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-01843

Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 16 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it has had with Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) regarding proposals for ship-to-ship transfers of oil and oil products in the Firth of Forth; whether it considers it necessary to further consult SNH in exercising the Scottish Ministers’ functions under paragraphs (1) to (6) of regulation 48A of the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994 (as amended) in relation to Firth of Forth cargo transfers, and whether it plans to consult any other bodies or the general public on the issue.

There is regular contactbetween officials of the Scottish Executive and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH)on a wide range of issues. I understand that SNH has provided advice to Forth Portsto assist in their consideration of the proposed transfers. The legislative positionon ship to ship proposals is outlined in the answer to question S3W-1841 on 15 August 2007.All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the searchfacility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Question reference: S3W-01841

Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 15 August 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will direct Forth Ports plc, as harbour authority for the Firth of Forth, to send the Scottish Ministers copies of the proposals for ship-to-ship transfers of oil and oil products in the Firth of Forth for consideration under regulation 48A(1) of the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994 (as amended).

Question reference: S3W-01903

Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 July 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received on the conservation of sharks, skates and rays in Scottish waters; whether it believes that spurdog and beagle sharks are under serious threat, and whether it will consider calling for a zero total allowable catch on the resident shoal of spurdog.

The Scottish Executive has receiveda number of representations concerning the conservation of sharks, skates and rays.

As regards spurdog, I do notbelieve that a zero total allowablecatch is the most effective measure to protectthis stock. I would prefer to see the 5% bycatch limit that currently exists inthe North Sea applied across all waters in the North East Atlantic. This would avoidunnecessary discarding whilst preventing any targeted fishery on this stock.

Question reference: S3W-01904

Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 13 July 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to review the funding criteria whereby farms are not eligible for loans from Loan Action Scotland to install small to medium-size wind turbines, given that the scheme is not oversubscribed.

There are no plansto review the criteria in this way. The Loan Action Scotland scheme does not normallysupport projects in the agricultural sector as these are excluded due to EU StateAid rules. In addition, the scheme supports projects which deliver good carbon savingsand have a payback period of less than five years. Investments in small to medium-sizewind turbines generally result in much longer payback periods, usually in excessof 10 years.

Question reference: S3W-01458

Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 June 2007
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 12 July 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what systems are in place to ensure that the reuse of white goods and electrical items is prioritised when the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive regulations are implemented in July 2007 and how they will be monitored to ensure that as many white goods as possible are reused for local social and economic benefit.

The Waste Electricaland Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2006 place an obligation on producersto provide information on thereuse of their products when placing them on the market; place an obligation on compliance schemes establishedby producers to fulfil their responsibilities to prioritise the reuse of whole appliances,and require persons collectingor transporting WEEE to do so in such as way as to optimise the reuse and recyclingof that equipment. Failure to do so in each case is an offence.

The regulations alsoprovide for the systems by which the reuse obligation is discharged. That is, beforea compliance scheme can operate it must obtain the approval of the Scottish EnvironmentProtection Agency (SEPA) to its operational plan. That plan must include informationon how the scheme will prioritise the reuse of whole appliances and detail the relationshipsthe compliance scheme will develop with those carrying out reuse activities, includingmaking use of the existing voluntary and community sector infrastructure. Additionally,a compliance scheme is required to keep records of the number of items of WEEE thatare reused as a whole appliance and to provide that information to SEPA.

The regulations areaugmented by practical guidance to operators that contains a chapter on reuse ofwhole appliances. That guidance may be downloaded from www.dti.gov.uk/files/file38209.pdf.

Monitoring compliancewith the regulations is a matter for SEPA.

Question reference: S3W-01898

Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 July 2007
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 10 July 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had talks with the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) on whether the SQA intends to introduce the theory of intelligent design to the Scottish schools science curriculum; if so, what the conclusions of these discussions have been and, if not, whether the SQA will be called on to report its position.

Question reference: S3W-00968

Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 June 2007
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 June 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what provision is made for continuing student exemption from council tax for Scottish students who, after completion of a degree, immediately start a professional diploma course.

If there is no gapbetween the completion of a degree and the start of a professional diploma course,and all other qualifying criteria are met, the individual may be eligible for anon-going exemption from council tax for the full period of study. However, if thereis a break between the degree finishing and the diploma beginning (for example overthe summer months), the individual may be liable for council tax in the interveningperiod. In this case, if relevant qualifying criteria are met, the individual willagain become eligible for a council tax exemption when the diploma course begins.

Question reference: S3W-00891

Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 June 2007
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 June 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that small firms bidding for PFI/PPP contracts, particularly in the waste industry, are not disadvantaged by the process and that what they have to offer in the way of sustainability, particularly in relation to transport impacts on the environment, is taken fully into account and whether any instructions are being given to local authorities to investigate alternatives to PFI/PPP procurement.

We said before theelection that it will be open to local authorities andother public bodies to choose between PFI and Scottish Futures Bonds for plannedand future projects. Work has already started on the detailed design aspectsof the Scottish Futures Trust and a further announcement will be made when we areready to explain it in more detail. We will ensure that replacement arrangementsare robust and taken forward with the confidence of both public and private sectors.

Untilthe Scottish Futures Trust is introduced, we are considering the scope to move to Non-Profit Distributing(NPD) forms of PPP where NPD surpluses are returned to the community providing abetter balance of public/private interests.

PPP projects are advertisedin accordance with EC Procurement Directives. PPP projects tend to be large projectsrequiring main contractors to have experience of organising large and complex workprogrammes, and requiring significant balance sheets, therefore there is limitedopportunity for small and medium-sized companies to become directly involved inthe PPP consortium, although a few Scottish regional companies have successfullydeveloped into that market. Small and medium-sized companies are more likely tobe involved at sub-contractor level in PPP projects. There are likely to be newopportunities for small firms arising from processing of recyclable and compostablematerials.

The EC ProcurementDirectives provide scope for reflecting environmental considerations in procurement,where it is relevant to the subject matter of the contract or based upon environmentalobjectives of the public body concerned. This is a matter for the public sectorprocuring body itself.

Question reference: S3W-00126

Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 May 2007
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 5 June 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to progress the recommendations of the Advisory Group on the Marine and Coastal Strategy, convened by the former Minister for the Environment and Rural Development, and what plans it has for Scottish marine legislation.

As I previously indicated tothe Parliament, I am committed to taking action to address the need for change tolegislation for the management of Scotland’s marine and coastal environment. It is important thatthis action builds on the very useful work of the Environment and Rural DevelopmentCommittee in the last Parliament the Advisory Group on Marine and Coastal Strategy.I am currently considering both the committee’s and group’s recommendations andwill respond in due course.

Question reference: S2W-32350

Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 March 2007
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 26 March 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities may use compulsory purchase orders to buy land owned by NHS Scotland for the sites of new schools.