Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S3W-28293

Asked by: Cathy Jamieson, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 October 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 12 November 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration was given to the ScotRail Franchise Authority Service Level Commitment when setting the winter 2009 timetable for the (a) Stranraer/Girvan - Newcastle service and (b) Glasgow Central - Stranraer service.

The new winter 2009 rail timetable for the Girvan - Stranraer line was proposed, consulted upon, developed and agreed as part of the continuing contractual process involving ScotRail and Transport Scotland.

The ScotRail Service Level Commitment is varied, as required, to reflect any approved service changes. This variation enables ScotRail to bid for a compliant timetable to Network Rail for the operation of these services, on behalf of Scottish ministers.

Question reference: S3W-28288

Asked by: Cathy Jamieson, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 October 2009
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 12 November 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of nurses graduating in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, (c) 2007 and (d) 2008 took up a nursing position (i) with NHSScotland, (ii) elsewhere in the NHS, (iii) in the private sector and (iv) overseas and how many left the profession or are unemployed.

Question reference: S3W-28294

Asked by: Cathy Jamieson, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 October 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 12 November 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether ScotRail, in relation to its winter 2009 timetable, sought permission to provide a rail service that did not comply with the ScotRail Franchise Authority Service Level Commitment; if so, for what services, and what decision was reached in each case.

Question reference: S3W-28896

Asked by: Cathy Jamieson, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 November 2009
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive how many house repossessions there have been in the last five years, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S3W-28478

Asked by: Cathy Jamieson, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 October 2009
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 10 November 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to improve broadband access in Ayrshire.

The Scottish Government has already made significant progress in improving broadband access in Ayrshire, through successful completion of the Broadband Reach Project in May 2009. The project, delivered by Avanti Communications Ltd, has provided an affordable, basic broadband service to the demand known to the Scottish Government, in the (less than) 1% of the population previously unable to access a broadband service due to distance from the exchange. Avanti is now provisioning late project registrants, and this will continue until March 2010, while project funding remains. The project has now delivered a service to over 2,200 premises, including over 100 in Ayrshire.

Furthermore, on 23 September 2009, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth announced that the Scottish Government has agreed with BT a programme of upgrade work for Scottish rural exchanges which are currently experiencing capacity issues. The exchanges under consideration for upgrade are located throughout Scotland, and include ones in Ayrshire. We are not yet in a position to be able to specify the exchanges under consideration for upgrade, or any timescales, but we hope to announce these by the end of the year. Further information will be posted on our website, in due course, at www.broadbandforscotland.co.uk.

Question reference: S3W-28457

Asked by: Cathy Jamieson, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 October 2009
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 10 November 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that disaggregating the waste wood stream into recyclable and contaminated material would increase recycling and decrease landfill.

The Scottish Government''s view is that the separating of any waste, including wood, into recyclable and non recyclable materials would have a positive effect on recycling rates whilst also reducing waste going to landfill.

As part of our consultation on the Zero Waste Plan, we are asking stakeholders to comment on what they consider needs to be done by Scottish Government to increase recycling rates and we will consider these comments in due course.

Question reference: S3W-28458

Asked by: Cathy Jamieson, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 October 2009
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 10 November 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider withholding planning permission for large-scale biomass power stations that cannot demonstrate the sustainability of their intended feedstock.

Ensuring that biomass supplies are sustainably sourced is a key aim in the development of the Scottish Government''s bioenergy policies. We are taking a number of constructive steps to ensure that biomass for heat and electricity is sustainably produced.

In April 2009, a sustainability reporting requirement for biomass was introduced within the Renewables Obligation (Scotland). This will provide a means to monitor the sustainability of biomass that is used to generate electricity. Future incentives are likely to take into consideration the EU sustainability criteria for biomass for heat and electricity, which are currently being developed.

Both the Scottish Government and Forestry Commission Scotland are engaged at UK and international level to ensure the sustainability of biomass for energy. In conjunction with the UK Government, we are pressing the European Union to consider options for an efficient and effective sustainability scheme for suppliers of solid biomass under the terms of the Renewable Energy Directive.

The Scottish Government is also a member of the Biomass Heat and Electricity Sustainability Working Group, a forum to develop the UK''s position on biomass sustainability and to share best practice.

Question reference: S3W-28456

Asked by: Cathy Jamieson, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 October 2009
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 10 November 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider banning all waste wood from landfill.

Section 5.3 of the Zero Waste Plan consultation paper is currently seeking views on the topic of landfill bans. This section can be accessed via the following link:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/08/19141153/12.

Question 20 specifically asks for views on materials or streams or products which could be banned from landfill.

The consultation ends on 13 November 2009.

The Scottish Government is also participating in a UK-wide project examining potential landfill bans. More information on this can be found in Annex L to the consultation paper. The annex can be also be accessed via the link above.

Should any specific waste stream or material, such as waste wood, be identified following analysis of the responses, further consultation would take place before any landfill ban was introduced.

Question reference: S3W-28479

Asked by: Cathy Jamieson, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 October 2009
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 10 November 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with broadband providers regarding improving broadband access in rural areas.

Question reference: S3W-28455

Asked by: Cathy Jamieson, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 October 2009
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 10 November 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider capital support for investment in biomass energy generation plant that is compliant with the EU Waste Incineration Directive.

There is no Scottish Government capital support scheme targeted specifically at biomass energy plant that is compliant with the EU Waste Incineration Directive.

Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) is the main national grant scheme aimed at encouraging investment and the creation and safeguarding of jobs. Subject to eligibility criteria, biomass projects may be supported under this scheme.

In addition, the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) provides a financial incentive for electricity generation in respect of the biomass element of waste fuel streams.