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: S3W-03312

Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 August 2007
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 22 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-2836 by John Swinney on 14 August 2007, why it does not plan to introduce legislation to implement its commitment to a local income tax until 2008-09.

Question reference: S3W-02829

Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 August 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 21 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what information is available about the cost of retrofitting (a) water and (b) energy saving devices in council and housing association housing as a means to reduce carbon emissions.

The Sustainable HousingDesign Guide published by Communities Scotland is intended as a reference sourcefor housing providers, including local authorities and Registered Social Landlords,who wish to adopt sustainable principles and practices in housing maintenance anddevelopment. This includes material on affordable warmth and saving resources, includingwater. The Guide is available on the Communities Scotland website:http://www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk/shdg/Home.pdf.

The Scottish Government’sfuel poverty programmes improve the energy efficiency of existing housing and contributeto the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions through the provision of measures suchas insulation and central heating. Further information on the central heatingprogramme and the Warm Deal, including costs, is provided in annual reports forthe programmes available via this link:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/08/e9122648/link.

External organisationssuch as the Energy Saving Trust also publish information on energy saving measuresfor existing homes:

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/housingbuildings/.

The Scottish Governmentcannot vouch for the accuracy of material provided by external organisations.

Question reference: S3W-02828

Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 August 2007
Current Status: Answered by Alex Johnstone on 20 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what information is available about carbon emissions from the Parliament building and what plans are in place to reduce emissions.

The gas and electricity usedin the Scottish Parliament building resulted in the emission of 328 tonnes ofcarbon in 2005-06 and 232 tonnes in 2006-07. In October 2005, the SPBC agreedan environmental policy which includes an objective to reduce carbon dioxideemissions.

In order to help achievethis objective, a large range of actions have been undertaken to reduce theemissions directly attributed to the running of the building. A study wasundertaken by the Carbon Trust to identify where energy use could be reducedand, based on this information, a target was set to reduce use by 8 per cent byMarch 2009. This target is on course to be met with a 3 per cent reductionachieved by March 2007. Progress towards the target will continue through acombination of:

encouraging all buildingusers to follow good practice by turning off equipment and lights,

refinements to the operationof the building management and lighting management systems, and

the installation of moreefficient lighting and equipment.

In October 2006, the Parliament moved from purchasing electricity generated from 80% renewablesources to 100% renewable sources, resulting in a significant reduction of 76tonnes in carbon emissions.

Indirect emissions resultingfrom travel and transport, waste and procurement are also being addressedthrough initiatives to reduce deliveries to the Parliament, to encourage staffto travel by sustainable modes, to prevent and minimise waste and to purchasesustainable goods such as recycled paper.

We are also currentlyworking towards calculating the Parliament’s ecological footprint and carbonfootprint and are investigating the feasibility of setting a target to becomecarbon neutral as well as the costs and benefits of carbon offsetting.

Tonnes of Carbon Emitted

	2005-06	2006-07
Electricity	155	78
Gas	174	155
Total	328	232

Question reference: S3W-03067

Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 August 2007
Current Status: Answered by Linda Fabiani on 20 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scotland will continue to be represented in the United States of America through a member of staff based in the UK embassy in Washington.

Question reference: S3W-02505

Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 14 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what estimated construction cost per kilometre was used in the 2005 estimate of £210 million for the preferred route of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Question reference: S3W-02537

Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 14 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what account is taken of deprivation and poor health in the allocation of resources for new rented and affordable housing and how Dundee and West Dunbartonshire, as the second and third most deprived areas of Scotland, will benefit in the allocation of new funding.

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

The allocation of the Affordable Housing Investment Programme in 2007-08 at local authority levelwas announced in March 2007 by the previous administration. The allocations reflectedLocal Housing Strategy priorities and also capacity to deliver programmes. The allocationallowed for increased investment in both areas of housing shortage and areas ofhigh deprivation requiring regeneration.

Future allocationsof funding for new rented and affordable housing will be considered after the outcomeof the current spending review is determined.

Question reference: S3W-02533

Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 14 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that significant investment in new or replacement housing stock is required to meet an identified need for affordable and rented accommodation in the Clydebank and Milngavie parliamentary constituency and whether discussions have been held with the relevant authorities on the level of such investment.

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

The Local HousingStrategies prepared by East Dunbartonshire Council and West Dunbartonshire Councilindicate a requirement for investment in both Milngavie and Clydebank for affordable housing for rent and sale. A good workingpartnership exists between both local authorities and Communities Scotland whichhas resulted in five year Investment programmes identifying investment prioritieswithin the parliamentary constituency. The recently introduced Strategic HousingInvestment Plan process will refine this approach and focus resources more effectivelyon meeting local housing needs in both towns.

Question reference: S3W-02539

Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 14 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers urgent additional housing investment in Clydebank to be critical to meeting its healthier, wealthier and fairer objectives in that area.

The Scottish Governmentconsiders housing investment in Clydebank to be essentialas part of a comprehensive package of measures towards the physical, social andeconomic regeneration of the area.

Communities Scotland is planning to increase the level of housing investmentin Clydebank, but the supply of land is a critical factorto release additional funds. Difficulties in securing land has been a significantinhibiting factor over the last few years in securing additional investment in thetown. Communities Scotland will continue to work with the council and local partnersto resolve these difficulties.

Question reference: S3W-02530

Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 14 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to address a shortfall in investment in rented and affordable housing in West Dunbartonshire.

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

Communities Scotland is working closely with West Dunbartonshire Council todevelop a five year programme of housing investment to meet local priorities asidentified through the Local Housing Strategy process.

This will be furtherstrengthened as the council develops its Strategic Housing InvestmentPlan (SHIP) in partnership with local stakeholders in the development process.

Question reference: S3W-02476

Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 14 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected cost is of the proposed new rail-ferry interchange at Gourock.

A working group reportin 2006 recommended that a budget of up to £20.5 million would be required to deliverthe transport interchange at Gourock. The cost estimate is expected to be reducedduring design development but as the further design and feasibility work has notbeen concluded, the estimate of up to £20.5 million continues to be used.

A robust cost estimatewill be provided by the end of 2007, which will inform an investment decision onimplementation. The target is to deliver a new interchange in 2009.