Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S3W-09936

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 15 February 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 12 March 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will discuss East Coast Transmission Network: Technical Feasibility Study, when it next meets Ofgem.

The Scottish Government is involved in discussions with Ofgem on a number of issues, including the urgent need to secure fairer transmission charging and access to the grid in order to encourage renewables development in Scotland.

We are also in contact with Ofgem and BERR about the longer term role of sub-sea transmission in harnessing the potential of offshore renewables and achieving economic benefits.

Question reference: S3W-09934

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 15 February 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 12 March 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers intend to meet the Crown Estate following the publication of East Coast Transmission Network: Technical Feasibility Study and, if so, when.

Question reference: S3W-09933

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 15 February 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 12 March 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of East Coast Transmission Network: Technical Feasibility Study.

Question reference: S3W-10451

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 February 2008
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 12 March 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering introducing a pilot translocation scheme to remove sparrowhawks from the vicinity of pigeon lofts and, if so, who will carry out the work, whether they will be approved to ring birds and whether live birds will be used in order to attract the sparrowhawks.

The Scottish Government is agreeable in principle to the issue of licences for a limited translocation research project. The purpose of the project is to assess whether trapping and relocation of sparrowhawks is a satisfactory solution to the problem of sparrowhawk predation on racing pigeons. The work will be carried out by an independent contractor. The contractor will be approved to fit rings to the relocated sparrowhawks. A Larsen trap will be used to catch the sparrowhawks. Live pigeons will be used to attract the sparrowhawks. The pigeons are not put at risk using this method, and conditions to protect their welfare and that of any trapped sparrowhawk are specified in the Project Protocol.

Question reference: S3W-09518

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 February 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 4 March 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what the organisational structure will be of the new VisitScotland region into which VisitOrkney will be absorbed under the reorganisation of VisitScotland.

Question reference: S3W-09519

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 February 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 4 March 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what the staffing will be of the new VisitScotland region into which VisitOrkney will be absorbed under the reorganisation of VisitScotland, outlining where each of the staff will be based.

Question reference: S3W-09520

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 February 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 4 March 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what the roles of the local Offices will be in the new VisitScotland region into which VisitOrkney will be absorbed under the reorganisation of VisitScotland, outlining the work carried out in each local office.

Question reference: S3W-09516

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 February 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 4 March 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what changes to the staffing of the Kirkwall office of VisitOrkney will result from the reorganisation of VisitScotland.

Question reference: S3W-09517

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 February 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 4 March 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what changes to the role of the Kirkwall office of VisitOrkney will result from the reorganisation of VisitScotland.

Question reference: S3W-10037

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 February 2008
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 4 March 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to ensure that any barriers to the development of anaerobic digestion projects are identified so that plans can be made to overcome them.

The Scottish Government is keen to encourage the development of anaerobic digestion projects in Scotland. Any barriers would vary depending in particular on the size and location of the plant and the nature of the feedstock. However, anaerobic digestion is one of the processes on which the Scottish Government has engaged the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to provide advice on potential obstacles and how these may be overcome.