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: S4W-07101

Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 6 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how the environmental impacts of the (a) current programme of Forestry Commission Scotland land acquisition and (b) new planting programme on the national forest estate have been assessed (i) strategically and (ii) at an individual forest level.

<>The current programme of land acquisition and new planting on the national forest estate was included in The National Forest Estate Strategic Plan 2009-2013, which had a Strategic Environmental Assessment. A copy of The National Forest Estate Strategic Plan 2009-2013 is available on the Forestry Commission website at http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-6pelhd.

Prior to the purchase of an individual site a detailed survey is undertaken and a report is produced covering the potential impact of any proposed new planting on environmental considerations. This report informs the decision making process on whether or not to purchase a site.

Once a site has been purchased, an Environmental Impact Assessment screening exercise is undertaken. Further information on this can be found on the Forestry Commission website at http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-5zgmp7.

A Forest Design Plan or amendment for new planting is submitted to the relevant Forestry Commission Scotland Conservancy for approval. The approval process normally involves putting the Forest Design Plan or amendment on the public register.

Question reference: S4W-07400

Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 6 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Network Rail regarding how the punctuality of ScotRail services as part of the Public Performance Measure at (a) staffed and (b) unstaffed stations is determined.

The Scottish Government has had no discussions with Network Rail regarding how the punctuality of Scotrail services as part of the Public Performance Measure (PPM) at (a) staffed and (b) unstaffed stations is determined.

PPM is reported by franchise and service group within that franchise, rather than by specific station, staffed or not. The measure was introduced in 1997 by the-then Strategic Rail Authority, before the devolution of rail powers in 2005, as a way of measuring improvements to the rail system over time. The measure also allows a way of comparing FirstScotrail performance on a basis consistent with the other franchises.

Question reference: S4W-06925

Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2012
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the document, Scottish Government Consultation on the European Commission's proposals for the future Common Agricultural Policy 2014 - 2020, did not provide more space for respondents to qualify their answers to multiple choice questions.

Question reference: S4W-06924

Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2012
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it takes to deal with responses to its consultations in which it is considered that multiple choice answers have been interpreted in different ways.

Question reference: S4W-06923

Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2012
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the questions in the document, Scottish Government Consultation on the European Commission's proposals for the future Common Agricultural Policy 2014 - 2020, might lead to answers that can be interpreted in different ways.

As with most consultations the interpretation of a question often depends on the individual views and circumstances of the person responding.

The Questback public consultation expressly sought to assess whether there was agreement with the European Commission’s CAP Reform proposals.

The consultation is only one of a wide range of methods being used to ensure we have a good understanding of people’s views on CAP Reform. Other forms of public engagement include a series of 13 public roadshows held across Scotland, an updated CAP website which presents information in an easily accessible form and regular meetings with around 35 stakeholder organisations.

The Questback method proved popular receiving almost four times as many responses than the last CAP consultation. Of those responses, 79% came from individuals, a significant increase on the last CAP consultation where only 7% of responses came from individuals.

Questback also allowed us to gauge public views throughout the consultation period, helping inform our position in the early stages of the CAP negotiations.

Once the future CAP has been agreed, we will conduct a more detailed consultation on exactly how it should be implemented in Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-06942

Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 22 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-06199 by Richard Lochhead on 23 March 2012, what progress it has made to ensure that a funding mechanism is in place for rural development programmes if the European Commission’s reformed common agricultural policy is not in place from 1 January 2014.

Setting out transitional arrangements is not an issue simply restricted to Scotland and the rest of the UK but one that has been raised as a concern by a number of member states who are worried about the negative impact that could be caused by a break in funding.

We and others have been pressing the Commission to give details of their plans to ensure a smooth transition between programmes so that crucial funding continues. The Commission has so far shared its initial views with member states in its Rural Development Committee. We are also undertaking work internally to ascertain options for ensuring funding continues for priority areas regardless of what happens with the transitional rules.

Question reference: S4O-01055

Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 May 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what major events it plans to support in 2017.

Question reference: S4W-06943

Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 16 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what the timeframe is for its investment of £50 million to improve the Caledonian Sleeper service.

The sleeper enhancement is a significant project involving substantial amounts of public money. The overall programme of investment will roll out over a number of years. We have started this process by consulting users of the sleeper on the enhancements they would wish to see and more widely are considering the responses to the Rail2014 consultation, which gave passengers the opportunity to have their say on how our trains operate beyond the current ScotRail franchise which ends in 2014.

Question reference: S4W-07089

Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 16 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive when the strategic environmental assessment for its 2020 Routemap for Renewable Energy in Scotland will be complete and when it will be published.

On 5 March 2012 the Scottish Government published an Environmental Report, which sets out the findings of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the 2020 Routemap for Renewable Energy in Scotland and the draft Electricity Generation Policy Statement. These documents are available online at: http://scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/EGPS2012.

The Environmental Report is currently open for consultation, with comments welcome on both the draft policies and the SEA findings. The SEA consultation period closes on 4 June 2012. Thereafter, views will be taken into account, and an SEA Statement will be published following adoption of the finalised policy.

Question reference: S4W-07088

Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 16 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will issue a list of wind farm sites that are to be developed on the national forest estate.

A list of wind and hydro developments on the national forest estate is published on the Forestry Commission Scotland website at:

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/forestry.nsf/byunique/infd-7stf2a.

This is updated quarterly. It lists developments that are already operational, those under construction, those with planning consent and those under consideration within the planning consent process. Further information on developments that are proposed following the recent commercial negotiation process will also be published on development partners' websites, with links from the Forestry Commission Scotland website.