Questions and answers

Question reference: S3W-19857

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 30 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings its officials have had with representatives of Rothschild since May 2007 and what issues were discussed.

Question reference: S3W-19856

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 29 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings Scottish ministers have had with representatives of Rothschild since May 2007 and what issues were discussed.

Question reference: S3W-19611

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 27 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list its meetings with SEStran since December 2007 regarding the use of the Forth Road Bridge for public transport, also showing what was discussed.

The following meetings were held with SEStran to discuss developments with the Forth Replacement Crossing, including the use of the Forth Road Bridge (FRB) for public transport:

21 October 2008, meeting to discuss refined strategy including the use of the Forth Road Bridge (FRB) for public transport.

8 January 2009, Stakeholder Briefing Session to provide project update following decisions being made on the function of the replacement crossing, the use of the FRB, the proposed design of the new bridge, the road connections, and the funding, procurement and legislation of the project.

Question reference: S3W-19614

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 27 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list its meetings with City of Edinburgh Council since December 2007 regarding the Forth Replacement Crossing, also showing what was discussed.

The following meetings have been held with officials from the City of Edinburgh Council to discuss the Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC):

6 March 2008, Stakeholder Briefing Session to provide project update following decision to proceed with cable stayed bridge and to discuss stakeholder engagement

25 March 2008, meeting to discuss initial corridors for the connecting roads

17 June 2008, meeting to discuss road alignment options

30 October 2008, meeting to discuss refined strategy including the use of the Forth Road Bridge for public transport

9 January 2009, Stakeholder Briefing Session to provide project update following decisions being made on the function of the replacement crossing, the use of the FRB, the proposed design of the new bridge, the road connections, and the funding, procurement and legislation of the project.

Question reference: S3W-19612

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 27 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list its meetings with City of Edinburgh Council since December 2007 regarding the use of the Forth Road Bridge for public transport, also showing what was discussed.

The following meetings were held with officials from the City of Edinburgh Council to discuss developments with the Forth Replacement Crossing, including the use of the Forth Road Bridge (FRB) for public transport:

30 October 2008, meeting to discuss the refined strategy for the replacement crossing including the use of the FRB for public transport.

9 January 2009, Stakeholder Briefing Session to provide project update following decisions being made on the function of the replacement crossing, the use of the FRB, the proposed design of the new bridge, the road connections, and the funding, procurement and legislation of the project.

Question reference: S3W-19625

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 27 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what type of buildings or their subdivisions are exempt from the requirement to display an energy performance certificate under the Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2008.

I have to advise that I am not in a position to interpret the legislation that covers Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) in Scotland. Interpretation in the first instance is the responsibility of the local authorities and ultimately could be a matter for the courts to decide. I am in a position to provide informal advice on the intention behind the legislation and my response should be viewed with that in mind.

Due to the disparate nature of the public building stock in Scotland, it is not possible to provide a definitive list of exemptions. The Energy Performance of Building (Scotland) Regulations 2008 define a public building as a building with a floor area of more than 1,000m², which is occupied by a public authority or by an institution providing public services and which can be visited by the public. Guidance on the requirement to display an EPC is given as:

The requirement to display a certificate applies only to buildings which meet all of the following criteria:

the conditioned (heated/cooled) area of the building is over 1,000m²;

the building is occupied by public authorities or provides public services to a large number of persons;

the building is frequently visited, at least weekly, by members of the general public;

the public have a right of access to the building, or parts of the buildings providing services directly to the public, and

public funding, including part funding, is used to operate, for general upkeep, or to fund staff costs.

Examples include colleges, community centres, libraries, hospitals, benefit offices and crematoria.

Question reference: S3W-19624

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 27 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, when a portion of a building is leased out, an energy performance certificate (EPC) is required under the Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2008 and, if so, whether the EPC should refer to the portion of the building leased out or to the building as a whole.

Question reference: S3W-19613

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 27 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list its meetings with SEStran since December 2007 regarding the Forth Replacement Crossing, also showing what was discussed.

The following meetings were held with SEStran to discuss the Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC):

6 March 2008, Stakeholder Briefing Session to provide project update following decision to proceed with cable stayed bridge and to discuss stakeholder engagement

4 July 2008, meeting to discuss road alignment options

22 August 2008, meeting to discuss road alignment options and possible light rapid transit routes

21 October 2008, meeting to discuss refined strategy including the use of the Forth Road Bridge (FRB) for public transport

8 January 2009, Stakeholder Briefing Session to provide project update following decisions being made on the function of the replacement crossing, the use of the FRB, the proposed design of the new bridge, the road connections, and the funding, procurement and legislation of the project.

Question reference: S3W-19623

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 27 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, when an individual room within a building is leased out, an energy performance certificate (EPC) is required under the Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2008 and, if so, whether the EPC should refer to the individual room or to the building as a whole.

I have to advise that I am not in a position to interpret the legislation that covers Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) in Scotland. Interpretation in the first instance is the responsibility of the local authorities and ultimately could be a matter for the courts to decide. I am in a position to provide informal advice on the intention behind the legislation and my response should be viewed with that in mind.

The Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2008 require an EPC for the building and reference a definition. The definition of building is the same as in the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2002/91/EC), as a roofed construction having walls, for which energy is used to condition the indoor climate; a building may refer to the building as a whole or parts thereof that have been designed or altered to be used separately.

EPCs are required for all individual dwellings. In the case of other buildings, the EPC covers the entire building. However, where the building is divided into units that are fire separated units, the EPC can either cover the entire building, depending on the heating system arrangements, or, alternatively, separate certificates can be carried out for each individual unit. In some instances, the fire separated units could be single rooms which are occupied by different tenants.

Question reference: S3W-19622

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will identify each resource, location and projected financial income expected from the £256,000 of accruing resources, for use of Scottish ministers through their Rural Affairs and the Environment portfolio, cited in Schedule 1 of the Budget (Scotland) (No.2) Bill.

Schedule 1 of the Budget (Scotland) (No. 2) Bill shows that accruing resources estimated at £256,000 will be available for use by Scottish ministers through their Rural Affairs and the Environment portfolio from the sale of land, buildings and equipment, and the sale of holdings to existing tenants. We estimate that the total sum will be made up as follows:

Sale of:	£
Fisheries Research Services “ Capital receipts for sale of research system	1,000
Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency “ Sales of surplus capital equipment	5,000
Estates Management “ Sales of land	250,000
Total	256,000

It is not possible at this stage to identify the individual assets or land that will be sold in 2009-10.

We do not envisage that the current economic climate will impair the level of receipts anticipated.

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