Chamber and committees

I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-2817 on 5 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-2817 on 5 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-2817 on 5 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-2817 on 5 September 2007. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I would refer theMember to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment’s openingspeech to the Greener Scotland debate on 13 June 2007. He acknowledged the good work that is being done throughoutthe public sector but made it clear that we are not doing enough or going forwardfast enough. He announced that the Scottish Government will work with its partnersto develop and publish a detailed programme to improve the Scottish public sector’senvironmental and sustainability performance. Cabinet Secretaries and ministersare fully committed to that programme for action both personally and in terms ofhow they develop their portfolios.

I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-2817 on 5 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Carbon emissions fromall sources, including transport, are published annually in Greenhouse Gas Inventoriesfor England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (GHGI). The most recent publicationcovers emissions between 1990 and 2004, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 42395). The next publication will cover1990 to 2005 and, whilst a precise date is yet to be confirmed, is expected to bepublished in September 2007.

The Executive is alsoundertaking work to produce a Carbon Balance Sheet for transport in Scotland. In addition to the data from the GHGI, this will reportthe incremental carbon emissions impact of all significant policies, projects andprogrammes implemented since 2004. It is anticipated that a first version of thiswill be published during 2008.

As this is anoperational matter for Scottish Water, I have asked the Chief Executive toreply to your enquiry directly.

In June 2007,Network Rail’s GRIP Stage 1 report into the proposed electrification of the Glasgow Queen Street to Edinburgh Waverley line was publishedby Transport Scotland. The report summaries the key issues byengineering discipline, provides a high level programme and estimates of likelycosts to +/- 50% quality. It estimates the cost of electrifying the core routeat £124.9 million, with the total package (which includes electrifying theadditional three diversionary routes, as detailed in the report) beingestimated at £264.9 million. Electrification of the Edinburgh to Glasgow line is now being considered as part of the wider work of improvingreliability, reducing journey times and providing capacity for the expectedcontinuing growth in rail passenger numbers on this route. The results of thiswill be reported in September.

As this is anoperational matter for Scottish Water, I have asked the Chief Executive toreply to your enquiry directly.