- Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 March 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 17 March 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote reductions in food miles as part of an environmentally sustainable economy.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to support modal shift of transport from road to rail through freight grants. We are also encouraging consumers; to get to the shops more sustainably, to choose fresh, seasonal produce and to reduce food waste as part of a greener lifestyle.
- Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 4 February 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will assist those businesses that would have applied for the Freight Facilities Grant, which is due to close on 31 March 2011, and are unable to take advantage of the (a) Mode Shift Revenue Support and (b) Waterborne Freight Grant scheme.
Answer
The scale of the UK Government''s cuts in our overall budget means we have had to make tough decisions which include a reduction in our Support for Freight Industry budget in 2011-12. We are not therefore in a position to provide this direct form of assistance to these businesses next year.
- Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 January 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 20 January 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what target has been set to continue to reduce plastic bag use, given that the Welsh Assembly Government is planning to introduce a levy on all disposable plastic bags.
Answer
The Scottish Government remains committed to the current voluntary agreement with retailers which has successfully reduced the number of plastic carrier bags used in Scotland. We are closely monitoring progress and considering possible further measures, such as new targets, and we will keep an open mind regarding legislation.
- Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 June 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 3 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to protect endangered plant and animal species as part of the United Nations International Year of Biodiversity.
Answer
The Scottish Biodiversity Strategy is delivered through a wide range of actions that protect endangered plant and animal species, carried out by many partners. A good example of this partnership approach can be found in the new Edinburgh Local Biodiversity Action Plan, that was launched in March 2010 as part of a biodiversity weekend at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. The local biodiversity partnership are planning a range of actions, including a project to protect and re-establish juniper in the Pentland Hills.
In the International Year of Biodiversity we are seeking to renew people''s appreciation of nature, and to reinforce the message that biodiversity delivers many services vital to human health and prosperity.
- Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 May 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 5 May 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the restructuring of Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s environmental science services to be completed.
Answer
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has decided that its laboratory services can best be delivered through a centre of excellence model, located at two main laboratory sites based in Aberdeen and the central belt. These laboratories will be supported by a field science and scientific advisory service based in locations across Scotland.
SEPA intends to implement this model over the next two to five years on a phased basis to coincide with changes to its estate in the locations affected. Changes to its organisational structure and to the way it delivers its services are predominantly operational matters for the agency itself.
- Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 April 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 29 April 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to protect the stock of wild salmon in rivers.
Answer
We have made available £1.2 million over three years forging a new partnership with the Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland and local salmon fishery managers to modernise the management of wild salmon and freshwater fisheries in Scotland.
- Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 17 March 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what legal powers local authorities have at their disposal to implement its proposals to reduce primary one class sizes to a maximum of 25 before the beginning of the 2010-11 academic year.
Answer
Class size maxima for primaries one to three are set out in The Education (Lower Primary Class Size) (Scotland) Regulations 1999. It is for local authorities to set class sizes subject to these limits taking into account local circumstances and parental choice.
- Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 17 March 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what legislative steps it has taken since May 2007 to reduce the legal limit of primary one class sizes.
Answer
The Scottish Government announced on 10 March that a consultative exercise on regulations to limit primary one classes to a maximum of 25 would commence on 19 March 2010 with a view to making regulations, subject to parliamentary procedures, in the autumn.
- Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 17 March 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what legislative steps it has taken to reduce the legal limit of primary one class sizes since the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning announced on 23 September 2009 that local authorities were to be given the legal protection that they required to limit primary one class sizes to 25.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W“32192 on 17 March 2010. 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: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 1 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its news release of 28 September 2009, Building better schools, when the second tranche of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools will begin.
Answer
The timescale for the second tranche of schools will be determined on a case-by-case basis, taking into account local circumstances.
