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: S4W-25570

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 15 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 2 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has carried out on developing more effective systems of waste collection to maximise opportunities for recycling and the reuse of materials and what specific advice it has offered local authorities regarding procurement.

The Scottish Government has funded Zero Waste Scotland research and guidance on effective systems for waste collection to maximise reuse and recycling. This can be found on the Zero Waste Scotland and WRAP websites and includes:

Kerbside Recycling Indicative Costs and Performance (WRAP, 2008)

Local Authority Kerbside Good Practice Guide (ZWS, 2012)

Re-use of WEEE from Household Waste Recycling Centres (ZWS, 2014)

The Scottish Government and COSLA’s Zero Waste Taskforce is currently developing a ‘charter’ to improve consistency in recycling collection systems which will help improve recycling rates and quality. On procurement our Scottish Materials Brokerage Service, being developed in partnership with Zero Waste Scotland and local authorities, will develop collaborative contracts which incentivise quality recycling and achieve the scale and duration needed to stimulate investment in reprocessing infrastructure and while providing a better deal for councils. This service is supported by experts in collaborative procurement from across the Scottish public sector.

Question reference: S4W-25633

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 29 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address each of the recommendations of the Committee on Climate Change in Reducing emissions in Scotland: 2015 progress report.

As made clear in the Scottish Government’s response to the Committee on Climate Change 2015 progress report laid before parliament on 15 May 2015 (laying number: SG/2015/59), although we are making substantial progress, the Scottish Government recognises that more can be done in tackling climate change and is looking at a range of measures across ministerial portfolios which could strengthen the package of emissions reductions measures already in place. The committee’s recommendations on strengthening policies for low-carbon heat, energy efficiency, the public sector, transport, and agriculture and land use will be considered as part of this process.

Question reference: S4O-04377

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 May 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with stakeholders regarding boosting the economy of Edinburgh and the south east of Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-25433

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 01 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 14 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the proportion of gadget waste that is recycled.

Statistics on waste recycling are collected and reported by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, available at:

http://www.sepa.org.uk/environment/waste/waste-data/

The most recent household waste figures show 31,000 tonnes of ‘Discarded equipment (excluding discarded vehicles, batteries and accumulators wastes)’ reported by local authorities for 2013 – all of which was directed to reuse or recycling.

The Scottish Government is acting in a number of ways to nurture a more circular economy where we keep products and components in high value use as long as possible, including actions on design, reuse, remanufacturing and collection.

Question reference: S4O-04328

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 14 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support community policing in Edinburgh.

The Scottish Government is committed to protecting and supporting frontline services and local community policing across the whole of Scotland – supported by this government’s continued commitment to 1,000 additional officers and our ambitious Building Safer Communities Programme which seeks to reduce the number of victims of crime in Scotland by 250,000 by 2017-18.

We are working closely with Police Scotland, councils and other national partners to make Scotland safer and stronger. Police Scotland continues to work closely in partnership with the city council and is funding additional police officers and staff to help keep our communities safe – the evidence of which can be seen in a continued reduction in recorded crime, down by more than a quarter since 2007.

Question reference: S4O-04335

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 May 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the City of Edinburgh Council regarding its proposed local development plan.

Question reference: S4W-25320

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 13 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the report in The Press and Journal on 18 April 2015 that contractors working on the development of its Rural Payments and Services website were threatened with being dismissed if they reported defects.

Question reference: S4W-25319

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 13 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses have used its Rural Payments and Services website to register for support.

Question reference: S4W-25324

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 13 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how much it cost to develop its Rural Payments and Services website and how this was monitored.

Development of the Rural Payments and Services website is part of a wider programme of work to deliver improvements to the way in which rural payments and inspection services are provided, and also to implement reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. The total programme expenditure as at 31 March 2015 was £90 million, which includes the IT system, staff training, and stakeholder engagement and communication. Costs are monitored through programme governance and as part of routine Scottish Government financial controls.

Question reference: S4W-25323

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 13 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many complaints it has received regarding (a) its Rural Payments and Services website and (b) the single application form process.

We recognise that the new Rural Payments and Services (RPS) system has not been operating at the performance level we desire and have been working hard to resolve the issues raised by our customers, including making a number of changes to fix known defects. Customer issues and enquiries are a normal feature in the launch of a new IT system and new Common Agricultural Policy programme. We have received one formal complaint; in addition, we are in constant dialogue with all of our customers on matters related to the RPS system and the single application form process and shall continue to keep in regular contact with them.