Parliamentary questions
Alison McInnes
1,004 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated start date is for work on the A90 Balmedie-Tipperty dual carriageway.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The report of the Public Local Inquiry for the A90 Balmedie-Tipperty scheme is currently with the Scottish Ministers for decision. If the decision is to proceed, it would then be necessary to re-evaluate the remaining stages of the programme, including procur…
19 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will issue its response to the public local inquiry on the A90 Balmedie-Tipperty dual carriageway.
Answer · John Swinney: It is expected that a decision will be issued in the near future.</b></p>
7 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the timeline will be for making changes to the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2009 following its consultation on the review of the control of entry arrangements for inclusion on the NHS Pharmaceutical List.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36797 on 2 November 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliame…
7 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek a debate in the Parliament on the findings of its consultation on the review of the control of entry arrangements for inclusion on the NHS Pharmaceutical List.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36797 on 2 November 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliame…
7 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the next stage is with regard to its consultation on the review of the control of entry arrangements for inclusion on the NHS Pharmaceutical List.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36797 on 2 November 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliame…
7 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the timeline is for its consultation on the review of the control of entry arrangements.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government published the consultation document <i >Applications to provide NHS Pharmaceutical Services - Review of the Control of Entry Arrangements</i> on 22 March 2010. The consultation closed on 14 June 2010 and 142 responses were received. 12…
9 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the public events organised by Zero Waste Scotland represent good value for money.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35656 on 8 September 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at: </p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parlia…
9 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the public events organised by Zero Waste Scotland represent an effective means of public engagement.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government considers the events organised by Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) to be both an effective means of public engagement and cost effective. ZWS includes elements of the former Waste Aware Scotland programme, and has built upon its successes. Th…
9 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the public events organised by Waste Aware Scotland represent good value for money.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government considers the public events organised by Waste Aware Scotland to have represented good value for money.</p>
9 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the public events organised by Waste Aware Scotland represent an effective means of public engagement.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government considers the events organised by the former Waste Aware Scotland programme to have been an effective means of public engagement.</p>
9 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what public events organised by Zero Waste Scotland have taken place in the last six months and what the (a) cost and (b) attendance was in each case.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The following table lists the events organised by Zero Waste Scotland in the last six months, including costs and attendance or interactions at the events. </p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=213 valign=top > …
9 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what public events organised by Waste Aware Scotland have taken place in the last 12 months and what the (a) cost and (b) attendance was in each case.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The following table lists the public events organised by Waste Aware Scotland from August 2009 to 29<sup> </sup>January 2010 when it became a part of Zero Waste Scotland. The tables includes costs and attendance or interactions at the events.</p> <table bor…
2 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on landscaping on the trunk road network in each of the last five years, broken down by operating area.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The total spend on trunk road landscaping in each of the Trunk Road Operating Company areas is shown in the following table (in £millions):</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=132 valign=top > <p align=center…
19 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) staff resources and (b) travel costs were incurred by Transport Scotland in each of the last 3 years as a result of its membership of, or involvement in (i) the National Salt Spreading Research Group, (ii) the UK Roads Liaison Group, (iii) The World Road Association (PIARC), (iv)…
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The information available is provided in the following tables:</p> <p >(i) the National Salt Spreading Research Group</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td width=162 valign=top > <p > </p> </td> <td width=149 valign=top…
19 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Transport Scotland will be sending a representative to The World Road Association (PIARC) Congress in Mexico in September 2011, and, if so, how much it expects this to cost in terms of (i) staff resources and (ii) travel costs
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No decision has been taken about attendance by Transport Scotland staff at the World Road Association (PIARC) Congress in Mexico in September 2011.</p>
19 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) staff resources and (b) travel costs will be incurred by Transport Scotland in each the next 12 months as a result of its membership of, or involvement in (i) the National Salt Spreading Research Group, (ii) the UK Roads Liaison Group, (iii) The World Road Association (PIARC), (i…
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The information on staff resources in the next 12 months is provided in the following table. Details of travel costs which will be incurred by Transport Scotland in each of the next 12 months is not available as no decisions have been taken about the attendan…
3 Jun 2010 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has reconsidered the interpretation of the Rural Priorities scheme guidance to permit anaerobic digestion plants to receive funding.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The setting of priorities for the Rural Priorities element of the Scotland Rural Development Programme is done at a regional level. In the north-east, this is the responsibility of the Grampian Regional Proposal Assessment Committee, or RPAC. The Grampian RPA…
5 May 2010 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that Scotland will meet its European air quality targets this year.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: These targets are being met across the vast majority of Scotland. However, as in the rest of the UK, there is a small number of urban locations where the limit value for nitrogen dioxide is not expected to be met by the end of the year. The four UK administra…
12 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to ensuring that the aggregate amount of net Scottish greenhouse gas emissions for the period up to 2022 is consistent with Scotland contributing appropriately to the stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would pre…
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: In developing the advice to both the Scottish and UK Governments, the Committee on Climate Change considered the appropriate path for global emissions reductions, suggesting that global emissions should peak by 2020 and then fall to 50% or more below current …
12 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to not exceeding the “fair and safe” Scottish emissions budget, as described in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, in deciding on annual emissions reductions targets for the period 2010 to 2022.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: In developing the advice to both the Scottish and UK Governments, the Committee on Climate Change considered the appropriate path for global emissions reductions, suggesting that global emissions should peak by 2020 and then fall to 50% or more below current …
18 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many vehicles it and its agencies purchased in each of the last five years, broken down by fuel type.
Answer · John Swinney: The following table gives details of the number of vehicles purchased by the Scottish Government in the last five financial years, broken down by fuel type:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=71 valign=top > …
18 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many vehicles it and its agencies (a) own and (b) lease, broken down by fuel type.
Answer · John Swinney: The following table gives details of the number of vehicles owned by the Scottish Government, broken down by fuel type:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td width=182 valign=top > <p align=center >Fuel Type</p> </td> <td …
18 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what approximate number of buses are (a) equipped and (b) not equipped with smartcard-enabled ticket machines.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The programme to deliver smart enabled ticket machines is 94% complete with 6,696 ticket machines deployed from a total of 7,013. There are 317 ticket machines still to be deployed.</p>
18 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the roll-out of the smartcard-enabled ticket machines to all bus fleets to be concluded.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The roll-out of smart enabled electronic ticket machines is scheduled to be completed in May 2010.</p>
16 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the sufficiency of tests used to determine the appropriateness of using the planning gain mechanism and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Scottish Government guidance on the use of planning agreements is set out in Planning Circular 1/2010: <i >Planning Agreements</i>. The guidance sets out a series of policy tests which are to be met before a planning agreement is sought. Planning authorities …
16 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received indicating that the planning gain mechanism is open to abuse.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government has not received any representations indicating that the planning gain mechanism is open to abuse.</p>
16 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the importance of the planning gain mechanism to local authorities in developing their communities.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Planning gain or developer contributions are generally obtained through the use of planning agreements. Planning agreements have a limited but useful role to play in the development management process where they can be used to overcome obstacles to the grant …
16 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent representations it has received from local authorities regarding the planning gain mechanism.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government recently published Planning Circular 1/2010: <i >Planning Agreements</i>. The Circular was subject to public consultation in 2009 with 22 planning authorities responding to the consultation. </p>
16 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has seconded representatives from local government to examine the planning gain mechanism and, if not, whether it plans to do so.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government has not seconded representatives from local government to examine the planning gain mechanism and has no current plans to do so. We are working with COSLA and other local government groups on wider work related to blockages to developm…
16 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has seconded representatives from development companies to examine the planning gain mechanism.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government has seconded two members of staff from GVA Grimley. Their remit is to examine blockages to development in the current economic climate and explore alternative approaches to addressing these. Part of this work involves considering alter…