- Asked by: John Farquhar Munro, MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 June 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 3 July 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many forms for the 2001 Census were printed in Gaelic; who was eligible to receive such forms, and whether it was an offence for someone able to write in English to complete a Gaelic census form.
Answer
As agreed by the Parliament, the 2001 Scottish Census forms were not available in Gaelic. However, the Registrar General for Scotland printed 10,000 Gaelic translations of the questions included on the census form to assist Gaelic speakers in completing the census form. The translations were available to anyone on request.There is a legal requirement to complete the census form in English. Anyone needing assistance to complete their census form was able to ask their enumerator or contact Gaelic-speaking operators on the Census Helpline.
- Asked by: John Farquhar Munro, MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 June 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 3 July 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets were set for the number of grants to be paid under the Powershift programme for the conversion of vehicles to run on liquid petroleum gas in each year since the programme started.
Answer
No targets are set for Powershift grants.
- Asked by: John Farquhar Munro, MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 18 June 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 2 July 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how much electricity it expects will be generated by small-scale hydroelectric schemes and what proportion of Scotland's electricity generation capacity this will represent by (a) 2003 and (b) 2010.
Answer
We have commissioned a study of Scotland's renewable resource, which is expected to be published in late summer. This should provide an indication of what further potential there is for small-scale hydro to contribute to our renewable targets. I consider that the technology has an important if modest contribution to make, and the proposed arrangements to support renewable energy under the forthcoming Renewables Obligation (Scotland) should assist this contribution.
- Asked by: John Farquhar Munro, MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 18 June 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 2 July 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many small-scale hydroelectric schemes have been implemented since 1990; how much electricity is generated from these schemes, and what proportion of Scotland's electricity generation small-scale hydroelectric schemes represent, both in terms of capacity and units produced.
Answer
Since the first Order in 1994 under the Scottish Renewable Obligation, eight small-scale hydro-electric schemes have been commissioned in Scotland. These stations have an aggregate capacity of 5.82 MW. A further four stations with an aggregate capacity of 4.67 MW are either under construction or have received the necessary consents. Information on the actual amount of electricity generated by these schemes is not available. Their capacity represents 0.1% of total generating capacity in Scotland.
- Asked by: John Farquhar Munro, MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 18 June 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 2 July 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation was undertaken by Scottish Natural Heritage before the production and publication of its policy on renewable energy (Policy Statement No. 01/02), in particular how many organisations were consulted, which organisations these were, how many responses were received and whether responses will be published.
Answer
This is a matter for Scottish Natural Heritage. The information requested is not held centrally.
- Asked by: John Farquhar Munro, MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 18 June 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 2 July 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will offer Highland Council to assist implementation of the Inverness local plan.
Answer
Highland Council has sought comments from the Scottish Executive on the consultative draft Inverness Local Plan. Comments on the draft local plan do not commit the Scottish minister, or any Government department, to payment of grant on any particular project or to the amount or timing of any capital expenditure.
- Asked by: John Farquhar Munro, MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 18 June 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Morrison on 2 July 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to boost manufacturing in rural Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is fully committed to manufacturing in Scotland. Created in Scotland, the Way Forward for Scottish Manufacturing in the 21st Century lists nearly 50 public sector initiatives and programmes supporting the sector. The Enterprise Networks are working in partnership to develop and deliver programmes to assist Scottish manufacturing, with Highlands & Islands Enterprise pursuing a number of initiatives aimed at the engineering and fabrication sectors in particular.
- Asked by: John Farquhar Munro, MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 18 June 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 2 July 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Natural Heritage's policy on renewable energy (Policy Statement No. 01/02) is consistent with Executive policy as stated in National Planning Policy Guideline 6.
Answer
The text of Policy Statement No.01/02 is not incompatible with that of National Planning Policy Guideline 6.
- Asked by: John Farquhar Munro, MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 18 June 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 2 July 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many proposed small-scale hydroelectric schemes which were awarded Scottish Renewables Obligation contracts are (a) currently operational, (b) expected to become operational by 2003 and (c) expected to become operational by 2010.
Answer
Eight Scottish Renewables Obligation hydro-electricity projects have been commissioned; two are under construction and a further two, although they have received the necessary consents, have still to get under way. Progress on these and the other projects approved under the Scottish Renewables Obligation is a matter for the developers.
- Asked by: John Farquhar Munro, MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 18 June 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 2 July 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will support the development of further small-scale hydroelectric schemes.
Answer
Small-scale hydroelectric schemes will be supported by means of the Renewables Obligation (Scotland). I expect that the statutory consultation on the detail of how the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) will support renewables will be issued during July.
