Parliamentary questions
Neil Bibby
1,029 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13054 by Derek Mackay on 5 March 2013, what contribution it expects energy from waste schemes to make to its (a) renewable energy, (b) zero waste and (c) sustainable development targets.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: In 2010, the Sustainable Development Commission reported that energy from waste could contribute around 3% of Scotland’s total heat and electricity demand. The study focused on the use of combustion and anaerobic digestion with biogas capture and the main tec…
20 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13054 by Derek Mackay on 5 March 2013, how much future waste it has calculated should be diverted from landfill to incineration in order to avoid EU penalty and in which local authority areas it is encouraging these modal shifts.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government met the 2013 EU Landfill Directive target two years early and is on track to meet the 2020 target. The Scottish Governments Zero Waste plan focuses on maximising the value of all material resources for our economy. This means seeking w…
20 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13054 by Derek Mackay on 5 March 2013, what analysis it has made of the contribution of the planning system to the zero waste strategy and its target to divert waste from landfill.
Answer · Derek Mackay: National Planning Framework 2, Scottish Planning Policy and development plans support Scotland’s Zero Waste Plan target of no more than 5% of waste going to landfill by 2025. Along with other policy drivers such as landfill tax, development management, decisi…
20 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13054 by Derek Mackay on 5 March 2013, what analysis it has made of the contribution of the planning system to its (a) renewable energy generation and (b) economic growth targets.
Answer · Derek Mackay: There is wide recognition that supportive national planning policies are making significant contributions to the achievement of renewable energy targets. National Planning Framework (NPF) 2, Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) and development plans fully support o…
20 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13054 by Derek Mackay on 5 March 2013, what estimates it has made of the impact on employment opportunities arising from these decisions and whether it considers that the planning appeals system encourages or discourages sustainable development and …
Answer · Derek Mackay: Planning has an essential role to play in ensuring that we create the Scotland that we want, that we promote and strengthen our economy and build resilient communities. It should act as an enabler of sustainable development of the right type and in the right …
20 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13054 by Derek Mackay on 5 March 2013, how many of the energy sector appeals were for wind applications greater than 50 MW and how many were for single turbine or other developments of less than 50 MW.
Answer · Derek Mackay: There were no planning appeals for developments in excess of 50 megawatts. Any proposal to construct or operate a power generation scheme with a capacity in excess of 50 megawatts requires Scottish Ministers' consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 19…
20 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13054 by Derek Mackay on 5 March 2013, how many planning appeals in the (a) energy, (b) retail, (c) commercial property, (d) housing, (e) environmental waste management and (f) hotel, leisure and recreation sector ministers considered between May 19…
Answer · Derek Mackay: Planning appeal decisions in the period May 1997 to May 2011 are set out by sector in the following table: Number of appeal decisions Number of appeals allowed Energy 99 53 Retail 275 133 Commercial property 665 266 Housing 4240 1175 Environm…
13 Mar 2013 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the rates of income tax would be in an independent Scotland.
6 Mar 2013 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the recent announcement of a school meals sourcing summit, when the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment will meet local authorities to discuss the sourcing and standard of food in schools.
11 Feb 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much investment from outside of Scotland there has been and how many jobs have been created in the (a) retail, (b) energy, (c) commercial property, (d) construction, (e) environmental waste management and (f) hotel, leisure and recreation sector in each year since 2007.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not available. However, the Scottish Government’s Businesses in Scotland publication does include an estimate of the number of enterprises operating in Scotland that are foreign owned and rest of the UK owned, alongside estimates…
11 Feb 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many planning appeals in the (a) energy, (b) retail, (c) commercial property, (d) housing, (e) environmental waste management and (f) hotel, leisure and recreation sector ministers have considered since May 2011 and with what outcome.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Planning appeal decisions in the period 1 May 2011 to 13 February 2013 are set out by sector in the following table: Number of appeal decisions Number of appeals allowed Energy 92 27 Retail 19 11 Commercial property 17 12 Housing 148 53 Envir…
11 Feb 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the level of employment in manufacturing has been in the (a) Renfrewshire, (b) Inverclyde, (c) North Ayrshire, (d) East Dunbartonshire and (e) West Dunbartonshire local authority area in each year since 1997.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Table 1 shows the level of manufacturing employee jobs in the requested local authority areas, and those areas referred to in the answer to question S4W-13048 on 13 March 2012. The data are sourced from the Annual Business Inquiry (ABI) and the Business Regis…
11 Feb 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the average wage in the manufacturing sector has been in each year since 1997.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The preferred source for earnings estimates is the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), which is produced by the Office for National Statistics. The median is the recommended measure of average earnings as opposed to the mean. Median hourly earnings e…
11 Feb 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether productivity in the manufacturing sector has increased or decreased in each year since 1997.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Table 1 shows Gross Value Added (GVA) per employee for the manufacturing sector in Scotland. The data are sourced from the Annual Business Survey (ABS), which provides estimates from 1998 to 2010. The manufacturing sector is defined using Standard Industrial…
11 Feb 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether industrial production in the manufacturing sector has increased or decreased in each year since 1997.
Answer · John Swinney: This information can be derived from the latest (2012 Quarter 3) Scottish Quarterly Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Publication, which was released on 1 February 2013 and can be found on the Scottish Government website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Sta…
11 Feb 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much overseas investment in the manufacturing sector there has been in each year since 1997.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not available. However, the Scottish Government’s Businesses in Scotland publication does include an estimate of the number of enterprises operating in Scotland that are foreign owned, alongside estimates of Scottish employment a…
11 Feb 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many manufacturing jobs have been (a) lost and (b) created in (i) Ayrshire, (ii) Renfrewshire, (iii) Dunbartonshire, (iv) Lanarkshire and (v) Inverclyde in each year since 1997.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not available. I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-13053 on 13 March 2013, which provides estimates of manufacturing employee jobs by local authority area. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available…
1 Feb 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason residents associations are not allowed to represent their estates as a whole at homeowner housing panels.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: Residents association bodies cannot represent their estates as a whole because section 17 of the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011 (the Act) provides that it is homeowners themselves who have the right to make an application to the Homeowner Housing Panel …
21 Jan 2013 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Lord Advocate has had with the Advocate General concerning the agreement between the UK and Scottish governments on an independence referendum.
Answer · Frank Mulholland: I have regular discussions with the Advocate General on a range of issues. The content of those discussions is confidential.
17 Dec 2012 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has made of the benefits of creating an investment zone in Renfrewshire.
10 Dec 2012 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many direct weekday train services between 9.00 am and 5.00 pm there are from Paisley Gilmour Street to Ayr and how many there were prior to the recent timetable change.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There were eighteen direct weekday services between 09:00 and 17:00 hours from Paisley Gilmour Street to Ayr in the December 2011 timetable. There are ten direct weekday services between 09:00 and 17:00 hours from Paisley Gilmour Street to Ayr in the December…
26 Nov 2012 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it plans to spend on economic development in Paisley.
14 Nov 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the report on BBC Newsnight Scotland on 13 November 2012, whether it has sought legal advice in relation to the former chair of Stow College.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government has taken legal advice in relation to this matter. The Government does not consider it appropriate to place and debate legal advice in public.
7 Nov 2012 · SPCB Oral Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what progress there has been on the development of the e-petitions system.
1 Oct 2012 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people are on waiting lists for college places.
24 Sep 2012 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consultation has taken place regarding changes to the timetable for rail services between Paisley Gilmour Street, Ayr and Glasgow Central.
17 Sep 2012 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing last met NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and what issues were discussed.
Answer · Alex Neil: Both ministers and government officials regularly meet with all NHS Boards, and a range of matters of local interest are discussed.
12 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the average student debt for university graduates has been in each year since 2007-08.
Answer · Michael Russell: The average student debt for university graduates each year has been: 2007-08 £6,930 2008-09 £7,090 2009-10 £7,020 2010-11 £6,990 2011-12 £6,480
12 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much money the Student Loans Company has allocated to students in Scotland in the form of loans for 2012-13.
Answer · Michael Russell: As the Student Award Agency for Scotland will continue to receive and process applications until 31 March 2013 we are unable to provide the actual cost at this stage of the academic year.
12 Sep 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much money the Student Loans Company provided to students in Scotland in the form of loans in 2011-12.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Student Loans Company paid out £235.9 million in loans in financial year 2011-12 for Scottish domiciled students and a small number of EU students studying in Scotland.