant stakeholders regarding the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division holding joint planning appeals, and what steps were taken to ensure public engagement in such consultations.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The vast majority of planning appeals are delegated to a Scottish Government reporter who is appointed by Scottish Ministers to make a decision on their behalf. It is at the appointed person’s discretion to decide whether further procedure is needed to obtain…
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what target it has for the (a) number and (b) percentage of trips in 2017 by Scottish vessels that will be accompanied by fisheries observers.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Marine Scotland Science (MSS) scientific observer programme is scheduled to carry out a total of 80 trips on demersal trawlers and 226 trips on Nephrops trawlers. The programme is expected to cover around 2% of the fishing trips of Scottish demersal trawl…
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-04367 by Fergus Ewing on 10 November 2016, how many vessels will be participating in the remote electronic monitoring fully documented fisheries schemes operated by Marine Scotland in 2017.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Up to 4 trawlers are anticipated to participate in the 2017 Saithe and Monkfish FDF scheme, which will run between April 2017 and December 2017. Up to 10 scallop boats may also participate in a separate FDF scheme scheduled to run between June and December.
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-04367 by Fergus Ewing on 10 November 2016, of the trips identified in the years 2014 to 2016 by vessels participating in the remote electronic monitoring fully documented fisheries schemes operated by Marine Scotland, what percentage of (a) total tr…
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The following table sets out the number of trips undertaken by all Scottish registered fishing vessels in the specified period against the recorded number of trips undertaken by the vessels participating in the Fully Documented Fishing Schemes in the each yea…
15 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what percentage of designated areas have seen (i) an improvement in, (ii) no improvement to and (iii) a decline in their Favourable status after three years of being included in a Delivering Favourable Condition Partnership action plan.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Of a total of 5,368 designated features of Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Natura sites across Scotland, 556 have been included in a Delivering Favourable Condition Partnership Action Plan. After three years of these features being included in an Act…
13 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the impact that reductions in street cleanliness have on the (a) environment and (b) tourism industry.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested. Litter and flytipping have no place within the circular economy that we want to move towards. It is also important for tourism that Scotland is always presented at its best. Our National Litte…
13 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent findings by the Accounts Commission regarding declining local authority budgets for street cleaning, what support it will offer to local authorities that have also seen declining levels of street cleanliness.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is already revising guidance that will help local authorities and others to fulfil their duties to keep land clear of litter and refuse, and roads clean. This guidance, which will be laid in Parliament in the coming months, will suppo…
8 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the scheme, Zero Waste Zones, and whether it will publish any reports regarding this.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Zero Waste Zones initiative was a pilot developed by Zero Waste Scotland in 2011-12 to provide an award framework for communities, schools or workplaces taking action to reduce waste. Sixteen pilot projects were developed. Learning from the pilots was ta…
8 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on supporting "design" within a circular economy, and whether it will publish any reports regarding this.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government’s circular economy strategy, ‘Making Things Last’ sets out our priorities for supporting circular economy design, bringing together specialist circular economy support from Zero Waste Scotland, and mainstream business and design suppor…
8 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding Zero Waste Scotland has provided for (a) reuse education and awareness campaigns and organisations involved in reuse, (b) circular economy education, (c) circular economy skills and training and (d) circular economy design in each year since 2011.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government does not hold information in this format. The Scottish Government takes a strategic and integrated approach to delivering a more circular economy, and turning the concept into meaningful, mainstreamed action. Zero Waste Scotland’s act…
28 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ensure that sites designated under the EU Habitats Directive for Scotland's Celtic Rainforest have favourable conservation status.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The term Celtic Rainforest has no official designated status. The Scottish Government has established the Delivering Favourable Condition Partnership to target resources, through an Action Plan, to improve the condition of designated areas, including designat…
28 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of sites designated under the EU Habitats Directive for Scotland's Celtic Rainforest that have unfavourable conservation status will be targeted for financial support under the forthcoming national approach for rhododendron control.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government’s forthcoming publication National Approach to Controlling Invasive Rhododendron in Scotland will highlight the priority designated sites affected by rhododendron where removal will have the greatest benefit. Information on the specifi…
28 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ensure there is financial support for rhododendron control in sites designated under the EU Habitats Directive for Scotland's Celtic Rainforest and, if so, how.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Responsibility for the removal of invasive non-native species such as rhododendron lies with landowners. The Scottish Government makes funding available to private woodland owners for rhododendron control projects under the Scottish Rural Development Programm…