Chamber and committees

A range of methods will be used to publicise and promote the scheme depending on the specific circumstances of each selected area, for example, mail-shots, local advertising, etc.

The carbon emission reductions arising from the operation of the Home Insulation Scheme will depend on the nature of the future roll-out of the scheme. The implementation of the first phase of the Home Insulation Scheme will be evaluated with a view to informing its development in subsequent years. The emission savings achieved will be calculated within the framework for standard carbon assessment being developed by the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government is committing £15 million of investment to the Home Insulation Scheme in 2009-10 and is seeking £15 million of complementary investment from other sources. These sources could, for example, include local councils and housing associations. Private householders and energy companies are also expected to contribute through the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target. On 1 May 2009, we wrote to councils seeking proposals for areas to be selected under the scheme and anticipated contributions from them, and their local partners, for the scheme. It is therefore too early to say how the contributions from the various partners will breakdown.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23543 on 12 May 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.

The next summit meeting of the British-Irish Council is scheduled to take place in October in Jersey; however the agenda is yet to be determined.

The Minister for Transport, Infrastructure & Climate Change attended the British-Irish Council meeting of 17 April 2009, at which the Irish and Manx governments were present, and during which the issue of the Sellafield nuclear power plant was raised.

Ministers from the Irish and Manx Governments advised that they are close to completing a revised joint paper on Sellafield and radioactive waste. The paper will address current operations at Sellafield, the safety of those operations, the final disposal of radioactive waste and the control of environmental discharges. This topic will be given fuller discussion at the next ministerial level meeting of the council in 2010, at which Scottish ministers will be present.

We welcomed the UK Government''s ambition to insulate all cavities and lofts by 2015 (in the recent Heat and Energy Saving Strategy consultation), and indicated that we believe this will not be met in Scotland unless changes are made to the framework for the delivery of the Carbon Emissions Reduction target (CERT) and the obligation that supersedes it. The Home Insulation Scheme will contribute towards this ambition, and towards our own CO₂ reduction target, but the degree to which it can be achieved will partly depend on decisions made around the future of CERT.

We recognise the need to make substantial progress in our existing housing stock to meet our climate change ambitions. Whilst resources are tight, we have made a significant start in the 2009-10 Budget and we intend to continue in budgetary terms year by year towards the achievement of a step-change in energy efficiency and insulation by 2020. The first phase of investment and the associated evaluation will assist in determining the best way of taking this forward in future years.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23524 on 11 May 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23507 on 11 May 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23517 on 11 May 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.