Questions and answers

Question reference: S4W-04629

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 12 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive which contractors have been approved to install replacement (a) boilers and (b) central heating systems under the warm homes initiative.

The Scottish Government's current initiative to provide replacement boilers and/or central heating systems is stage 4 of the Energy Assistance Package (EAP). Scottish Gas have appointed the following contractors to provide replacement boilers and/or central heating systems under stage 4 of EAP:

AC Gold

Alba Gas

BRB

BSS/BIS

City Technical Services UK

Complete Heat Scotland

Dalex systems

Devine

Dyno Rod

Eaga Scotland Ltd

EMC

First Trade

Fyrebrite

Gas Services Direct (GSD)

Gascall

Heating 4 U

Intellihome

Mains Gas (Bruce Main)

McGills

McTear

Mitie

Oil Care Scotland

Omega

Power Distribution

Quality Gas

Robertson & Peterson

Saltire

South East Heating

Taigh Blath

TK Murray

Turriff

UKFM

Wisemans.

Question reference: S4O-00584

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what its cultural priorities are for 2012-13.

Question reference: S4W-04564

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 4 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance and financial support is available to small businesses for developing green fuel technology.

A range of assistance and financial support schemes operate at a Scottish and UK level for small businesses that wish to develop green fuel technology.

Scottish Enterprise (SE) provide advice and access to financial support to SMEs to make contributions to the low carbon economy. The Innovation Support Service is a free advisory service available to all businesses in Scotland. It helps companies explore ideas for new products, introduce fresh approaches and identify new ways to improve their business.

The Energy Saving Trust currently promote the Scottish Government's Low Carbon Transport Loan Fund, an interest free lending facility that enables businesses in Scotland to initiate a range of low-carbon transport measures, including procurement of low carbon vehicle technology and the production and use of sustainable biofuels. Loans may range from £500 to 50,000, subject to status.

The Biofuels Business Programme at Napier University, funded by Scottish Enterprise, operates a “Feasibility Fund” which assists SMEs in gaining access to academic expertise for a biofuel related development study, with the aim of stimulating innovation and collaboration. The grant can contribute up to 100% of the project cost up to a maximum of £5000.

At a UK Government level an incentive for the supply of biodiesel is provided through the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) which utilises Renewable Transport Fuel Certificates (RTFC). These certificates have a tradable value and a duty differential of 20 pence per litre for biodiesel produced from used cooking oil, which will end on 31 March 2012. As of 15^th December, the RTFO provides twice the financial support, through the award of two RTFC’s per litre of waste-derived biofuel.

Question reference: S4W-04565

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 4 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what green fuel grants are available to assist with the establishment of bio-diesel businesses.

The Scottish Government provides funding to assist businesses with, amongst other low carbon transport interventions, the use and production of sustainable biofuels, including biodiesel.

The Energy Saving Trust currently promote the Scottish Government's Low Carbon Transport Loan Fund, an interest free lending facility that enables businesses in Scotland to initiate a range of low-carbon transport measures, including procurement of low carbon vehicle technology and the production and use of sustainable biofuels. Loans may range from £500 to 50,000, subject to status.

Scottish Enterprise (SE) offer advice and support from innovation specialists and the Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service. SE operate the SMART:Scotland Innovation and R&D grant fund to seed fund projects that represent a significant technological advance within their industry. The fund supports technical and commercial feasibility studies and R&D projects.

Additionally the Biofuel Business Programme, at Edinburgh Napier University is funded by Scottish Enterprise. It works directly with small to medium sized Scottish businesses and facilitates the conversion of biomass waste to energy and the production of sustainable biofuels. The programme operates a “Feasibility Fund” which provides up to £5,000 to explore biofuels production and use.

Question reference: S4W-04561

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 4 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made representations to the UK Government regarding exempting Scotland from legislation that requires the letting of rail passenger services as franchises.

Question reference: S4W-04295

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 November 2011
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 14 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that members of black and ethnic minority communities have an equal opportunity to be aware of and considered for modern apprenticeships.

The Modern Apprenticeship Programme is a fully employed programme in Scotland and as a result recruitment decisions are in the hands of participating employers. We are committed to ensure that we improve the uptake by individuals of black and ethnic minority communities. The best way for us to achieve this is through the careers advice and guidance services offered to individuals and raising awareness among employers.

In 2010 Skills Development Scotland provided funding to the STUC to undertake a project to promote the apprenticeship programme to trade unions and employers. Part of this project looked at improving the awareness of trade unions about the need to work with employers to promote the recruitment of individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds when undertaking apprenticeship recruitment processes.

Question reference: S4W-04293

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 November 2011
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 13 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will include active citizenship and human rights education in the proposed restructuring of post-16 education.

The Scottish Government fully recognises the importance of issues such as active citizenship and human rights throughout our education system. Curriculum for Excellence plays a key role in embedding such principles in learners from age three to 18.

While universities, colleges and training providers are autonomous and are responsible for their own course design, our post-16 reform programme will work with the sectors to consider how the core values of the Curriculum for Excellence, such as responsible citizenship, can be built on and developed in the post-school environment.

Question reference: S4W-04294

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 November 2011
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 13 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will use community learning and development to progress active citizenship and human rights education in the non-formal education sector.

Question reference: S4W-04297

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 November 2011
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 8 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are applicable in Scotland and, if so, what action it has taken to inform NHS boards of their responsibilities under these.

Guidance for health professionals treating children and young people with attention deficit and hyperkinetic disorders can be found in the SIGN national clinical guideline 112 http://www.sign.ac.uk/guidelines/fulltext/112/index.html.

NICE Clinical Guidelines 72 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity: Diagnosis and Management of ADHD in Children, Young People and Adults provides guidance for clinical staff treating adults with developmental disorders.

http://www.nice.org.uk/Guidelines/CG72/NiceGuidance/pdf/English.

While NICE guidelines have no formal status in Scotland the methodology and processes adopted are considered rigorous. These national guidelines provide a framework for evidence based assessment and management of ADHD, and we would expect healthcare professionals to take account of all available evidence when providing care and treatment for individuals.

We have created a development group on developmental disorders in adults, including ADHD, which is looking at how we improve support and services for adults with developmental disorders.

Question reference: S4W-04251

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 November 2011
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 8 December 2011

In relation to parts (a) and (c), I refer the member to the answers to questions S3W-19966 and S3W-36122, on 27 January 2009 and 15 September 2010 respectively. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

In relation to part (b), in 2008-09, the Scottish Government provided £1.2 million in grant funding to the improvement service for specific projects. In relation to 2011-12, grant funding of up to £219,000 has been agreed for specific projects.

Chamber and committees