Maurice Golden

28 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what proportion of Special Areas for Conservation, which are designated under the EU Habitats Directive for Scotland's Celtic Rainforest with habitat code 91A0 as a primary feature, have an unfavourable conservation status, and how many of these are unfavourable and …

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The term Celtic Rainforest has no official designated status. The Habitat Code 91A0 refers to Sessile Oak Woods. There are a total of twenty six woodland features associated with this habitat in Special Areas of Conservation. Of these features five or 19% are…

28 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the principal drivers are of unfavourable conservation status in sites designated under the EU Habitats Directive for Scotland's Celtic Rainforest.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-07613 on 14 March 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/2…

20 Feb 2017 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister, in light of the verdict, whether the Scottish Government considers that it was worthwhile for it to spend £136,000 on legal fees in the recent Brexit case at the Supreme Court.

14 Feb 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice and support it offers to farmers to encourage regenerative farming.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government provides advice and support to farmers to encourage regenerative farming across a range of programmes and activities. I want to highlight 3 of these and I'd be happy to write to the member with a full list of direct and indirect activi…

12 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that its landfill tax policy is compliant with the EU waste framework directive’s waste management hierarchy with regard to non-hazardous contaminated soils attracting the lower rate of landfill.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Scottish Landfill Tax is designed to reduce landfill volumes and move material up the waste hierarchy in line with the terms of the EU waste framework directive. Sub-soils contaminated with material not present in, The Scottish Landfill Tax (Qualifying Materi…

2 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many tonnes of recyclable non-hazardous contaminated soils have been landfilled since the Scottish Landfill Tax came into force.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Landfill Tax replaced UK Landfill Tax in Scotland from 1 April 2015. The 2015 figures will be published in May 2017.

2 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many tonnes of non-hazardous contaminated soils are being recycled.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: In 2014, the most recent year for which figures are available, 2,135,242 tonnes of non-hazardous soils were recycled. Data collected in this regard does not differentiate between contamination levels in soils.

25 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that there is a wide representation of people with autistic spectrum disorders on (a) the Scottish Strategy for Autism Governance Group and (b) similar groups.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government is committed to improving services so that people with autism can live healthier lives, have choice and control over the services they use, and be active and independent citizens The Strategy’s aim is that people with autism should be …

25 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on reviewing the penalties for offences committed under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, including extending the term limits of bans on owning animals.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Ministers announced, on 4 October 2016, that it would undertake a full review of penalties under existing animal health and welfare legislation. Initial communication has taken place with key stakeholders and enforcement agencies with a view to c…

25 Jan 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assurance it can give communities that objections to proposed developments will be fully considered in the appeals process, given the reported 25% increase in the last year in the number of local authority planning rejections overruled by ministers.

12 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has provided to each local authority in each year since 2011 to support (a) kerbside recycling systems, excluding food waste collections and (b) the Recycle for Scotland campaign.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The vast majority of Scottish Government revenue funding for local authorities is provided by means of a block grant. It is the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available …

12 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on establishing an environmental grants initiative similar to the Highways England Environment Designated Fund scheme.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Improvements to the existing trunk road network are financed from the Motorways and Trunk Roads Budget. Environmental management can be applied on a prioritised basis during the trunk road and motorway maintenance programme, where reasonably practicable. For …

31 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what research has been commissioned regarding the commercialisation of hydrogen technology.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government, Transport Scotland and Scottish Enterprise, along with the UK Government, were among the lead organisations in a consortium which, in January 2016, commissioned an independent strategy for hydrogen and fuel cells to play a greater rol…

23 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much carpet material has been sent to landfill in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: This information is not available. Local authority waste data held by SEPA does not include specific information about how much carpet material has been sent to landfill over the last five years. It is likely that carpet material is included within the categ…

23 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce the amount of carpet material being sent to landfill.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is working to divert a wide range of materials, including carpets, from landfill through increasing the rate of recycling, and where appropriate remanufacture and re-use. These measures include supporting the Recycle for Scotland websi…

23 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which stakeholders it has held discussions with regarding a review of animal welfare legislation, and whether it will provide details of discussions it has had involving the possibility of licensing animal rehoming agencies.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: My officials held meetings with stakeholders on 23 November 2015 and 3 June 2016 in connection with the ongoing review of pet welfare. Discussion at those meeting covered a range of issues, including that of licensing animal rehoming agencies. Officials have …

23 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its circular economy strategy is on course to deliver 5,700 remanufacturing jobs by 2020, as outlined in its Making Things Last report.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: ‘Making Things Last’ sets out our ambition and priorities to move Scotland towards a more circular economy, where products and materials are kept in high value use for as long as possible. The strategy does not include job creation targets but identifies the …

23 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what benefit has been derived from lowering the rate of non-hazardous soil treatment of recyclable soils.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The introduction of Scottish Landfill Tax in April 2015 did not result in any changes to the liability of soils for the purposes of Landfill Tax. From 1996 to 2008 contaminated land had a blanket exemption under UK Landfill Tax. Since 2008, soils removed from…

23 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale is for the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Scottish Natural Heritage and other partners to publish a proposal to undertake a full census of breeding seabirds.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Joint Nature Conservation Committee has advised that they intend to submit the proposal to the UK Government and the devolved administrations by summer 2017.

21 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale is for a consultation on the review of the exemption for a food waste collection service for rural households.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: During 2017, we intend to work with local authorities to develop viable options that may have the potential to achieve the aim of giving every household in Scotland access to a food waste service. That will include consideration of whether a realistic and cos…

21 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of non-exempted households it anticipates will have access to a separate food waste collection service by 2021.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government's ambition is for every household in Scotland to have access to a food waste service. However, it is for local authorities to work towards compliance with the Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012, by continuing to roll out household food …

11 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice and support is being offered to farmers, land owners and other relevant stakeholders regarding mitigating potential damage caused by beavers, and what steps it is taking to engage with these groups.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has a dedicated web page and advisory service in place to give farmers one-on-one advice and help on the ground. Farmers can get more information at: http://www.snh.gov.uk/protecting-scotlands-nature/beavers/beaver-management-a…

11 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to catalogue and measure biodiversity changes resulting from the spread of beaver populations.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: A range of detailed studies were undertaken at Knapdale, Argyll as part of the Scottish Beaver Trial. Monitoring took place from 2009-2014, and reporting was concluded in 2015. The independent monitoring programme was coordinated by Scottish Natural Heritage …

11 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with animal charities regarding gifting animals at Christmas, and what action it is taking to educate the public on this issue.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has discussed animal welfare with stakeholder organisations throughout 2016, but there have been no specific discussions on the gifting of animals at Christmas. Independent animal charities, such as the Scottish Society for the Prevent…

11 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out to identify communities in the West Scotland region that may be underserved by existing public transport options.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Identification of communities with no or inadequate public transport in the West of Scotland is under the responsibility of the local authorities and SPT who, through their Regional Transport Strategy, must take account of the differing strategic needs in the…

11 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to carry out a full and unified survey of all marine birds on land and within Scottish waters.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), Scottish Natural Heritage, and other partners are presently developing a proposal to undertake a full census of breeding seabirds. In addition, the JNCC are developing a UK wide marine biodiversity monitoring st…

11 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with countries that have successfully reintroduced species when considering whether to allow the reintroduction of beavers to Scotland.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has had extensive and wide ranging discussions with numerous beaver specialists and managers, country agency staff and academics over the 21 years since it started investigating beaver reintroduction issues. This has resulted …

11 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the original coverage area of native Caledonian woodland it considers is the optimum to be restored.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is taking action on improving the condition of Scotland’s Native Woodlands including Caledonian woodland through its commitments in the Scottish Biodiversity 2020 Route Map. There is not a specific target or stated optimum level of nat…

5 Dec 2016 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the establishment of a new national park would have on tourism and conservation.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: While the Scottish Government recognises the important contribution our existing National Parks make to tourism, conservation and the wider Scottish economy, any new national parks would incur significant costs. At a time of pressures on public finances, we d…

3 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much the Heritage Lottery Fund has spent on nature conservation in Scotland in each of the last five years.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.