Alison Johnstone

22 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much each local authority spends on school meals and what the average cost is per meal.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: The following table shows gross revenue expenditure and average expenditure per meal by local authorities on school meal provision in financial year 2010-11. Local Authority Gross Expenditure £'000s Cost Per School Meal (£:p) Aberdeen City 4,342 2.69 A…

18 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to improve areas of poor air quality in 2013-14.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government will continue to work closely with local authorities, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Transport Scotland and other partners to improve air quality in Scotland. This work will include: Taking forward the policies outlined i…

7 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-08144 by Richard Lochhead 9 July 2012, what progress has been made on its marine litter strategy and when it will publish a consultation.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is committed to the development of a marine litter strategy, which aims to address the levels of marine litter present on our coast. A very successful stakeholder workshop was held in August 2012 and supporting research was published …

28 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what data it uses to measure university performance on widening participation to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Answer · Michael Russell: Statistical data on students attending higher education courses in Scottish universities, including those students from disadvantaged backgrounds, is provided by the Higher Education Statistics Agency and the data is reported on annually by the Scottish Fundi…

28 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland: Annual Business Plan 2013-14 will include work implementing the national walking strategy.

Answer · Keith Brown: The national walking strategy is in the early stages of formulation. It is anticipated that the strategy will be delivered towards the end of 2013. Until the strategy has been developed, it is not possible to say whether the Transport Scotland: Annual Busine…

28 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will update Transport Scotland Corporate Plan 2012-2015 to include implementation of the forthcoming national walking strategy.

Answer · Keith Brown: The national walking strategy is at an early stage of formulation. It is anticipated that the strategy will be delivered towards the end of 2013. Until the strategy has been delivered, and we know its contents, it is not possible to say whether the Transport…

28 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it can promote healthy food choices on the high street.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government funds the Scottish Grocers Federation Healthyliving Programme which aims to improve the supply and provision of fresh produce and healthier food choices in local convenience stores with a focus on low-income areas. The support includes…

28 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to ensure that Waverley railway station does not breach safe air pollution limits.

Answer · Keith Brown: It is the responsibility of local authorities to assess air quality in their areas under the provisions of the Air Quality (Scotland) Regulations 2000. Waverley Station as a partially covered building falls within scope of the relevant local authority. It is…

22 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its consultation on a new food body.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government website sets the timing for publication of the forthcoming consultation on a new food body as “winter 2012-2013”.

22 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how its forthcoming consultation on a new food body will address meat inspection issues.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The forthcoming consultation on a new food body will focus on transferring existing Food Standards Agency (FSA) functions to a new body, and examine what options exist to expand its scope and responsibilities beyond the existing FSA functions. Meat inspection…

15 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the submission of planning applications in close proximity to the festive period and what effect this has on opportunities for public scrutiny and consultation.

Answer · Derek Mackay: There are no statutory restrictions on what time of year applications for planning permission can be submitted. The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2008 set out minimum timescales of 14 and 21 days for resp…

11 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made toward achieving the four targets identified in the Scottish Government Travel Strategy 2011-2016.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has made the following progress against the targets set out in its 2011-2016 Travel Strategy: Target 1 – to reduce business related travel emissions by 25% between 2005-06 and 2016-17. Target 2 – to reduce business related travel emi…

11 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Scottish Grocery Retailers' Forum last met and whether the minutes of that meeting will be published.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The last meeting of the Scottish Grocery Retailers’ Forum was on 2 May 2012. The agenda and minutes from this meeting can be accessed at http://scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/Food-Industry/retailing/May12-minutes. We are also due to meet with them a…

11 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when its Food Implementation Group last met and what actions it agreed.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Food Implementation Group (FIG) was established to take forward actions with representative food industry bodies, on energy intake within the Preventing Overweight and Obesity Route Map. The FIG has met eight times from 2010 to 2012. The last meeting was…

11 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is encouraging retailers to stock smaller portions of snack foods.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Portion size of all foods is a key focus of our effort to help people maintain a healthy weight. Our stated aims on portion sizes are set out in the Preventing Overweight and Obesity Route Map: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/02/17140721/8 Thes…

11 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the expected reduction in vehicle journeys is as a result of the development of the National Cycle Network route 78.

Answer · Keith Brown: We would expect a reduction in car trips by making shorter journeys more attractive for cycling and walking as a result of the new route. In Sustrans’ figures for the National Cycle Network usage in Scotland in 2011, 27% of pedestrians and 33% of cyclists sai…

11 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the development of the National Cycle Network route 78 between Oban and Inverness will contribute to its target of having 10% of all journeys made by bicycle by 2020.

Answer · Keith Brown: Use of the National Cycle Network has increased by 50% in the past four years and it now carries 35 million trips a year in Scotland. It is over 2,000 miles long and the route through the Great Glen is the largest missing link in the Network. In addition, bo…

8 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the recent study by SAC Consulting on the availability of distillery by-products.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The report has been discussed with stakeholders during a meeting in November, and is available via: http://www.sruc.ac.uk/info/20005/sac_consulting/812/distillery_feed_by-products_briefing.

8 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports the uptake of domestically grown animal feeds.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Direct support for protein crop production was available under the previous common agricultural policy regime but was discontinued in 2005 as part of the move away from coupled support payments. Any historical entitlements were converted and now from part of …

8 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it addresses rises in the cost of imported animal feeds.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Animal feedstuffs are a globally traded commodity product. The price of animal feed is commercially driven and determined by the supply and demand balance on world markets. It is up to livestock farmers and their business advisors to factor in input cost vola…

19 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made representations to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office about the Scottish Police College's training for the Maldives Police Service.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government has not made any representations to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office about the Scottish Police College's training for the Maldives Police Service.

19 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria the Scottish Police College uses when deciding whether to deliver training for clients.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The delivery of training by the Scottish Police College is a matter for the Scottish Police Services Authority.

19 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how training courses delivered by the Scottish Police College are evaluated for effectiveness.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The evaluation of training delivered by the Scottish Police College is a matter for the Scottish Police Services Authority.

19 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether concerns have been raised with it about the effectiveness of the training provided to the Maldives Police Service by the Scottish Police College.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: No concerns have been raised with the Scottish Government on the effectiveness of the training provided to the Maldives Police Service by the Scottish Police College.

19 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the training contract between the Scottish Police College and the Maldives Police Service.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The training contract between the Scottish Police College and the Maldives Police Service is a matter for the Scottish Police Services Authority.

11 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the (a) plans and (b) timescale for phase two of the Highland Main Line Improvement Project; what the estimated cost of the project is, and how many jobs it will create.

Answer · Keith Brown:   Alison Johnstone (Lothian) (Scottish Green Party): To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the (a) plans and (b) timescale for phase two of the Highland Main Line Improvement Project; what the estimated cost of the project is, and how many jobs…

10 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what actions it has taken since March 2012 to expand the use of 20 mph zones in (a) residential and (b) shopping streets.

Answer · Keith Brown: Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2020 includes a commitment to “Encourage local authorities to consider 20 mph zones in all residential areas”, but also says that we will “encourage and support the use of intelligence-led road safety targeting.” Transport …

6 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on Transform Scotland's report, On track for business: Why Scottish businesses should try the train.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government notes Transform Scotland’s report and its emphasis on the potential benefits relating to the use of travel by train by businesses. The Scottish Government’s Travel Strategy (2011-16) Annual Action Plan promotes the use of public transp…

6 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what policies it has to encourage low-carbon travel by its employees and other public sector workers.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s Travel Strategy (2011-16): http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/Information/travel-strategy, focuses on sustainable business travel, which is essential to allow the Scottish Government to carry out its business across Scotland and to me…

6 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its travel agreement with EasyJet was the result of a competitive process and whether it has any similar arrangements with rail companies.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There is no contract in place between the Scottish Government and easyJet. The contract agreement is between Expotel Ltd and easyJet. There was no obligation on Expotel to abide by the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2012 and, as such, undertake a com…