Parliamentary questions
Jamie Greene
1,978 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
6 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether drinks producers will switch from using glass containers to using containers made from PET and other materials as a result of any additional fees associated with the use of glass as part of its proposed deposit return scheme.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Packaging design choices are a matter for producers and there are a number of factors which influence their decisions. The costs associated with different materials already vary and the DRS producer fee will only be one element of total costs of using any giv…
6 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) domestic and (b) international evidence it has considered regarding the potential for drinks producers to switch from using glass to using PET and other materials as a result of its proposed deposit return scheme.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Whilst recognising there is limited scope to draw direct comparisons, the Scottish Government has considered a broad range of evidence from established schemes which collect glass. It is clear that there are a wide range of factors which can impact packaging …
6 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what amendments have been made to its proposed deposit return scheme design since its publication as a direct result of engagement with (a) equality and disability organisations, (b) the glass industry, (c) business representatives, including members of the Implementation Advisory Group,…
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government’s deposit return scheme design, published on 8 May, was informed by extensive engagement with a wide range of partners. Scottish Ministers intend to bring forward the secondary legislation to establish that scheme in the near future, p…
6 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether consumers will have a legal right to have deposits redeemed in cash rather than as store vouchers as part of its proposed deposit return scheme.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Consumers will be reimbursed deposits in the form of a cash payment should they wish.
6 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the 90% target of obligated drinks put on the market and collected as part of its proposed deposit return scheme will be recycled.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Government expects all material collected through the proposed deposit return scheme to be recycled.
6 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that all single-use glass drinks containers returned via its proposed deposit return scheme will be recycled as part of a Scottish domestic circular economy and not exported elsewhere.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The introduction of a deposit return scheme will significantly increase the quantity and quality of glass recyclate, creating an aggregated and high-quality feedstock for reprocessing. We are committed to working with industry to maximise the economic opportu…
15 Jul 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it has improved passenger information and integration since September 2018.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government published its draft National Transport Strategy for consultation on 31 July 2019. It recognises the importance of improving the quality of travel information and providing an integrated transport network in order to achieve our vision …
15 Jul 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many remote sensing air quality monitors on local and trunk roads there are, and how this compares with September 2018.
Answer · Michael Matheson: There are currently no remote sensing air quality monitors on local and trunk roads. The Scottish Government will introduce such sensors to the trunk road network initially from August 2019.
15 Jul 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it has developed greenways for walking and cycling since September 2018.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Sustrans Scotland is working with a range of stakeholders to create a Greenways Concept and Plan and will present findings to Transport Scotland by November 2019, with two pilot projects in urban areas being planned for delivery in 2020-21 onwards.
15 Jul 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it has subsidised bike hire for (a) jobseekers, (b) modern apprentices, (c) young people and (d) students since September 2018.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Transport Scotland delivers walking and cycling infrastructure and behaviour change projects together with national partners such as the Energy Saving Trust, Cycling Scotland, Cycling UK and Sustrans. These partners have developed programmes from 2018 that de…
15 Jul 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the Green Bus Fund has been distributed, broken down by (a) spend and (b) project type.
Answer · Michael Matheson: There have been eight rounds of the Scottish Green Bus Fund (SGBF). Funding amounting to £17.2 million has seen the introduction of 475 low carbon vehicles to the fleet. SGBF award details are published on the Transport Scotland website at: https://www.trans…
15 Jul 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what change there has been in the number of green buses in the public fleet since September 2018.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Between March 2018 and March 2019, the number of green buses operating in Scotland changed from 577 to 793, an increase of 216. Data is not available to detail the change in the number of green buses in Scotland since September 2018.
15 Jul 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many "electric towns" have been established since September 2018, and how many there will be by 31 December 2019.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Transport Scotland’s Switched on Towns and Cities initiative was announced in June 2018. The challenge fund attracted a number of bids from Local Authorities and 5 successful applications received funding, averaging £2.4m each over 2 fiscal years. The success…
15 Jul 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage change there has been in seating capacity on (a) eastern and (b) central ScotRail services since September 2018.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Since September 2018 there has been a 33% increase in seating on Eastern services and 11% increase to services in Central Scotland. As more of the new fleet of Hitachi Class 385’s and High Speed Trains are introduced this will allow existing, refurbished die…
15 Jul 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the Low Carbon Transport Loan Fund has been distributed, broken down by (a) spend and (b) project type.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Transport Scotland provides funding to our delivery partners Energy Saving Trust to deliver the Low Carbon Transport Loan which offers interest-free loans for domestic consumers up to the value of £35,000 as well as business loans for electric and plug-in hyb…
15 Jul 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what change there has been in the number of ultra-low emissions vehicles in the public sector fleet since September 2018.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has, through Transport Scotland’s Switched on Fleets initiative, supported orders for over 700 ultra-low emission vehicles in the public sector since September 2018. This brings the total number of ultra-low emission vehicles supported…
15 Jul 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many public charge points for electric vehicles have been installed since September 2018.
Answer · Michael Matheson: A total number of 173 public charge points have been added to the ChargePlace Scotland network since September 2018, with a further 150 in the final process of being added to the network. In addition to the comprehensive ChargePlace Scotland network, we conti…
15 Jul 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many electric vehicle charge points have been installed since September 2018.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has supported the completed installation of 1369 electric vehicle charge points in homes, businesses and communities across Scotland, including 173 public charge points since September 2018, with a further 150 public charge points in t…
18 Jun 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many low-carbon jobs there have been in the West Scotland region in each of the last five years.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The estimates for low carbon and renewable energy jobs in Scotland are not published by the Scottish Government, but instead they are compiled and published by the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) in their "UK Environmental Accounts: Low Carbon and Ren…
10 Jun 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication under FoI of its paper, A737 Dalry Bypass: cost-benefit assessment: EIR release (FOI/18/02139), what the source was of the information that was provided, and how the figure of £53 million in VAT was calculated.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The information was based on advice given by our technical advisors (Mouchel Fairhurst Joint Venture). As part of development of the scheme in line with the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges, our advisors produce cost estimates, consistent with Treasury Gu…
10 Jun 2019 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to strike action taking place at Glasgow and Aberdeen airports.
3 Jun 2019 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve out-of-hours GP services in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, in light of reports that only one in five centres were open on Sunday.
28 May 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to bring job opportunities to North Ayrshire.
28 May 2019 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the report by Age Scotland that four in ten people requiring substantial or critical care were found to be waiting more than six weeks to receive it.
16 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of fuels used for transport in Scotland are renewable fuels.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Statistics on use of fuel types for transport are collated by the UK Government and are publically available from the Department for Transport. The website is provided here - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/biofuels-statistics .
15 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on independent advisers to assist with the procurement of ferry vessels 801 and 802.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government has not spent any money on independent advisors to assist with the procurement of vessels 801 and 802. Procurement of the vessels was undertaken by CMAL.
15 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on legal fees in relation to the procurement of ferry vessels 801 and 802.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government has not spent any money on legal fees in relation to the procurement of vessels 801 and 802. Procurement of the vessels was undertaken by CMAL.
15 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many households in the (a) North Ayrshire and (b) Inverclyde local authority area have experienced fuel poverty in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The number of households in each local authority that are experiencing fuel poverty is published annually in the Scottish House Condition Survey local authority tables. Local Authority figures are based on a 3-year pooled sample to allow sufficient sample si…
15 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many claims for compensation for journeys on the (a) Largs-Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh-Glasgow and (c) Edinburgh-Aberdeen route ScotRail received in each month between May 2016 and May 2019.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government does not have Delay Repay information broken down by route.
15 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much ScotRail paid to passengers in compensation in each month between May 2016 and May 2019.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) Bib number: 60697