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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 294 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S2W-31588

Asked by: Shiona Baird, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 February 2007
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 12 February 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive how much Highlands and Islands Enterprise has invested in social enterprises in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S2W-30985

Asked by: Shiona Baird, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 2 February 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake a public consultation on its forthcoming energy efficiency strategy.

Question reference: S2W-31463

Asked by: Shiona Baird, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 1 February 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it remains committed to the 55% recycling and composting target for 2020 as set out in the National Waste Plan published in 2003.

Question reference: S2W-30986

Asked by: Shiona Baird, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 26 January 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive which stakeholders it has consulted in respect of its forthcoming energy efficiency strategy.

Question reference: S2W-30918

Asked by: Shiona Baird, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Des McNulty on 24 January 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the Stern report and the Executive’s stated commitment to tackling climate change, whether it will introduce a requirement for a climate change impact assessment to be undertaken in respect of major projects, such as the proposed Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and Aberdeen Airport extension, in order that planning decisions are informed by environmental considerations and current thinking on climate change.

Where a major project falls tobe determined under planning legislation, it is already a requirement that environmentalconsiderations are taken into account. Planning applications must be determinedin accordance with the relevant development plan – with environmental considerationsfactored into the preparation of that plan – unless material considerations indicateotherwise. Material considerations may include statements of Scottish Executivepolicy, such as that issued through the Scottish Planning Policies series whichincludes guidance on climate change.

In addition, all new and replacementdevelopment plans are subject to Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) legislation,including requirements concerning the consideration of effects on climatic factors.Further, under the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006, the National Planning Framework and developmentplans will be subject to a duty to contribute to sustainable development.

Under the Environmental ImpactAssessment (Scotland) Regulations 1999 as amended, individual planning applicationsmay also be subject to an environmental impact assessment on the likely significantenvironmental effects of that project, including climatic factors where appropriate.

Trunk roads projects, such asthe Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route, are already subject to comprehensive environmental impactassessments, including consideration of greenhouse gas emission predictions. Newarrangements for major transport projects are currently under consideration in theTransport and Works (Scotland) Bill currently before parliament, which includes provisionfor the environmental impact assessment of proposed projects.

In view of these measures we haveno plans to introduce an additional climate change impact assessment for major projects.However, we are developing a “carbon balance sheet”, as part of future reviews of the National Transport Strategy, which will present the impact of all Scottish transportpolicies and projects that are expected to have a significant impact on carbon,whether positive or negative.

Question reference: S2W-30984

Asked by: Shiona Baird, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 19 January 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that replacement windows comply with building regulations.

I have asked Dr. PaulStollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), toanswer. His response is as follows:

A new guidance leaflet, ReplacementWindows to 1 and 2 Storey Houses, is presently being prepared for publicationand is expected to be issued to all local authorities by the end of January. Theguidance, which is intended to help anyone intending to replace windows intheir home, will also be published on the SBSA website and will refer to thestatutory requirements within building regulations.

Question reference: S2W-30448

Asked by: Shiona Baird, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 December 2006
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 15 December 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-25092 by Nicol Stephen on 5 May 2006, whether it still expects to publish its draft energy efficiency strategy before the end of 2006.

Question reference: S2W-30100

Asked by: Shiona Baird, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 November 2006
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 6 December 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what percentage of, lecturing staff in higher education institutions currently hold the Teaching Qualification (Further Education) or equivalent recognised qualification.

Question reference: S2W-30101

Asked by: Shiona Baird, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 November 2006
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 6 December 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive which body is responsible for setting the occupational standards for lecturers in further education colleges and higher education institutions.

Under the Teachers (Education,Training and Recommendation for Registration) (Scotland) Regulations 1993, Scottishministers determine the duration and approve the content and nature of the TeachingQualification in Further Education (TQ(FE)). To fulfil the requirements of the 1993regulations, officials in the Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong LearningDepartment take advice from the Professional Development Forum (PDF), an expertgroup of experienced college practitioners. The PDF has developed a comprehensiveset of professional standards which underpin all TQ(FE) programmes in Scotland.

There are no corresponding regulationsrelating to teachers in higher education institutions.

Question reference: S2W-30099

Asked by: Shiona Baird, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 November 2006
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 December 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what percentage of, lecturing staff in further education colleges currently hold the Teaching Qualification (Further Education) or equivalent recognised qualification.

According to the Scottish FundingCouncil’s staffing statistics, published on the internet at http://www.sfc.ac.uk/statistics/fe_information/facts_figures/0405/staffing/table%202.pdf.

Six thousand, four hundredand thirty-eight lecturing staff in Scotland’s colleges held TeachingQualification (Further Education) or equivalent qualifications in 2004-05, thatis 49% of all permanent and temporary, full-time and part-time lecturers.