- Asked by: Shiona Baird, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 March 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 22 March 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that small businesses are not disproportionately penalised by the full cost recovery charging schemes of non-departmental public bodies.
Answer
In charging for services it isdesirable to avoid unnecessary public expenditure and, where possible, eliminateinappropriate hidden subsidies. Small businesses should not, however, be disproportionatelypenalised through these charging arrangements.
- Asked by: Shiona Baird, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 February 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 5 March 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to replace the discontinued Local Capital Grants Scheme with a new scheme of grant assistance for the upgrading of village and community facilities.
Answer
The Executive plans to promotesocial and economic development in rural communities in future through the ScotlandRural Development Programme for 2007-13. The programme will provide support for the provision and enhancement of facilitiesthat contribute to the vibrancy of rural communities.
In the meantime, the Rural DevelopmentSmall Awards Fund (RDSAF) is available to promote social development on a smallscale and has a maximum funding limit of £5,000.
- Asked by: Shiona Baird, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 1 March 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what five subjects were raised most often by members of the public in written correspondence with the Minister for Transport in the last 12 months and how many representations were received in respect of each such subject.
Answer
The top five subjectsbetween 1 February 2006 and 31 January 2007 were:
1. Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (987)
2. Concessionary Fares onPublic Transport (463)
3. A77 Maybole Bypass (189)
4. Bus Policy (134)
5. Calmac Ferries (107).
- Asked by: Shiona Baird, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 February 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 19 February 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the potential for deep geothermal energy production in Scotland.
Answer
While the Executive has notcarried out any formal assessment of the potential for deep geothermal energyproduction in Scotland, we are committed to developing a Renewable HeatStrategy by the end of 2007. The potential for geothermal energy will beconsidered as part of this work.
- Asked by: Shiona Baird, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 February 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 13 February 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether applications for financial support from Phase 2 of the Strategic Waste Fund will be expected to be fully compatible with the guiding principles of the National Waste Plan.
Answer
Yes. The guiding principles of the National Waste Plan are to reduce waste so far as possible; to recycle and compostas much waste as is practicable and to use other treatment facilities, such as energyfrom waste, only where it is not reasonably practicable to recycle or compost waste.
- Asked by: Shiona Baird, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 February 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 12 February 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has met the Glass and Glazing Federation to discuss compliance with the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004 regarding replacement windows and, if not, whether it plans to meet it on the issue.
Answer
I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard,Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. Hisresponse is as follows:
The SBSA consulted the Glassand Glazing Federation before the introduction of the 2004 Regulations and has keptin contact in relation to the use of appropriate glass for all windows, includingreplacements. There are no plans to meet.
- Asked by: Shiona Baird, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 February 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 12 February 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would consider removing replacement windows from Schedule 3 of the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004 if evidence were presented that this would lead to greater compliance levels and, if so, what its timetable for such a change would be.
Answer
I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard,Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. Hisresponse is as follows:
Being in Schedule 3 of the Building(Scotland) Regulations 2004, replacement windows are exempt from requiring a buildingwarrant but only provided they comply with the building regulations. It is not feasibleto reconsider the exemption because the large number of replacements would havea severe impact on the building standards work of local authorities. The agencywould, however, welcome an Approved Certifier of Construction Scheme to improvecompliance and has attempted to interest the glass and glazing industry in runningsuch a scheme.
- Asked by: Shiona Baird, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 February 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 12 February 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how much Scottish Enterprise has invested in social enterprises in each of the last five years.
Answer
This information is not heldcentrally.
- Asked by: Shiona Baird, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 February 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 12 February 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has invested in social enterprises in each of the last five years.
Answer
I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:
Separate figures are not keptfor investment in social enterprises. However, social enterprises have been eligiblefor support through the Futurebuilders Scotland fund which is providing £18 millionover the three years to March 2007 to support the development of the social economyin Scotland.
- Asked by: Shiona Baird, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 February 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 12 February 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for new funding for social enterprises, analogous to the Community Asset Fund announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in December 2006.
Answer
There are currently no plansfor an analogous Community Asset Fund in Scotland. However, we are considering future support for socialenterprise. The Futurebuilders Scotland programme has provided financial supportto social enterprises to obtain community-owned assets. Many social enterpriseswill also benefit from the Big Lottery Fund’s Growing Community Assets programme.
