Questions and answers

Question reference: S4W-13357

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 14 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the effectiveness and sufficiency of the policy that 25% of new housing units should be affordable housing.

The Scottish Government’s policy on the implementation of local affordable housing policies is set out in Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) which makes it clear that authorities may seek a percentage contribution from developers for affordable housing where this is justified. SPP encourages authorities to be realistic, flexible and to consider viability in applying such policies. The Chief Planner wrote to all local authorities in March 2011 reminding them of this requirement in view of the current economic climate. SPP is currently under review, and a consultation draft will be published in Spring this year.

Question reference: S4W-13347

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 6 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route project cost estimate of £653 million includes (a) all consequential costs for other works required to complete the project and (b) money spent in previous years.

The total scheme cost estimate for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) element of AWPR/Balmedie-Tipperty project is £653 million at 2012 prices (excluding VAT) which includes costs associated with design preparation, land purchase, advance works, utility diversions, site supervision, detrunking costs, main works construction costs and risk. The total scheme cost estimate for the AWPR also includes previous expenditure on the project.

Question reference: S4W-12680

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many hybrid buses are in operation; what percentage of the bus fleet this represents, and what measures it has planned to achieve the 50% market penetration suggested as achievable by 2027 in Low Carbon Scotland: Meeting our Emissions Reduction Targets 2013-2027: The Draft Second Report on Proposals and Policies.

Funding under Rounds 1 and 2 of the Scottish Green Bus Fund will see 71 low carbon vehicles (LCVs) operating in the Scottish bus fleet. These LCVs represent around 1.3% of the total Scottish fleet. Additional funding under Round 3 of the Fund could see around 45 more LCVs entering service increasing the percentage of these vehicles to approximately 1.8% of the fleet.

The Scottish Green Bus Fund is helping bridge the current price gap between conventional and low carbon buses and providing support and confidence to both manufacturers and the bus companies. We expect the market for LCV buses to continue maturing until it reaches the point where LCV buses become commercially viable in their own right. In the meantime, we will continue to provide grant funding.

Question reference: S4O-01785

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what input its Health and Social Care Directorate made to the draft second report on proposals and policies.

As noted in the Draft Second Report on Proposals and Policies, tackling climate change is the responsibility of every part of the Scottish Government, its agencies and local government.

We propose to ramp up emissions reduction from across the entire public sector, including the Health estate, by accelerating implementation of actions identified within existing carbon management plans and later move to more ambitious activity.

Our household energy efficiency measures and some of our transport proposals may also bring wider health benefits in addition to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Question reference: S4W-12464

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it uses to monitor the impact of the Scottish Green Bus Fund on fuel savings and carbon emissions.

As a condition of grant, operators receiving funding are required to submit periodic data detailing the operation and performance of each vehicle for which funding was provided. The data required includes details of CO₂ savings and fuel efficiency.

Total projected savings from vehicles purchased from the three rounds of the Scottish Green Bus Fund (including Bids yet to be approved under Round 3) are expected to realise 36,000 Tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e) and a reduction of up to 60% in fuel consumption over the estimated 15 year lifespan of the vehicles.

Question reference: S4W-12463

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) fuel and (b) carbon emissions savings have been made as a result of the Scottish Green Bus Fund.

Data submitted in periodic returns from bus operating companies to-date identify savings of 126,000 litres of fuel and 414 tCO2 of carbon emissions. Returns submitted do not, however, reflect total savings, since returns are not yet due for vehicles recently coming in to service or those yet to enter service.

Total projected savings from vehicles purchased from the three rounds of the Scottish Green Bus Fund (including Bids yet to be approved under Round 3) are expected to realise 36,000 Tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e) and a reduction of up to 60% in fuel consumption over the estimated 15 year lifespan of the vehicles.

Question reference: S4W-12261

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 24 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government on which legislation it has consulted (a) the Queen and (b) Prince Charles in each year since 1999 and what bills were then (i) altered, (ii) dropped and (iii) not given consent.

Question reference: S4O-01682

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 January 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the impact on educational attainment of exposure to lead in childhood.

Question reference: S4W-11771

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 21 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-08874 by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 August 2012, whether it considers that, following the legalisation of same-sex marriage, denial of the option of civil partnership to mixed-sex couples would not constitute discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

We do not intend to introduce civil partnership for opposite sex couples. Reasons are given in paragraphs 4.20 and 4.21 of the consultation on the draft Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/12/9433/272396.

We do not consider this represents unlawful discrimination. Marriage will continue to be open to opposite sex couples. This is in line with Article 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights which provides that “men and women of marriageable age have the right to marry and to found a family, according to the national laws governing the exercise of this right”.

Question reference: S4W-11770

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 21 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-08874 by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 August 2012, what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Chamber and committees