- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 June 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 17 July 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to local concerns that exist in the community of Northbay, Barra, about the decision of Highlands and Islands Enterprise to pursue broadband connection through a Connected Communities initiative rather than an upgrade of the Northbay telephone exchange and specific concerns that the initiative does not have local support.
Answer
Connected Communities is led by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) who are responsible for all operational matters around its design and delivery. We are aware of some local opposition in Northbay to Connected Communities, but support HIE’s decision to continue with Connected Communities as it represents the quickest means of providing broadband coverage to that area.
I would also clarify that the alternative to Connected Communities in Northbay would have been for HIE to undertake a supplier-neutral procurement, so this may not necessarily have resulted in the ADSL enablement of the local exchange by BT.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 June 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 17 July 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive why it has been decided that the community of Northbay, Barra, will receive its broadband connection through the Connected Communities initiative and not through the upgrading of the BT exchange and ADSL.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-14306 on 17 July 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 June 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 11 July 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase participation in rowing among young people to build on the success of those who are currently excelling in the sport.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to increasing participation in sport across the whole population and recognises the importance of young people being able to access a range of sports activities to develop and improve the skills required that will enable them to enjoy sport throughout their lives.
However, it must be recognised that the Scottish governing body, in this case, Scottish Rowing and their clubs, are the lead in developing their sport.
The Scottish Government, through sportscotland, has made significant funding and support available to Scottish Rowing to help develop their sport and make it accessible to young people.
Additionally, there is work through Active Schools in introducing children to the sport of rowing. The latest period that figures are available is 2006-07 which show that the Active Schools Network (across primary and secondary) delivered the following participant sessions in rowing:
Term 1 – 3,691
Term 2 – 3,331
Term 3 – 2,912.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 June 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 9 July 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what support is available from central government, sportscotland and other relevant agencies for young people involved in rowing.
Answer
The Scottish Government through sportscotland invested £71,463 in Scottish Amateur Rowing Association in 2007-08 to increase participation and improve performance in the sport. A participation manager was appointed in 2006 to ensure young people across Scotland have access and opportunities to take up rowing.
There are currently three indoor rowing projects in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Inverness which link into schools and are designed to get young people interested in the sport.
This funding has also been used to supply adaptive rowing equipment to ensure accessibility of the sport for participants with a disability.
Funding for upgrading and developing new rowing facilities can be applied for through sportscotland’s Building for Sport programme. Funding is also available for rowing clubs to attract young people through the Awards for All and Sportsmatch lottery programmes.
Rowing is also now eligible for support from the Area Institute network and work is currently underway to develop the performance selection criteria for athletes to receive additional support provision.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 16 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving to development of hydropower plants of less than one megawatt and what action it is taking to ensure that such plants can gain connection to local and national electricity grid systems as quickly as possible.
Answer
The Scottish Government believes that the current grid queue is a constraint to renewables development in Scotland. We will continue to engage with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), National Grid and other stakeholders and press for a more sensible grid regime which gives priority access to projects with relevant planning consents and financing in place.
New hydropower plants of all sizes are eligible for support under the Renewables Obligation (Scotland).
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 16 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it accepts that a loch-fed mini hydro electric scheme of less than one megawatt is approximately half as costly to build and run as a wind farm per unit of annual production.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to developing a diverse clean energy mix, one which includes both hydropower and wind.
We do not hold commercial information relating to the cost of developing loch-fed mini hydro schemes. However, the proposals for banding of the renewables obligation do reflect, more generally, the relative costs and maturity of different technologies.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 16 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to concerns about the lengthy delays facing developers of small-scale renewable energy schemes in connecting to the local and national electricity grid system; what discussions it has had with power companies, Ofgem, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, the National Grid and others about these delays, and what action it is taking to minimise these delays.
Answer
The Scottish Government is sympathetic to the concerns of small-scale renewable energy scheme developers over delays in connecting to the electricity grid. We consider that delays in gaining connections to the grid system place a significant barrier in recognising the huge potential of our renewable energy sector. Our view is that change is required both in grid management and in the current system of “queuing”.
Responsibility for connections to the Transmission network is a matter primarily for the UK Government. The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has, in conjunction with the industry regulator Ofgem, been conducting a review of grid access arrangements over the last several months in which we are participating.
We are also in continuous discussions with BERR, National Grid and the owners of the Transmission Network in Scotland, Scottish Power and Scottish and Southern Energy, on these issue and are committed to doing all that we can to ensure that the system for connections does not involve unnecessary delays for viable projects. These discussions are continuing at both official and ministerial level.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 16 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the particular concerns of small-scale renewable energy scheme developers on islands such as Jura, Islay and Colonsay about difficulty in being able to connect to the mainland national grid.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises that grid reinforcements will be necessary if we are to capitalise on Scotland’s renewables potential, especially in more remote areas such as the Highlands and Islands, where the resource is often strongest.
We also believe that a more flexible approach to grid management could have a positive impact at both a transmission and distribution network level and could help to unlock significant renewables potential, prior to grid upgrades. We are participating in the current Transmission Access Review and urging the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform to quickly and effectively resolve this issue.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 16 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has held with Argyll and Bute Council and representatives of the Jura community over disruption to the ferry serving Jura as a result of problems with vessels berthing at Port Askaig on Islay and efforts to prevent such disruption in future.
Answer
No discussions have taken place with representatives of the Argyll and Bute Council or Jura Community Council on this matter. It is the council’s responsibility to resolve any conflict between the works it has commissioned at Port Askaig and the operation of its own ferry services to Jura during very low water conditions. I understand that the council is currently reviewing the timetable for its Jura service to ensure that an appropriate service can continue to be provided and has begun trials on the use of the new fixed ramp.
In the meantime, I am pleased to note that CalMac Ferries Ltd, following consultation with the Jura Community Council, has agreed to divert until further notice the 1800hrs sailings from Kennacraig to Port Ellen on Mondays and Fridays from Port Askaig, where the vessel previously remained berthed overnight, enabling overnight emergency cover to be maintained to Jura.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 16 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it believes that there is a potential for hundreds of loch-fed mini hydro electric schemes, especially in the Highlands and Islands, if transmission issues can be overcome.
Answer
We believe there is significant potential for further hydro development in Scotland. The Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland (FREDS) has commissioned a Scottish Hydro Resource Study which is examining the scale and location of this potential. The Study is due for completion shortly, with the Forum expected to report to ministers later in the summer.
The Scottish Government will continue to engage with National Grid, Ofgem and other key stakeholders to seek solutions to transmission issues, including those affecting the development of future hydro schemes.
