- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2011
-
Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 9 January 2012
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it undertook a strategic environmental assessment for the Infrastructure Investment Plan 2011.
Answer
As set out on page 5 of the Infrastructure Investment Plan, a strategic environmental assessment has not been undertaken, as budgetary plans and programmes are outwith the scope of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. However, the individual projects and programmes within the Plan will be assessed appropriately as they are developed.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2011
-
Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 5 January 2012
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will require potential sponsors of the 2014 Commonwealth Games to publish country-by-country financial reports as part of the selection process.
Answer
Commercial sponsorship for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games is a matter for the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee. It is not the intention to publish material drawn upon as part of the selection process but the organising committee will undertake due diligence checks to ensure that potential sponsors comply with the standards expected of commercial partners.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2011
-
Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 5 January 2012
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has carried out an appropriate assessment for any 2014 Commonwealth Games facilities to be constructed on sites of special scientific interest or Natura sites.
Answer
The undertaking of an appropriate assessment under the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 (as amended), is a matter for the relevant competent authorities when executing their statutory functions. In the case of the Commonwealth Games site at Barry Buddon in Angus, the relevant competent authority has been involved in preliminary discussions with the games organisers about their likely requirements.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2011
-
Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 5 January 2012
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-03362 by Aileen Campbell on 16 November 2011, what unauthorised activities or breaches of consent it is aware of.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold centrally information on unauthorised activities or breaches of consent. These are matters for the relevant authority.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2011
-
Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 5 January 2012
To ask the Scottish Executive whether plans for the 2014 Commonwealth Games involve constructing facilities on areas designated as sites of special scientific interest or Natura sites.
Answer
The only Commonwealth Games site which impacts upon these types of designation is the military training ground at Barry Buddon which will host the shooting events in 2014. I can confirm that the plans as currently drafted involve the construction of temporary facilities within the existing MOD live-firing range. The Games organisers are working closely with Scottish Natural Heritage to ensure that proposals are developed which are compliant with the procedural requirements of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 (as amended).
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2011
-
Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 5 January 2012
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has advised the European Commission of any 2014 Commonwealth Games facilities to be constructed on Natura sites.
Answer
My understanding is that the circumstances which might require contact with the European Commission in this context do not pertain at this stage in the development of the proposal for shooting on the site at Barry Buddon for the Commonwealth Games.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2011
-
Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 5 January 2012
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will propose compensation measures for any short or long-term loss or damage to protected habitats or species as a result of any 2014 Commonwealth Games facilities being constructed on sites of special scientific interest or Natura sites.
Answer
Proposals for the Commonwealth Games shooting events on the site at Barry Buddon are at an early stage of development. My understanding is that the circumstances which might require the consideration of compensation measures in this context do not pertain at this stage in the development of the proposal for shooting on the site at Barry Buddon for the Commonwealth Games.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2011
-
Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 5 January 2012
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the use of lead shot in the 2014 Commonwealth Games will contravene the Environmental Protection (Restriction on Use of Lead Shot) (Scotland) (No.2) Regulations 2004.
Answer
No. Consideration is being given to a range of available measures to ensure compliance with the Regulations for the purposes of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 December 2011
-
Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 15 December 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there is adequate winter resilience preparation across the country.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 15 December 2011
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 18 November 2011
-
Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 30 November 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase the provision of foreign language assistants in schools.
Answer
The employment of Foreign Language Assistants (FLAs) in Scottish schools is a matter for local authorities to decide. Scottish Government is working with British Council Scotland and local authorities to highlight the added value that FLAs bring to a school’s provision for language teaching and learning. The role of FLAs is also one that is being considered by the government’s Languages Working Group which will report to ministers in April 2012.