Questions and answers

Question reference: S3W-01760

Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 June 2007
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 20 July 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive how many renewables obligation certificates have been issued during each of the last three years for each of the 61 hydro stations constructed before 1990 and now accredited for qualification under the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) scheme.

The information requested isshown in the following table. This information has been provided by Ofgem, the bodyresponsible for administering the obligation.

Hydro Station	ROCs Issued
Hydro Station	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07
Gisla	2773	2,675	2,603
Trinafour	3438	3,655	3,630
Pitlochry	71,134	56,779	54,727
Kinlochleven	161,873	163,713	162,107
Lussa	6476	8,400	10,198
St Fillans	77,678	74,001	92,160
Loch Ericht	13,340	11,358	8,932
Mossford	117,388	126,117	125,611
Gaur	27,140	22,250	27,984
Quoich Dam	2476	2,345	2,423
Cluanie Dam	1847	1,922	2,284
Luichart	426	378	387
Meig Dam	287	245	282
Aigas	75,516	56,610	81,830
Kilmorack	75,315	57,532	81,263
Clunie Dam	1269	1,320	1,298
Orrin Dam	1190	1,155	1,278
Bonnington	46,067	36,932	38,776
Torr Achilty	54,523	41,943	54,228
Orrin	113,725	63,288	99,505
Ceannacroc	96,941	88,863	102,237
Loch Turret	9,692	10,005	8,716.00
Tobermory	82	337	562
Quoich	110,683	101,909	90,958
Striven	12,762	19,109	27,033
Invergarry	101,430	91,947	96,041
Loch Dubh	3007	4,091	399
Dundreggan	598	524	623
Pitlochry	360	386	409
Stonebyres	21,867	18,976	25,999
Grudie Bridge	110,439	85,050	99,516
Storr Lochs	8566	8,007	9,520
Drumjohn	3835	2,449	5,010
Nostie Bridge	6640	5,383	5,648
Lednock	4157	4,567	5,624
Chliostair	2952	3,850	4,100
Kilmelford,	8,659	9,147	12,383
Foyers Falls	7254	14,909	26,297
Allt Na Lairige	13,740	19,903	24,932
Sron Mor	4173	5,008	7,469
Loch Gair	13,334	13,422	20,691
Dalchonize	8,540	14,683	19,993
Lubreoch	12,928	16,228	19,537
Carsfad	11,544	19,662	21,696
Earlstoun	18,194	22,382	32,855
Kerry Falls	1754	3,733	4,988
Vaich	166	865	782
Lairg	3,425	10,676	12,995
Awe Barrage	1396	2,281	1,080
Cassley	0	18,488	32,085
Duchally	0	0	384
Lochay	4930	9,008	9,193
Mullardoch		1,669	6,388
Cuaich	741	6,822	7,857
Achanalt	2335	7,161	2,582
Gorton	0	0	0
Loyne	0	0	3,440
Morar	0	1,464	3,379
Stronuich	0	375	758
Misgeach	0	49	449
Tralaig	0	0	42
Total 61	1,461,005	1,376,006	1,606,156

Question reference: S3W-01765

Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 June 2007
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 20 July 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what the value has been of the price cap placed by Ofgem on renewables obligation certificates in each of the last three years.

The value of a RenewablesObligation Certificate (ROC) is determined through an open market mechanismwhereby suppliers purchase ROCs from generators and present them to Ofgem inorder to meet their Obligation. Ofgem does not cap the monetary value of ROCs,which varies according to the level of the Obligation and the number of ROCsavailable to allow suppliers to meet it.

Those suppliers who do nothave enough ROCs to fulfil their Obligation can pay the buy-out price, whosevalue is index linked and set in the Order delivering the Obligation each year.

Question reference: S3W-01762

Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 June 2007
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 20 July 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) increase or (b) decrease in installed capacity has been since 2000 in each of the 61 hydro stations constructed before 1990 and accredited under the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) scheme as a result of the refurbishment programme carried out by the owners.

Question reference: S3W-01426

Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 June 2007
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 25 June 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of today’s publication of the consultation paper, Managing Radioactive Waste Safely - A framework for implementing geological disposal, by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Welsh Assembly Government and the Northern Ireland Executive, what Scotland’s policy is on the long-term management of nuclear waste.

The Scottish Governmenthas explained to the UK Government that it does not endorse the consultation documentpublished today.

In July 2006 The Committeeon Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) recommended geological disposal as the bestavailable approach for the long-term management of higher activity radioactive waste.As it would take a number of decades to develop a geological disposal facility CoRWMalso recommended a robust programme of interim storage until a facility was availableor in case a suitable site could not be found.

Its recommendationson geological disposal and storage were accepted by the previous Scottish Administration,UK government and the other devolved administrations inOctober 2006 and it was agreed there would be public consultation on the government’sframework on the implementation process, which has been published today.

We are committed todealing responsibly with Scottish Nuclear Waste in Scotland and continue to support the CoRWM recommendations for a robust programmeof interim storage and would also support further joint research on other long-termmanagement options. However, we do not accept that it is right to seek to bury nuclearwaste, which will remain radioactive for thousands of years, in underground sites.This out of sight, out of mind policy should not extend to Scotland.

Our policy for wastein Scotland is to support long-term “near surface, near site” storage facilitiesso that the waste is monitorable and retrievable and the need for transporting itover long distances is minimal. We will be progressing this in conjunction withthe regulators and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

We will continue towork closely with UK Government and Devolved Administrations in other areas of radioactivewaste policy where we share agreed objectives, including remaining active participantsof UK-wide policy forums and networks. We intend to remain engaged with the CoRWMprocess insofar as it deals with recommendations for storage.

Question reference: S3O-00278

Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 June 2007
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 21 June 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government in respect of an upper limit of 0.1% in permitted contamination levels of GM-free foods at this month¿s Council of Ministers.

Question reference: S3W-00172

Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 May 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 7 June 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what instructions have been given to Scotland TranServe and local authorities regarding the reclamation of costs incurred in the repair of safety barriers and other road furniture as a result of accidents caused by deer hitting vehicles.

Question reference: S3W-00171

Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 May 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 7 June 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive how many accidents involving deer hitting cars have been reported on roads that are the responsibility of Scotland TranServ since it took over maintenance duties.

The Scottish Executive Road InformationSystem (SERIS) Accident database does not hold information specifically regardingdeer-related collisions as personal injury accident reports rarely record this.

A UK research projectbetween 2000-06 indicated that there were around 70 accidents in Scotland, althoughthis figure is based on incomplete data from various sources and cannot be consideredcompletely accurate.

Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more informationif required.

Question reference: S3O-00162

Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 May 2007
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 7 June 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to enhance the organic aid scheme.

Question reference: S3W-00170

Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 May 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 1 June 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive how many accidents involving deer hitting vehicles on Scottish roads led to injuries or fatalities in each year since 1999.

The Scottish Executive Road InformationSystem (SERIS) Accident database does not hold information specifically regardingdeer-related collisions as personal injury accident reports rarely record this.

A UK research projectbetween 2000-06 indicated that there were around 70 accidents in Scotland, althoughthis figure is based on incomplete data from various sources and cannot be consideredcompletely accurate.

Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more informationif required.

Question reference: S2W-32269

Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 March 2007
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 29 March 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost will be of upgrading the A830 from Fort William to Mallaig from single to twin track road since the beginning of the project to completion, expressed in 2006 prices.

Work on upgrading the A830trunk road started in the late 1970s andhas been completed in many stages. Construction of the final section to beupgraded, from Arisaig to Loch nan Uamh, will begin this summer and is due to becompleted in 2008.

Records of the constructioncosts of the earlier schemes are no longer kept, but for those sections forwhich records are still held, the cost of upgrading the road in 2006 prices isas follows:

Scheme	Length (Km)	Year of Completion	Actual Cost (£ Million)	Cost at 2006 Prices (£ Million)
Mallaig-Kinsadel	2.3	1988	4.8	8.6
Polnish-Lochailort	1.7	1988	3.6	6.4
Lochan Doilead-Kinsadel (Morar Bypass)	3.0	1994	9.0	12.2
Loch nan Uamh-Polnish Bridge	3.3	1998	6.0	7.3
Kinsadel-Arisaig	7.0	2003	11.6	12.5
Arisaig-Loch nan Uamh	7.0	2008*	19.4*	18.4*
Totals			54.4	65.4

Note:*Estimated costs andcompletion date.

Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area and can be contacted for moreinformation if required.

Chamber and committees