Parliamentary questions

Jim Hume

1,310 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

31 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the additional money announced on 27 June 2012 for affordable housing, how many affordable homes it plans to build in the current parliamentary session, in addition to the 30,000 previously announced.

Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-08789 on 13 August 2012. 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/parliamentaryb…

19 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its 27 June 2012 announcement of additional money toward building homes, whether it has revised its target of building 30,000 affordable homes and, if so, what the new target is.

Answer · Alex Neil: We have made clear that we expect to exceed our commitment to deliver 30,000 affordable homes over the five-year term of this Parliament, but we have not specified a revised overall target.

3 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it records planning consents for peat extraction centrally and how it accounts for carbon loss under national greenhouse gas reporting.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Records of planning consents for peat extraction are not held centrally, but rest with the local authorities concerned. The Scottish Government follows Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidance in accounting for carbon loss from the quantity o…

3 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has given to planning authorities regarding determining the conservation value and restoration potential of degraded peatland, in order to determine the acceptability of proposals for commercial peat extraction.

Answer · Derek Mackay: No such guidance has been given.

3 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has given to planning authorities regarding defining degraded peatland that has been significantly damaged by human activity, in order to determine the acceptability of proposals for commercial peat extraction.

Answer · Derek Mackay: No such guidance has been given.

3 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has given to planning authorities regarding the assessment of effects of development proposals on stored carbon in peat and other carbon-rich soils.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Paragraph 133 of Scottish Planning Policy states “The disturbance of some soils, particularly peat, may lead to the release of stored carbon, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Where peat and other carbon rich soils are present, applicants should asses…

3 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that applicants assess the effects of development proposals on stored carbon in peat and other carbon-rich soils.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Planning Policy document states “The design of new development should address the causes of climate change by minimising the carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions and should include features that provide effective adaptation to the predicted …

25 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which ScotRail-operated services Transport Scotland consider as inter-city; what stations they call at, and which have fares that are (a) regulated by the (i) Scottish and (ii) UK Government and (b) unregulated.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government manages and monitors the performance of ScotRail operated services including its “intercity” known as interurban services. The current fares structure is a mixture of regulated and unregulated fares specified in the terms of the Franch…

21 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what pension provision it would make in an independent Scotland and where the funds would come from.

Answer · John Swinney: On independence, welfare benefits and the state pension would continue to be paid as they are under the current devolution settlement. Pensions would be protected. On the basis of both revenue and share of GDP, Scotland is better able to afford the current le…

18 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many pressured areas each local authority has created since the Housing (Scotland) Act 2010 came into force, broken down by month of creation.

Answer · Keith Brown: There is no statutory requirement for local authorities to inform the Scottish Government when they designate, amend or revoke a pressured area. The Scottish Government is aware of five local authorities who have made use of the provisions in the Housing (Sco…

7 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what circumstances have changed since Scottish Natural Heritage’s unsuccessful application in 2005 for a beaver trial in Knapdale that has allowed the current trial to proceed.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The application in 2007 for a licence to conduct a beaver reintroduction trial at Knapdale was carefully considered on its merits. The decision was taken to grant a licence. It would not be appropriate to comment on the decision of a previous administration i…

7 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what legal provision allows the exit strategy for the Knapdale beaver trial to be undertaken.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There is no need for an express legal provision allowing an exit strategy from the Scottish Beaver Trial at Knapdale as beavers are not currently a protected species in Scotland.

6 Jun 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many women had post natal depression in 2011.

29 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to replace the system in which farmers have to prove individual farm yield for nitrate vulnerable zone Nmax limits with a more regional-based approach.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The yield adjustment allows farmers to apply greater quantities of nitrogen fertiliser where crop yields have exceeded the standard yield, reflecting the nitrogen taken off in those harvests. The Scottish Government is currently consulting on what form the yi…

29 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to amend the limits for groundwater nitrate levels.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No. Groundwater feeds surface waters. At concentrations above 50 milligrams per litre, the threshold set in the EU Nitrates Directive, nitrate can result in undesirable ecological changes in rivers, lochs and coastal waters.

29 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of its consultation nitrate vulnerable zones, whether it will (a) review and (b) update the figures concerning nitrogen uptake and use in modern crops.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Agricultural College published its Technical Note on nitrogen uptake and use in crops in December 2009. The recommendations have been updated in light of recent trials results and advisory experience. The Scottish Government will review the figur…

29 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the claim in the report, The relationship between soil mineral nitrogen, applied nitrogen and yields in Scottish soils, that many crops would need to exceed their Nmax figures to achieve potential yield.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Nmax figures in the Scottish Nitrates Action Programme are based on the Scottish Agricultural College's recommendations for economically optimal applications of nitrogen fertiliser. The report cited has highlighted the variability of soil mineral nitrogen…

24 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many pressured area status applications it has (a) approved and (b) rejected since the Housing (Scotland) Act 2010 came into force, broken down by (i) local authority and (ii) month of application.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has neither approved nor rejected any pressured area status applications since the Housing (Scotland) Act 2010 came into force. The act gave local authorities the power to make, amend or revoke pressured areas themselves, without inter…

24 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) local authority and (b) housing association properties for social rent will become eligible for purchase by tenants in (i) 2013-14, (ii) 2014-15 and (iii) 2015-16 under the right to buy.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Housing (Scotland) Act provided that, from 1 March 2011, houses built or acquired after 25 June 2008 are not subject to the right to buy, with some limited exceptions, so, but for cases where these limited exceptions apply, no houses will become eligible …

24 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) local authority and (b) housing association properties for social rent are eligible for purchase by tenants under the right to buy.

Answer · Keith Brown: We estimate that 296,000 local authority tenancies and 237,000 housing association tenancies have the right to buy.

23 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to prevent an outbreak of cattle scab.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-07420 on 7 June 2012. 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/parliamentarybusin…

23 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what contingencies it has developed to deal with an outbreak of cattle scab.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Psoroptic mange, or cattle scab, is difficult to diagnose, requires prolonged treatment (which is not always successful) and is spread by bringing infected cattle into a herd. The best defence against the disease is taking appropriate precautions when buying …

22 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Network Rail regarding how the punctuality of ScotRail services as part of the Public Performance Measure at (a) staffed and (b) unstaffed stations is determined.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has had no discussions with Network Rail regarding how the punctuality of Scotrail services as part of the Public Performance Measure (PPM) at (a) staffed and (b) unstaffed stations is determined. PPM is reported by franchise and serv…

21 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what would have been paid to commercial bus operators from the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10, (c) 2010-11 and (d) 2011-12 if the change to BSOG introduced on 1 April 2012 applied in these years.

Answer · Keith Brown: As of April 2010, the Bus Service Operators Grant became budget limited. The annual expenditure for 2010-11 and 2011-12 would therefore have remained the same, if the new formula had been applied. Prior to April 2010, the payment rate varied with fuel duty a…

21 May 2012 · Written Question

Answer · Keith Brown: Bus Service Operators Grant payments in these years is as shown: 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 £63,294,403 £64,121,631 £62,500,000 £60,018,000

21 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the delay to research into the use of electric shock collars and whether it will discuss with the Welsh Assembly Government the evidence that it considered when legislating against the use of such devices.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Defra-funded research project was due to finish in November 2011; the Scottish Government received a draft final report in July 2011. The research has been completed and the project is currently being peer reviewed. Peer review is an important part of the…

21 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the involvement of the Electronic Collar Manufacturers Association in research to determine whether the use of electronic shock collars for dog training should be prohibited.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The involvement of industry leaders in research projects is an important way of ensuring that practical issues are considered and that strict scientific protocols can be followed in a commercial environment. The Scottish Government appreciated the involvement…

9 May 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what major events it plans to support in 2017.

8 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many woodland expansion proposals have been (a) consented and (b) consented without an approved environmental statement by each Forestry Commission Scotland conservancy since 2007 and what area of woodland this represents.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The number of woodland expansion proposals where consent is required and not required since 2007 by Regional Proposal Assessment Committee (RPAC) Region is set out in the following table. RPAC Region Consent Required Consent Not Required Argyll 1 59 Ay…

8 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it assesses significant impacts of woodland expansion proposals greater than 0.25 hectares on (a) biodiversity and (b) the historic environment.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: In deciding whether woodland creation proposals are likely to have a significant effect on the environment of a site, Forestry Commission Scotland seek the views of other relevant organisations to identify potential issues and mitigations early in the applica…