Questions · John Lamont

6 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce a national policy on the dumping of treated sewerage.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Dumping of sewage sludge is illegal. Sewage sludge may be legally disposed of to landfill or by incineration, or recovered, notably to land. In any of these cases, regulatory requirements apply. The Scottish Government has no plans to introduce a nat…

17 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of the recommendations in Economic Research Findings: The Economic Impacts of Wind Farms on Scottish Tourism, published in March 2008, it considers that certain areas should be designated green centres of renewable energy.

Answer · Jim Mather: We are supportive of efforts to attract visitors to areas where renewable energy projects are sited, such as the pumped storage hydro scheme at Cruachan, and Whitelee wind farm. It is for tourist organisations to consider whether areas with a number of renewa…

17 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of the recommendations in Economic Research Findings: The Economic Impacts of Wind Farms on Scottish Tourism, published in March 2008, it considers that certain areas should be protected from wind farm developments due to their scenic attributes.

Answer · Jim Mather: In the light of the study''s findings, Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 6 Annex 2 now recommends that planning authorities should consider tourism and recreational issues when processing applications from developers. The government believes that Scotti…

17 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of the recommendations in Economic Research Findings: The Economic Impacts of Wind Farms on Scottish Tourism, published in March 2008, it considers that certain areas should be protected from wind farm developments due to their value to tourism.

Answer · Jim Mather: In the light of the study''s findings, Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 6 recommends that as statutory consultees, planning authorities should consider tourism and recreational issues when processing any application for wind farm development. The Scott…

17 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to implement any of the recommendations in Economic Research Findings: The Economic Impacts of Wind Farms on Scottish Tourism, published in March 2008.

Answer · Jim Mather: In the light of the study''s findings, Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 6 Annex 2 now recommends that planning authorities should consider tourism and recreational issues when processing applications from developers. The Scottish Government believes th…

25 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been (a) arrested for and (b) charged with consuming alcohol in a public place in each of the last five years, broken down by (i) police force and (ii) local authority area.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: No information is held centrally on the number of people arrested, however the following two tables contain information on the number of offences of consuming alcohol in a public place recorded by the police in Scotland for each of the last five years, by (i)…

25 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have imposed a ban on the consumption of alcohol in public places and in what year each ban took effect.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Following a successful pilot in the use of byelaws to prohibit drinking in designated parts of Galashiels, Motherwell and Dundee, local authorities were invited in 1993 to submit proposals for similar byelaws under powers contained in the Local Government (Sc…

19 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority charges tenants of temporary accommodation for homeless people.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: This information is not held centrally.

29 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the £70 million of reinvestment in the railways to be delivered by ScotRail under the terms of the franchise extension will include a new local service from Edinburgh Waverley to Reston and East Linton.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The provision of rail services to Reston and East Linton is not one of the priced options secured under the ScotRail franchise extension. However, the option to operate additional services between Edinburgh and Dunbar is part of the franchise extension consul…

28 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what improvements it intends to make to the local delivery in the Scottish Borders of priority treatment for veterans with mental health problems.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Borders advises me that it provides psychological and psychiatric therapies, as appropriate, and follows national guidance for people with post traumatic stress following service in the armed forces. Current and ex-members of the armed forces are given pr…

9 Oct 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for economic development in Hawick.

Answer · John Swinney: We place great importance on supporting and increasing economic development opportunities throughout Scotland, including Hawick and the Borders. The prime source of investment for supporting and increasing that development, alongside the private sector, will …

22 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what role the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has in ensuring the cleanliness of beaches.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is responsible for monitoring and ensuring compliance with the water quality standards of the Bathing Water Directive (76/16/EEC) at 80 bathing waters designated by Scottish ministers under the Bathing Waters …

22 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has plans to introduce a strategy to improve the cleanliness of beaches.

Answer · Michael Russell: In March 2006, Scottish ministers published the strategy, Better bathing waters: meeting the challenges of the revised Bathing Water Directive in Scotland. This included proposals for tackling litter pollution at designated bathing waters. Designated bathing …

22 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities take on the responsibility for the cleaning of beaches in their area, regardless of whether they have a legal responsibility to do so.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government does not hold information on local authorities who take on responsibility for the cleaning of beaches in their areas. However, several local authorities are confirmed as cleansing their Amenity and Recreational beaches, as part of the …

22 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for the cleaning of beaches.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1990 places a duty on various bodies to clear litter from their land. For public beaches, the duty body is the relevant council. How local authorities go about fulfilling that duty and what resources they use is entirely…

12 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what extra (a) funding and (b) policing was used in the Stop the Supply off-sales alcohol pilot.

Answer · Shona Robison: Central Scotland Police inform us that the Stop the Supply campaign was specifically designed to have long-term sustainability at no extra cost. As such it is being delivered as part of area constables'' normal duties and has involved no additional funding or…

9 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any studies or analyses have been carried out to determine the economic benefit of improving and upgrading the A1 between Dunbar and the Scottish-English border.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Strategic Transport Projects Review is examining the longer term needs of Scotland''s national strategic transport network. This includes consideration of the A1 as part of the transport corridor between Edinburgh and the north east of England and beyond.…

9 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used to determine whether roads such as the A1 are in need of major improvement or upgrade.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) provides an objective led, multi-criteria framework approach to consider possible options to address evidence based transport challenges. Options are assessed against five established STAG criteria of environme…

9 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the volumes of freight traffic are on the (a) A1 between the Scottish-English border and Dunbar, (b) A68 between the Scottish-English border and Dalkeith and (c) A697 between the Scottish-English border and the A68.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Automated traffic counters monitor traffic volumes on the A1 at Grantshouse and on the A68 at Pathhead. The most recently available figures are for 2007 and show average annual daily Flows for heavy goods vehicles at these locations as follows; A1 “ …

9 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the rates are of accidents involving a fatality on the A1 between the Scottish-English border and Dunbar.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The fatal accident rate on the A1 between the Scottish-English border and Dunbar, broken down by single and dual carriageway sections, is as follows; <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=205 valign=top > &…

9 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the accident rates are on the A1 between the Scottish-English border and Dunbar.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The accident rate on the A1 between the Scottish-English border and Dunbar broken down by single carriageway and dual carriageway sections is: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=205 valign=top > <p align=cen…

3 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many interim antisocial behaviour orders have been applied for by local authorities and subsequently granted in each year since their introduction, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The information requested is available, for 2005-06 only, in annex 1 of the report Use of Antisocial Behaviour Orders in Scotland, which was laid in the Parliament on 20 September 2007 (Bib. number 43671).

3 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many interim antisocial behaviour orders have been applied for by registered social landlords and subsequently granted in each year since their introduction, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I have asked Karen Watt, Chief Executive of the Scottish Housing Regulator to respond. Her response is as follows: The following table details the number of interim antisocial behaviour orders (ASBO) that have been applied for by registered social la…

3 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many antisocial behaviour orders for children under 16 have been applied for by local authorities and subsequently granted in each year since their introduction, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Statistics on the number of antisocial behaviour orders for children under-16 granted between 1 October 2004 and 31 March 2008, by local authority area, can be found on our website at: <a href="http://www.antisocialbehaviourscotland.com/">www.antisoc…

3 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many antisocial behaviour orders for children under 16 have been applied for by registered social landlords and subsequently granted in each year since their introduction, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: This information is not held centrally.

3 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many dispersal orders have been (a) applied for and (b) granted in each year since their introduction, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The number of dispersal zones designated by senior police officers, up to end of March 2008, is available, by police force area, on our website at: <a href="http://www.antisocialbehaviourscotland.com/">www.antisocialbehaviourscotland.com</a>. <…

3 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many closure orders have been (a) applied for and (b) granted in each year since their introduction, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The information requested at (a) is not held centrally, while that requested at (b) is available, up to end of March 2008, on our website at <a href="http://www.antisocialbehaviourscotland.com/">www.antisocialbehaviourscotland.com</a>.

3 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many fixed penalty notices for noise nuisance have been issued in each year since their introduction, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Michael Russell: Details are as follows: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=243 rowspan=2 valign=top > Participating Local Authority </td> <td width=71 valign=top > 2005-06 </td> <…

3 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many parenting orders have been applied for by the Principal Reporter and subsequently granted in each year since their introduction, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Adam Ingram: We do not hold information regarding the number of applications for parenting orders centrally. To date there have been no parenting orders granted.

3 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many parenting orders have been applied for by local authorities and subsequently granted in each year since their introduction, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Adam Ingram: We do not hold information regarding the number of applications for parenting orders centrally. To date there have been no parenting orders granted.