- Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 26 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Priority Waste Stream Projects are due to commence.
Answer
The Priority Waste Stream Projects are being taken forward by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) as part of the National Waste Strategy: Scotland. Baseline studies to investigate the current position for several of the priority projects are being carried out by consultants appointed by SEPA. The work on newsprint, tyres and end-of-life vehicles commenced in July 2001 and that for construction and demolition waste commenced in September 2001.SEPA is currently reviewing its plans for the remaining projects.
- Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 26 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17121 by Rhona Brankin on 30 August 2001, when it now expects all 11 Area Waste Plans to be completed.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-19159 on 14 November 2001.
- Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 22 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives it is taking to promote lifelong learning amongst those aged between 50 and 65 who are not in receipt of state benefits but who have retired early on small occupational incomes.
Answer
The promotion of lifelong learning is a key function of learndirect scotland which is making access to learning easier for everyone, regardless of age. The learndirect scotland helpline provides information and advice on almost 70,000 learning opportunities. This includes details of courses that are eligible for Individual Learning Account incentives, which are available to every adult in Scotland.
- Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 22 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has established a mechanism to provide small businesses with practical, sector-specific advice and information on compliance with legislation and regulations relating to environmental issues.
Answer
The Executive is part of the sponsor group for a UK-wide initiative called "Netregs" that will develop sector-specific, web-based, environmental regulation compliance tools for small-and-medium sized businesses. A variety of guidance documents are produced by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency for individual regulatory regimes.
- Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 22 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates it has received of the number of compulsory redundancies, if any, that will result from the creation of Scottish Water.
Answer
The existing water authorities do not have any programme of compulsory redundancies. Staffing policy under Scottish Water will be a matter for its management to consider if and when it comes into being.
- Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 22 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates it has received of the number of staff who will take voluntary retirement as a result of the creation of Scottish Water in each of the financial years 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2003-04.
Answer
The Scottish water industry must become substantially more efficient over the next four years, with inevitable cuts in staffing levels, whether Scottish Water is created or not. I understand that under existing water authority redundancy schemes there have been so far over 1,100 expressions of interest from employees, although it is unlikely that all of these will lead to actual redundancies. The approach under Scottish Water will be a matter for its management to consider if and when it comes into being.
- Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 21 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when (a) the Transport and the Environment Committee and (b) water authority staff will be publicly informed whether any redundancies are expected and, if so, how many there will be in (i) 2001-02, (ii) 2002-03 and (iii) 2003-04, should the three water authorities amalgamate into the proposed Scottish Water.
Answer
The Scottish water industry must become substantially more efficient over the next four years, with inevitable cuts in staffing levels, regardless of whether Scottish Water is created or not. Broad estimates of voluntary redundancies under existing water authority schemes have already been made available to the committee and to water authority staff. The approach under Scottish Water will be a matter for its management to consider if and when it comes into being.
- Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 21 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs of merging the three existing water authorities into the proposed Scottish Water will be for (a) the Executive, (b) the existing individual water authorities and (c) Scottish Water in (i) 2001-02, (ii) 2002-03 and (iii) 2003-04.
Answer
I refer the member to the Financial Memorandum accompanying the Water Industry (Scotland) Bill, which provides estimates of the costs of the merger as far as they are available.
- Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 21 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when the costs of merging the three existing water authorities into the proposed Scottish Water will be available to (a) the Parliament, (b) the three water authorities and (c) the public.
Answer
Estimates have already been supplied in the Financial Memorandum accompanying the Water Industry (Scotland) Bill. Audited figures will be available in the water authorities' accounts published next year.
- Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 21 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how any cost in excess of its estimated #3 million for merging the three existing water authorities into the proposed Scottish Water will be funded.
Answer
As the Financial Memorandum accompanying the Water Industry (Scotland) Bill states, the Scottish Executive will make a grant of £3 million to the water authorities as a contribution to the costs of transition. Costs in excess of this will be borne by the water authorities.
