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: S2W-26976

Asked by: Alasdair Morgan, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 July 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines were given to local authorities on the allocation of funds to applicants under the Private Sector Repair and Improvement Grants Scheme.

I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

The Housing (Scotland) Act1987 sets out the general types of work that are eligible for grant. These grantsare largely funded by Private Sector Housing Grant provided by Communities Scotland.This funding must be used for improving private housing, but it is for localauthorities to decide priorities within their area when it comes to assessing individualapplications for funding, in line with both local and national priorities. Localauthorities have some discretion to determine the maximum cost of works upon whichthey will pay grant, either to set a maximum below the statutory limit of £20,000,or to seek ministerial approval to exceed that limit in individual cases. The amountof grant awarded to applicants is determined by a national test of resources setout in legislation, primarily the Housing Grants (Assessment of Contribution) Regulations 2003.

Question reference: S2W-26975

Asked by: Alasdair Morgan, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 30 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive on what basis funds were allocated to projects under the Scottish Forestry Grants Scheme.

Theeligibility for applications to the Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme (SFGS) was setout in the guidance for applicants placed on the web. The SFGS is now, however,under review, in preparation for the introduction of the new Rural Development Plannext year. Details of the review can be seen on the Forestry Commission Scotland(FCS) web pages at www.forestry,gov.uk/scotland.

The intention had been to closethe SFGS in August to allow development of the new grants, but FCS had to closeit in April because the value of applications received was significantly in excessof the funding available. The FCS has, however, discussed with the Confederationof Forest Industries (ConFor) which categories of applications should be given priorityfor processing. The FCS has written to applicants giving them full details.

Applications which will be givenpriority include those which are associated with ministerial commitments aimed atencouraging activity in particular policy areas. FCS will therefore look to approveschemes in the Locational Premium areas and those which form part of the Woods Inand Around Towns Challenge Fund. Other examples are applications involving shortrotation coppice, restocking associated with a long-term forest plan, and community/partnershipparticipation.

To help to support the record level of forestry activity, wehave provided record levels of funding for the next two years - £26 million and£28 million respectively.

Question reference: S2W-26977

Asked by: Alasdair Morgan, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by George Lyon on 27 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review its strategies for the allocation of grant funding to find means of (a) achieving a more balanced distribution of grant funds and (b) avoiding the need to close grant schemes early in future.

While we can and do review individualgrant schemes (a) to ensure that they continue to meet their aims, and (b) to ensurethat they remain within budget, the Scottish Executive currently has no plans fora wider review of its strategies for the allocation of grant funding.

Each grant scheme is designedto meet a particular need. In some instances there is a need to limit the numberof applications awarded grant so as to ensure that the approved budget for the measureis not exceeded. This is usually a key aspect of overall grant scheme budgetarycontrol and is supported by objective assessment processes and transparent rulesto govern the basis on which some applications will be accepted and others not.

Question reference: S2W-26664

Asked by: Alasdair Morgan, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 27 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of the The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 which are due to come into force on 1 October 2006, it will review the current arrangements for Small Business Gateway start-up grants which are available only to applicants aged between 18 and 30 years.

Question reference: S2W-26680

Asked by: Alasdair Morgan, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 22 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider offering incentives to encourage local authorities to establish systems for the collection, treatment and use as a road fuel in local authority vehicles of waste vegetable oil from fast food outlets, restaurants, hotels and households.

There are no plans to offer suchincentives. The storage, collection, treatment and use of any waste is subject towaste regulation. However, the storage and use of fuels derived from waste vegetableoil are exempted from waste management licensing by paragraph 6 of Schedule 3 tothe Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994, as amended. We are examining waysof applying a “light touch” regulatory regime to small-scale preparation facilities.

There is increasing interestin establishing biofuel production in Scotland and local authorities may wish to consider opportunitiesfor producers to source waste vegetable oil for fuel production.

Question reference: S2W-26679

Asked by: Alasdair Morgan, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 22 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered the potential for the use of straight vegetable oil as a renewable, carbon-neutral road transport fuel in diesel-engined vehicles.

Unprocessed (straight) vegetableoil is unlikely to be a useful source of vehicle fuel on a large scale, and a studyundertaken by the Department for Transport indicated that unprocessed vegetableoil increased emissions of air pollutants and that the quality of the fuel is variable- suggesting it is not necessarily a clean source of fuel.

The Scottish Executive supportsthe UK Government in the development of the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligationas a realistic means of developing widescale use of biofuel and carbon savings.

Question reference: S2W-26675

Asked by: Alasdair Morgan, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 21 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Water has published on its website the results of its meeting to review available capacity and constraints in all local authority areas, in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between Scottish Water and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on the management of development constraints caused by sewerage systems and waste water treatment works.

In accordance with the requirementsof the Memorandum of Understanding, Scottish Water met with SEPA to undertakea review of all available capacity in all local authority areas. The results ofthis work were incorporated into Scottish Water’s Strategic Asset Capacity &Development Plan. This report was published on 31 March 2006 and is availableon their website: http://www.scottishwater.co.uk.This report will be updated on a regular basis.

Question reference: S2W-26676

Asked by: Alasdair Morgan, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 20 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any delays affecting the review of capacity promised in the Memorandum of Understanding between Scottish Water and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on the management of development constraints caused by sewerage systems and waste water treatment works and whether the Executive receives regular progress reports on the matter.

Question reference: S2W-26674

Asked by: Alasdair Morgan, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 20 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Scottish Water have met to review available capacity and constraints in all local authority areas, in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between Scottish Water and SEPA on the management of development constraints caused by sewerage systems and waste water treatment works.

Question reference: S2W-26673

Asked by: Alasdair Morgan, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 20 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received from Scottish Water the report of the findings of its review of capacity, in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between Scottish Water and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on the management of development constraints caused by sewerage systems and waste water treatment works.

We have received the reportas referred to in paragraph 4.5 of the Memorandum of Understanding. Inaddition, Scottish Water’s Strategic Asset Capacity & Development Plan,which covers capacity availability for both water and wastewater and waspublished on 31 March 2006, incorporates the current findings of the Memorandumof Understanding. The plan is available on Scottish Water’s websitehttp://www.scottishwater.co.uk.