- Asked by: Ross Finnie, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 24 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the coal used in Scotland was produced in Scotland in each of the last five years.
Answer
Information on the production of coal in Scotland can be found on the British Geological Survey website at
http://www.bgs.ac.uk/mineralsuk/minequar/coal/occ/home.html.
The following figures relate to the amount of coal produce in Scotland from 2004-08 (tonnes):
| 2004 | 7,546,849 |
| 2005 | 7,754,004 |
| 2006 | 6,486,635 |
| 2007 | 6,188,094 |
| 2008 | 5,678,067 |
However, we do not hold information centrally on the amount of coal produced in Scotland being consumed in Scotland. UK Consumption figures of coal can be found on the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) website. http://www.decc.gov.uk/.
- Asked by: Ross Finnie, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 24 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the social and environmental implications of the production of biomass for energy production in the countries from which biomass has been imported to Scotland.
Answer
A Biomass Sustainability Working Group is being established and co-chaired by the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). This will be a forum to identify and share good practice and to help develop the UK''s position on biomass used for electricity (and heat) related sustainability issues. The Scottish Government will be participating in the process for this group.
The Forestry Commission also leads the UK Government''s involvement in setting international standards for forest management, and Forestry Commission Scotland advises the Scottish Government on the sustainable procurement of timber products, including biomass.
- Asked by: Ross Finnie, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 24 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list how much coal was (a) imported to, (b) exported from, (c) produced in and (d) used in Scotland in each of the last five years.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold information centrally on how much coal was imported to or exported from Scotland.
However, information on the production of coal in Scotland can be found on the British Geological Survey website at http://www.bgs.ac.uk/mineralsuk/minequar/coal/occ/home.html.
The following figures relate to the amount of coal produced in Scotland from 2004-08 (tonnes):
| 2004 | 7,546,849 |
| 2005 | 7,754,004 |
| 2006 | 6,486,635 |
| 2007 | 6,188,094 |
| 2008 | 5,678,067 |
- Asked by: Ross Finnie, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 24 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it acceptable for an NHS board to dispense with public consultation when considering a reconfiguration of services provided by external providers.
Answer
This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0924-01.htm
- Asked by: Ross Finnie, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the social and environmental implications of coal production in the countries from which coal has been imported to Scotland.
Answer
We do not hold information centrally on the countries from which coal has been imported to Scotland.
The Scottish Government recognises that emissions resulting from the combustion overseas of coal which originated in Scotland contributes to global emissions of greenhouse gases. Reducing global emissions requires global solutions and the Scottish Government strongly supports efforts to secure a new international agreement at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change meeting in Copenhagen in December.
- Asked by: Ross Finnie, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the countries to which coal was exported from Scotland, including England, Wales and Northern Ireland, showing how much was exported to each country in each of the last five years.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold information centrally on how much coal was imported to or exported from Scotland, England or Wales.
- Asked by: Ross Finnie, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the social and environmental implications of coal production in Scotland.
Answer
Coal will continue to form an important part of the energy mix in Scotland for some years. However, it must go hand in hand with the development of clean coal technology. Such technologies, including Carbon Capture and Storage, have the potential to both transform the way we generate power and also reduce emmissions significantly.
Planning policies are in place to ensure opencast coal mining sites are only approved if they are environmentally acceptable or provide local benefits, such as jobs or land improvements, which clearly outweigh the impacts. It is right that the main responsibility for decisions on opencast mines lie with local authorities who are best placed to consider all the issues, whether environmental or economic.
- Asked by: Ross Finnie, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the countries from which coal imported to Scotland was produced, showing how much was imported from each country in each of the last five years.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold information centrally on how much coal was imported to or exported from Scotland, England or Wales.
- Asked by: Ross Finnie, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the countries from which biomass for energy production is imported to Scotland, showing how much was imported from each country in each of the last five years.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-27224 on 23 September 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Ross Finnie, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the climate change implications of coal exported from Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises that emissions resulting from the combustion overseas of coal which originated in Scotland contributes to global emissions of greenhouse gases. Reducing global emissions requires global solutions and the Scottish Government strongly supports efforts to secure a new international agreement at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change meeting in Copenhagen in December.
Through the Climate Change (Scotland) Act, the Scottish Government is demonstrating strong leadership and our policies will help to influence Scottish consumption patterns and encourage new low carbon technologies that may be exported. Such measures will have a beneficial impact on global emissions.
