- Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 June 2011
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Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 7 June 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive how many carbon units will be credited or debited to the 2010 net Scottish emissions account as a result of the operation of the EU Emissions Trading System.
Answer
Having noted the advice of The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Ministers have determined that in relation to the operation of the EU Emissions Trading System in Scotland during 2010, 1,017,579 units will be credited to the 2010 Net Scottish Emissions Account.
- Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 May 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 2 June 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to implement each of the targets agreed at the Tenth Meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity held in Nagoya, Japan, and what action it is taking to implement strategic goal C.
Answer
The Tenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity at Nagoya took 47 decisions, many of which contain targets. Some of these targets are for the convention itself, and some refer to reserved policy areas.
We shall be undertaking a review of the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to reflect the strategic plan for biodiversity 2011-2020 and the Aichi biodiversity targets.
- Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 May 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 1 June 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis it has undertaken of the outcomes of the Tenth Meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity held in Nagoya, Japan, and what impacts it expects for Scotland’s land use and biodiversity.
Answer
The Scottish Government has carried out an initial analysis of the outcomes, in discussion with Scottish Natural Heritage and other partners. There are few direct impacts on Scotland from the outcomes. We shall be reflecting the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets when we review the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy.
- Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2011
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 2 June 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made regarding the transfer of powers from the Crown Estate Commission to the Scottish Parliament.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 2 June 2011
- Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 18 March 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what conditions on emissions it expects intended waste-to-heat developments to meet.
Answer
The conditions included in environmental permits for controlling emissions from energy from waste plants are operational matters for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Conditions will depend on a range of site specific factors and will aim to ensure that plants comply with the stringent emission standards required by the Waste Incineration Directive, the objectives of which are to protect human health and the environment from the impacts of burning waste.
Environmental permits for new energy from waste plants will normally include conditions that specify emission limit values and monitoring requirements for a range of pollutants, including particulates, dioxins and furans. Conditions will also specify techniques on how these pollutants are to be measured and on the use of continuous and periodic measurement equipment.
- Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 18 March 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in measuring fine particulate emissions arising from thermal combustion.
Answer
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has recently enhanced its ability to measure ambient fine particulates. There are, however, some technical limitations in the methods available to measure low levels of fine particulate emissions in the stacks of incinerators. Monitoring of fine particulates in these circumstances is a specialised technique which only a small number of companies are able to provide. SEPA works with the applicants for environmental permits for thermal combustion activities to agree appropriate methods for measuring emissions, including fine particulates, and to predict how emissions might affect local air quality. SEPA also arranges for independent monitoring teams to carry out regular monitoring of stack emissions from incinerators, including the measurement of fine particulates. Results from this monitoring programme are publicly available from SEPA.
Local authorities in Scotland regularly review and assess air quality in their areas against objectives for a number of pollutants of concern for human health, including fine particulates. This is supported by monitoring undertaken for the Scottish Government to comply with EU legislation on air quality. The number of sites at which air quality monitoring takes place has increased markedly in recent years.
- Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 17 March 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive how many incinerator applications have received planning approval in each year since 1999.
Answer
The information for each year is not held centrally but it is believed that since 1999, eight incinerators based on differing technologies have received planning approval.
- Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 17 March 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive how many incinerator applications are pending in March 2011.
Answer
We are aware of three applications pending for incinerators based on differing technologies as of March 2011.
- Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 16 March 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what the location is of each rink available for curling.
Answer
A comprehensive list of ice-rinks in Scotland where curling is played can be found on the website of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club, the governing body for curling in Scotland. This information can be found at: http://www.royalcaledoniancurlingclub.org/rccc/index.cfm/trycurling/ice-rink-map/.
- Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 16 March 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to offer support to young curlers who have to travel long distances to rinks.
Answer
Funding for supported athletes is available and routed through the recognised sports governing bodies, in this instance the Royal Caledonian Curling Club, who enter into an annual investment agreement with sportscotland to support the development plan for their sport. It is for the sport''s governing body to identify talented athletes and put in place the appropriate level of support.
