Questions and answers

Question reference: S3W-35654

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 09 August 2010
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 8 September 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the public events organised by Waste Aware Scotland represent an effective means of public engagement.

Question reference: S3W-35545

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 02 August 2010
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 August 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on landscaping on the trunk road network in each of the last five years, broken down by operating area.

The total spend on trunk road landscaping in each of the Trunk Road Operating Company areas is shown in the following table (in £millions):

Operating Company Area	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
North East Unit	0.507	1.576	1.372	0.858	0.837
North West Unit	0.737	1.778	2.149	1.118	1.387
South East Unit	1.385	1.284	0.933	0.954	0.963
South West Unit	1.653	2.051	1.623	1.186	1.160
Total	4.282	6.689	6.077	4.116	4.347

Question reference: S3W-35378

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 19 July 2010
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 20 August 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) staff resources and (b) travel costs will be incurred by Transport Scotland in each the next 12 months as a result of its membership of, or involvement in (i) the National Salt Spreading Research Group, (ii) the UK Roads Liaison Group, (iii) The World Road Association (PIARC), (iv) Intelligent Transport Systems UK, (v) STREETWISE and (vi) TEMPO

The information on staff resources in the next 12 months is provided in the following table. Details of travel costs which will be incurred by Transport Scotland in each of the next 12 months is not available as no decisions have been taken about the attendance by Transport Staff at meetings / events related to these groups. In some instances staff''s participation may be by video or tele-conferencing.

	Staff resources August 2010 to July 2011
(i) the National Salt Spreading Research Group	Possible attendance by a member of Transport Scotland staff at steering group meetings.
(ii) the UK Roads Liaison Group	Possible attendance by a member of Transport Scotland staff at meetings of the Steering Group, Network Management Board, Roads Board, Bridges Board and Lighting Board.
(iii) the World Roads Association (PIARC)	Possible attendance by a member of Transport Scotland staff at meetings of the World Roads Association
(iv) Intelligent Transport Systems UK	Possible attendance by a member of Transport Scotland staff at ITS Council meetings.
(v) STEETWISE EASYWAY *	Possible attendance by a member of Transport Scotland staff at 2 Streetwise Steering Committees and Easyway Annual Forum
(vi) TEMPO **	Nil

Notes:

* STREETWISE is a collaboration of the UK and the Republic of Ireland national roads authorities and forms one part of eight Euro regional groupings which makes up the EASYWAY project.

** TEMPO was an earlier European funded project which ended in 2006.

Question reference: S3W-35379

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 19 July 2010
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 20 August 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Transport Scotland will be sending a representative to The World Road Association (PIARC) Congress in Mexico in September 2011, and, if so, how much it expects this to cost in terms of (i) staff resources and (ii) travel costs

Question reference: S3W-35380

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 19 July 2010
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 20 August 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) staff resources and (b) travel costs were incurred by Transport Scotland in each of the last 3 years as a result of its membership of, or involvement in (i) the National Salt Spreading Research Group, (ii) the UK Roads Liaison Group, (iii) The World Road Association (PIARC), (iv) Intelligent Transport Systems UK, (v) STREETWISE and (vi) TEMPO

The information available is provided in the following tables:

(i) the National Salt Spreading Research Group

	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
(a) Staff resources	Attendance at 2 meetings by a member of Transport Scotland staff	Attendance at 2 meetings by a member of Transport Scotland staff	Attendance at 2 meetings by a member of Transport Scotland staff
(b) Travel costs***	£200	£470	£500

(ii) the UK Roads Liaison Group

	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
(a) Staff resources	Attendance at 11 meetings by Transport Scotland staff (one person in each instance)	Attendance at 10 meetings by Transport Scotland staff (one person in each instance)	Attendance at 11 meetings by Transport Scotland staff (one person in each instance)
(b) Travel costs***	£2,900	£2,600	£1,900

(iii) the World Roads Association (PIARC)

	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
(a) Staff resources	Attendance at a conference by 9 Transport Scotland staff and a meeting by 1 staff member	Attendance at 10 meetings by Transport Scotland staff (one person in each instance)	Attendance at a conference by 2 Transport Scotland staff and 10 meetings (one person in each instance)
(b) Travel costs***	£2,700	£5,500	£6,200

(iv) Intelligent Transport Systems UK

	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
(a) Staff resources	Attendance at a congress by 2 Transport Scotland staff and a meeting by 1 staff member	Attendance at a congress by 2 Transport Scotland staff	Attendance at a congress by 1 member of Transport Scotland staff, 1 meeting by 2 staff and 4 meetings by 1 staff member
(b) Travel costs***	£1,300	£700	£1,400

(v) STEETWISE /EASYWAY *

	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
(a) Staff resources	Attendance at 11 meetings by Transport Scotland staff (one person in each instance).	Attendance at 17 meetings by Transport Scotland staff (one person in each instance) and 1 meeting by 2 staff members.	Attendance at 12 meetings by Transport Scotland staff (one person in each instance), 1 meeting by 2 staff and 1 meeting by 3 staff members
(b) Travel costs***	£3,700	£5,100	£5,800

(vi) TEMPO **

	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
(a) Staff resources	Nil	Nil	Nil
(b) Travel costs	Nil	Nil	Nil

Notes:

* STREETWISE is a collaboration of the UK and the Republic of Ireland national roads authorities and forms one part of eight Euro regional groupings which makes up the EASYWAY project.

** TEMPO was an earlier European funded project which ended in 2006.

*** Travel costs are estimated where actual cost information is not available.

Question reference: S3O-10820

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 June 2010
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 3 June 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has reconsidered the interpretation of the Rural Priorities scheme guidance to permit anaerobic digestion plants to receive funding.

The setting of priorities for the Rural Priorities element of the Scotland Rural Development Programme is done at a regional level. In the north-east, this is the responsibility of the Grampian Regional Proposal Assessment Committee, or RPAC. The Grampian RPAC is currently in the process of considering its regional priorities. Specifically, in relation to anaerobic digesters, they will consider the future arrangements for the inclusion of such projects under diversification measures.

The other ten RPACs are reviewing the funding of anaerobic digesters in their regions.

Question reference: S3O-10438

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 May 2010
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 5 May 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that Scotland will meet its European air quality targets this year.

These targets are being met across the vast majority of Scotland. However, as in the rest of the UK, there is a small number of urban locations where the limit value for nitrogen dioxide is not expected to be met by the end of the year. The four UK administrations are currently preparing a joint submission to the European Commission for an extension to 2015 for meeting this limit value, by which time it is expected to be achieved throughout Scotland.

Question reference: S3W-33138

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 12 April 2010
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 22 April 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to ensuring that the aggregate amount of net Scottish greenhouse gas emissions for the period up to 2022 is consistent with Scotland contributing appropriately to the stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.

In developing the advice to both the Scottish and UK Governments, the Committee on Climate Change considered the appropriate path for global emissions reductions, suggesting that global emissions should peak by 2020 and then fall to 50% or more below current levels by 2050. On 24 February 2010, the Committee on Climate Change advised the Scottish Government that the interim target of a 42% reduction in emissions by 2020 would contribute sufficiently to required cuts in global emissions and would be on track on meeting the 2050 target of an 80% reduction in emissions. Meeting the interim target, and the annual targets which will support it, would be consistent with Scotland contributing appropriately to the stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.

The Committee on Climate Change has stated that it will provide advice on a fair and safe cumulative budget for Scotland later this year. It is not envisaged that the further analysis it will conduct will alter the committee''s advice on the appropriate trajectory for 2010-20.

Question reference: S3W-33137

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 12 April 2010
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 22 April 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to not exceeding the “fair and safe” Scottish emissions budget, as described in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, in deciding on annual emissions reductions targets for the period 2010 to 2022.

In developing the advice to both the Scottish and UK Governments, the Committee on Climate Change considered the appropriate path for global emissions reductions, suggesting that global emissions should peak by 2020 and then fall to 50% or more below current levels by 2050. On 24 February 2010, the Committee on Climate Change advised the Scottish Government that the interim target of a 42% reduction in emissions by 2020 would contribute sufficiently to required cuts in global emissions and would be on track on meeting the 2050 target of an 80% reduction in emissions. Meeting the interim target, and the annual targets which will support it, would be consistent with Scotland contributing appropriately to the stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.

The Committee on Climate Change has stated that it will provide advice on a fair and safe cumulative budget for Scotland later this year. It is not envisaged that the further analysis it will conduct will alter the Committee''s advice on the appropriate trajectory for 2010-20.

Question reference: S3W-32547

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 March 2010
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 16 April 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the roll-out of the smartcard-enabled ticket machines to all bus fleets to be concluded.

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