- Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Western Isles, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 5 February 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what it will do to respond to the views of fishermen and other local interests when dealing with the European Commission’s proposals for special area of conservation designations in the Sound of Barra and near Mingulay.
Answer
This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0205-01.htm
- Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Western Isles, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 29 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Housing Regulator anticipates that the Hebridean Housing Partnership will have provided the necessary information about its financial plans to the Scottish Government for consideration.
Answer
I have asked Karen Watt, Chief Executive of the Scottish Housing Regulator to respond.
Her response is as follows:
The regulator has received a range of information from the Partnership to allow it to assess the partnership''s financial plans. Following the receipt on 12 January 2009 of financial information requested from the partnership, the regulator provided the Partnership with a confidential draft of its inspection report on 19 January 2009.
- Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Western Isles, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 19 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how much fuel it takes to heat a typical semi-detached house with (a) gas central heating and (b) non-white meter electric heating in (i) Braemar, (ii) Stornoway, (iii) Aberdeen, (iv) Edinburgh, (v) Dundee and (vi) Glasgow and what information it has on how this compares with the amount that it takes to heat a similar house in Bristol, using data contained in the climatic severity index.
Answer
The fuel used (in kilowatt hours) to heat a typical semi-detached house with gas central heating and with non-white meter electric heating in those locations is shown in table 1:
Table 1: The Fuel Used (Kwh) Across Scotland to Heat a Semi-Detached House with Gas Central Heating and Non-White Meter Electric Heating and how this Compares to Bristol
| Location | Postcode | Gas Central Heating | Electric Room Heaters | Gas Central Heating | Electric Room Heaters |
| Energy (Kwh) | % more than Bristol |
| Braemar | AB35 5YL | 16,100 | 9,800 | 65.2 | 66.8 |
| Stornoway | HS1 2RN | 15,800 | 9,500 | 61.8 | 62.1 |
| Aberdeen | AB11 5QP | 15,300 | 9,200 | 56.4 | 57.3 |
| Edinburgh | EH15 1LF | 12,100 | 7,300 | 23.9 | 24.2 |
| Dundee | DD2 4PF | 12,600 | 7,600 | 29.3 | 29.9 |
| Glasgow | G3 6HB | 11,700 | 7,000 | 19.7 | 19.9 |
| Bristol | BS8 1HP | 9,800 | 5,900 | - | - |
Source: Scottish House Condition Survey
These estimates are based on National Home Energy ratings (NHER) calculation methods. They do not use the Climatic Severity Index as this is not currently produced by the Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS). However the NHER method takes into account Degree Day Region, Average Wind Speed and Elevation.
As this information is taken from a sample survey the estimates are subject to a degree of uncertainty.
- Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Western Isles, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 19 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the estimated percentage of the extra fuel required to heat houses in (a) Edinburgh, (b) Glasgow, (c) Aberdeen, (d) Dundee, (e) Stornoway and (f) Braemar compared with identical houses in Bristol.
Answer
The estimated percentage of extra fuel, compared to Bristol, used to heat a typical semi-detached and detached house with gas central heating and with non-white meter electric heating in those locations is shown in table 1:
Table 1: The % of Extra Fuel Used Across Scotland to Heat a Semi-Detached and Detached House with Gas Central Heating and Non-White Meter Electric Heating, Compared to Bristol
| Location | Postcode | Semi-Detached House | Detached House |
| % Higher than Bristol |
| Gas | | |
| Braemar | AB35 5YL | 65 | 65 |
| Stornoway | HS1 2RN | 62 | 53 |
| Aberdeen | AB11 5QP | 56 | 51 |
| Edinburgh | EH15 1LF | 24 | 22 |
| Dundee | DD2 4PF | 29 | 28 |
| Glasgow | G3 6HB | 20 | 19 |
| Electricity | | |
| Braemar | AB35 5YL | 67 | 67 |
| Stornoway | HS1 2RN | 62 | 54 |
| Aberdeen | AB11 5QP | 57 | 52 |
| Edinburgh | EH15 1LF | 24 | 23 |
| Dundee | DD2 4PF | 30 | 28 |
| Glasgow | G3 6HB | 20 | 20 |
These estimates are based on National Home Energy ratings (NHER) calculation methods.
This information is sourced from the Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS). As the SHCS is a sample survey the estimates are subject to a degree of uncertainty.
- Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Western Isles, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 6 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to address the economic circumstances in the Western Isles following such events as the announcement of the closure of the Lighthouse Caledonia fish processing factory on Lewis and the downturn in the Harris Tweed industry.
Answer
The Lighthouse Caledonia announcement is of course regrettable and, coupled with the downturn in the Harris Tweed industry, poses obvious challenges to the Western Isles economy. The Scottish Government will continue to work with local partners, both in the public and private sectors, to consider all possible options for economic recovery and sustainability in the Western Isles.
- Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Western Isles, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 9 December 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it plans to have with housing associations on investment reform.
Answer
We have today published Investing in Affordable Housing: a consultation which invites comments from the wider housing sector on our proposals for reform. Copies have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 47123)
- Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Western Isles, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 November 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 26 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has evaluated the likely economic impact on the Western Isles should the European Commission’s initial proposals on west of Scotland prawn fishery be approved.
Answer
The Commission has made no assessment of its proposal''s likely economic impact on the affected areas. However, I am certain that if it went ahead it would have a devastating effect on the west coast, removing landings worth at least £70 million from vulnerable west coast fishing communities.
It is for this reason I will strongly resist this proposal.
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- Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Western Isles, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 November 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 24 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive when Skills Development Scotland will be in a position to confirm further details of its commitment to dispersing work to its centre on the Isle of Benbecula and to ensure that this operation grows and develops.
Answer
Decisions about the dispersal of work to Benbecula are an operational matter for Skills Development Scotland (SDS). However, I understand that they have no plans to reduce current staffing at the centre and indeed are looking to further develop its use as part of their operating plan for 2009-10. I also understand that this information has been conveyed to SDS staff there.
- Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Western Isles, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 November 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 13 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what it will do to ensure that public sector jobs are dispersed throughout Scotland.
Answer
In January I set out the Scottish Government''s relocation policy. Our approach is based on making better use of the existing government estate, securing value for money and ensuring the operational effectiveness of individual bodies.
Where those tests can be satisfied, relocation of organisations will remain an option.
We will also continue to explore opportunities for the relocation of small units within the Scottish Government to remote and rural locations under the Small Units Initiative.
- Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Western Isles, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 August 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 9 September 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has reached any conclusion about what a sustainable number of graylag geese in Uist would be.
Answer
Scottish Natural Heritage have commissioned two research studies:
An assessment of the status of the native greylag goose population and an analysis of future population trends based on simple modelling, and
The population size of native breeding greylag geese in Scotland.
The outputs of the modelling will predict future population trends of native greylag geese within a location over a 25 year period. The potential impact of various management scenarios will also be assessed. The final report for this research is due at the end of this year.
Work to assess the population of native greylag geese is underway and an interim report is due in autumn 2008. Further survey work will be carried out during 2009 and a final report including a population estimate is due at the end of 2009.
