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-28211

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 12 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the closure of Longannet power station will have on the (a) operation and (b) future development of the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail line.

Question reference: S4W-28203

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 12 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments by the Minister for Environment, Climate and Land Reform on 27 October 2015 (Official Report, c. 31), how it plans to work with the Committee on Climate Change to continue to investigate further abatement from measures that go beyond current policies.

We are working closely with the Committee on Climate Change, who will be providing advice on the next set of greenhouse gas emission annual targets under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act for 2028-32 by the end of March 2016. This advice, together with the committee’s recommendations in the annual Scottish progress reports, will help to inform the scope for further abatement in Scotland and will be part of the evidence base that informs development of the third report on proposals and policies.

Question reference: S4O-04789

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 November 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 12 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how much it plans to spend in 2016-17 on its national infrastructure priority on energy efficiency.

Question reference: S4W-28207

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 10 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings with UK ministers regarding the 2015 UN conference in Paris on climate change the Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform (a) has had and (b) plans, and what (i) activities and (ii) meetings the minister plans when attending the conference.

I have met with UK ministers and discussed the upcoming UN Climate Conference in Paris, including a meeting during the EU Environment Council where the EU's formal negotiating position was adopted. I have confirmed that I will attend the UN climate conference in Paris, and during my visit will undertake a series of bilateral meetings, speaking engagements and events related to key Scottish themes promoting high ambition, the role of subnational governments and climate justice.

Question reference: S4W-28206

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 10 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government who attended the July 2015 conference, Our Common Future Under Climate Change, on its behalf, and what their role was at the conference.

Question reference: S4W-28205

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 10 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government who attended each of the 2015 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change meetings in Bonn on its behalf, and what their role was at the meetings.

Question reference: S4W-28202

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 10 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what action it (a) is taking and (b) plans to take in 2016-17 regarding the national infrastructure priority on energy efficiency.

Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme will integrate action on domestic and non-domestic energy efficiency and will lie at the heart of the National Infrastructure Priority. We will work closely with stakeholders over the next two years to develop the programme, to ensure that it makes best use of the new powers set to be devolved and is tailored to the needs of householders, businesses and other property owners in Scotland.

Over the next two years we will work with local authorities and other stakeholders to pilot and test integrated delivery approaches and expect to issue a call for pilots in 2016.

It is important that the new programme’s objectives are linked to the delivery of our climate change ambitions as well as tackling fuel poverty and supporting sustainable economic growth. We will be undertaking further analysis and assessment during the development of the third report on policies and proposals as required by the Climate Change (Scotland) Act in 2016.

Question reference: S4W-28204

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 10 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Minister for Environment, Climate and Land Reform has met UK ministers to discuss each of the 2015 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change meetings that were held in Bonn.

Question reference: S4W-28201

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 9 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made with the Scottish Smart Grid Sector Strategy since its launch in 2012.

Question reference: S4O-04794

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 November 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what action it takes to address staff welfare issues related to winter weather.