Questions and answers

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 ��˿�� 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-11776

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 21 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government when it will have completed the 2012 single��farm��payments to farmers.

As at 19 December, we paid 88% of expected claims, equating to some 16,590 farmers and a total of £382 million by value. In comparison with 2011, this is a 3% improvement in the number of farmers paid. This means some 2,300 claims are still to be processed. My officials are working through these outstanding claims with the aim of paying valid claims as soon as possible. I cannot give a firm date when this work will be completed because that depends on individual circumstances and payment cannot be made until all scheme eligibility checks have been completed. Based on our past experience, however, it is likely to be around March 2013.

Question reference: S4W-11693

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 18 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government��how much it paid out (a) nationally and (b) in Fife for the (i) mortgage to rent scheme and (ii) the mortgage to shared equity scheme under the Home Owners Support Fund.

Question reference: S4W-11694

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 18 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government��what the (a) demand, (b) uptake and (c) capacity was of the (i) mortgage to rent scheme and (ii) mortgage to shared equity scheme (A) nationally and (B) in Fife under the Home Owners Support Fund.

Details for the past two financial years are as follows:

��

2010-2011

2011-2012

��	NATIONAL	FIFE COUNCIL AREA	NATIONAL	FIFE COUNCIL AREA
Number of Applications	739	68	889	74
Completed Mortgage To Rent	368	36	322	16
Completed Mortgage To Shared Equity	6	2	3	0

The capacity of the schemes is determined by a mixture of the available budget, the number of applications and the value of each application.

The outturn figures for the Home Owners’ Support Fund for the past two years are as follows:

2010-2011 £20.1 million

2011-2012 £14.4 million

The Home Owners’ Support Fund budget for 2012-2013 is £10 million.

Question reference: S4T-00160

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 December 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government��what its position is on the reported increase in unconventional gas exploration.

Question reference: S4W-11391

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 7 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what measures (a) are being taken to ensure that the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow are unaffected by congestion and (b) will be introduced in its revision of the Report on Proposals and Policies in relation to a wider strategy to reduce transport emissions.

First, significant investment by the Scottish Government in transport infrastructure projects including the M74 completion project, the Airdrie to Bathgate rail project, the Paisley Corridor Improvements, Fastlink rapid bus transit, and Dalmarnock Station refurbishment will reduce congestion and make public transport an attractive option for those travelling to Commonwealth Games venues. Operational arrangements being put in place by the Games transport partners will also alleviate congestion.

Secondly, a wide range of measure to reduce transport emissions will be explored covering decarbonising vehicles, promoting sustainable communities, engaging with businesses and organisations, and improving road network efficiencies. Further information will be available when the draft Second Report on Proposals and Policies is published.

Question reference: S4W-11392

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 7 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on using demand management measures as part of a low-carbon transport system.

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN ANSWER

7 December 2012

Index Heading: Transport Scotland

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on using demand management measures as part of a low-carbon transport system.

(S4W-11392)

Keith Brown: Demand management is one of the options available in managing any transport system. Our low carbon aspirations are currently focussed on technology change and voluntary behaviour change. The former is illustrated by our promotion of low carbon vehicles and intelligent transport systems; the latter by our investment in public transport and active travel.

Question reference: S4W-11390

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 7 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken in relation to transport in Glasgow to improve air quality ahead of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

The Scottish Government is working closely with Glasgow City Council, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and other partners to improve air quality in Glasgow. A number of measures are being implemented to reduce air pollution in the City, including:

A commitment to introduce and enforce Low Emission Zones at the Commonwealth Games venues in 2014;

Grant funding for the introduction of all-electric vehicles, bus quality partnerships and retro-fitting of Particulate Matter Traps (PMTs) on buses to cut particulate matter (PM10);

Monitoring, local air quality management and enforcement of vehicle emissions regulations;

Provision and collation of advice and information through the Scottish Air Quality Website, Scotland’s Environment Web and Scottish Transport Emissions Partnership.

Question reference: S4W-11388

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 6 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to promote credit unions as an alternative to pay day loans.��

The Scottish Government is committed to working with stakeholders, including credit unions, to assist those who are suffering from financial difficulty due, in whole or in part, to high interest credit, particularly pay day loans.

We recognise that credit unions may be able to offer affordable alternatives to
high-interest short-term lenders, and will do all that it can to promote them, where this is appropriate.

We are committed to continuing our engagement with stakeholders, including credit unions, on the issues of high interest credit.

Question reference: S4W-11389

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 6 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the UK Government’s definition of a good quality combined heat and power station as one that reaches a minimum efficiency level of 35%.

<>Stations located anywhere in the UK and which wish to accredit as combined heat and power (CHP) schemes for the purposes of demonstrating eligibility for the additional Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) which are available for renewable CHP schemes must meet the criteria as set out in Guidance Note 44 of the CHP Quality Assurance Standard , available at: .

These criteria enable the calculation of a quality index for CHP schemes, based upon the heat efficiency and power efficiency of the station in question. The calculation also takes into account the electrical capacity of the station and its fuel/technology type.

The criteria are designed to ensure that all CHP stations larger than one Megawatt (MW) electrical capacity deliver a primary energy saving of at least 10% compared to separate generation of heat and power from the same fuel in order to fully qualify as good quality CHP for all of their output. The 35% overall efficiency requirement is an additional, secondary requirement for stations with an electrical capacity of more than 25 MW, intended to ensure that a minimum quantity of heat (as well as power) is supplied by qualifying stations.

However, the Scottish Government is aware of, and welcomes, plans for a forthcoming consultation aimed at strengthening these criteria and ensuring that stations seeking accreditation and CHP status deliver the required energy savings and supply a significant proportion of heat energy.

Question reference: S4W-11356

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 5 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government��what communication it has had with the UK Government in the last year regarding Chalara fraxinea.

Over the past year the Scottish Government (through Forestry Commission Scotland and the SG Plant Health Team) has communicated with the UK Government on Chalara fraxinea, and various other tree health issues, by participating in the Forestry Commission Biosecurity Programme Board and the UK Plant Health Strategy Board. This includes the development of emergency legislation that introduced a prohibition on the import and movement of ash within Great Britain.

The Scottish Government has participated in the COBR meetings regarding the Chalara outbreak and the ongoing UK Outbreak Management Team on Chalara. It is also working closely with the UK Government on developing a control plan for Chalara and in sharing data regarding the spread of the disease across the British Isles.

In addition, the Scottish Government, through FCS, has a close working relationship with the DEFRA funded Forest Research team based at Roslin, Midlothian, who have been playing an important role in providing scientific support to FCS and Ministers as the Scottish Government responds to the emergence of Chalara in Scotland.

��	NATIONAL	FIFE COUNCIL AREA	NATIONAL	FIFE COUNCIL AREA
Mortgage to Rent	£19.9��	£1.55��	£14.3��	£0.7��
Mortgage to Shared Equity	£0.2��	£0.05��	£0.1��	0m
Total	£20.1��	£1.6��	£14.4��	£0.7��