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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 MSPs 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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S4W-14255

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 12 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 7 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether the arrangements for sending waste from nuclear reactors to England for storage will remain in place if Scotland becomes independent and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

The management of radioactive waste is a devolved matter and, as such, is already the responsibility of the Scottish Ministers. The management of spent nuclear fuel and other nuclear materials is reserved to the UK Government.

Radioactive waste is not sent to England for storage. Spent nuclear fuels and other nuclear materials that are not classified as waste, are currently sent to Sellafield for reprocessing or storage in accordance with UK Government policy.

After a vote for independence on 18 September 2014, it will be in the interests of both Scotland and the rest of the UK for the legacy of nuclear waste to be dealt with in a responsible way that protects the integrity of our environment.

Question reference: S4W-14412

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 2 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13890 by Fergus Ewing on 22 April 2013, whether ministers have seen the economic assessments for each project supported by the National Renewables Infrastructure Fund and, if so, whether they will seek their publication by the relevant agencies.

The economic impact assessments relating to projects supported by the National Renewables Infrastructure Fund (N-RIF) are undertaken independently of Scottish Ministers. The economic impact assessments are held by Scottish Enterprise or Highlands and Islands Enterprise and are available through written request to the appropriate Chief Executive, with relevant provisions made for the protection of commercially sensitive information.

Question reference: S4T-00328

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 29 April 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the engine failure of the MV Hamnavoe, what contingency plans are in place to maintain the lifeline ferry service on the Pentland Firth.

Question reference: S4W-13889

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 22 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13554 by Fergus Ewing on 20 March 2013, whether it will name the three projects given support and state the amount of private sector investment leveraged into each.

Question reference: S4W-13888

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 22 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13555 by Fergus Ewing on 20 March 2013, what the result was of the economic assessment for each project supported.

Applications are assessed for their additional socio economic impact through consideration of the scale and nature of the benefits, the extent to which these benefits are additional, the supply chain benefits, the concentration of benefits with Scottish businesses and people and the effect on existing economic activity.

Over the decade to 2020, renewables in Scotland could provide up to 40,000 jobs and £30 billion investment to the Scottish economy. Renewable Energy Investment Fund investment will support the creation of that economic benefit to Scotland

Question reference: S4W-13890

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 22 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13547 by Fergus Ewing on 20 March 2013, whether it will publish the assessed economic impact for each project supported by the National Renewables Infrastructure Fund.

Question reference: S4W-13891

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 22 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S4W-13550 and S4W-12998 by Fergus Ewing on 20 and 5 March 2013 respectively, whether it will publish the funding packages and name the "other ports".

The "other ports" being referred to in the response to S4W-12998 were Westway, Inchgreen and Hunterston. Details of the funding package and private sector investment leveraged have previously been provided in response to question S4W-13548 on 9 April 2013.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Question reference: S4W-13887

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 22 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13559 by Fergus Ewing on 20 March 2013, what net jobs assessment was made for each project receiving support from the Renewable Energy Infrastructure Fund.

Question reference: S4W-13892

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 22 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13549 by Fergus Ewing on 20 March 2013, what private sector investment was leveraged into each of the projects.

Question reference: S4O-02020

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 April 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Orkney Islands Council and other stakeholders about the implications of Ortak going into administration.