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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.

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Question reference: S3W-11755

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 11 April 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 1 May 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that potential developers and other stakeholders have sufficient information on the possible marine environment sensitivities of the development of marine energy.

The data and information provided in our marine energy strategic environmental assessment (SEA) provides a solid foundation for potential developers regarding the environmental sensitivities which their projects ought to take into account.

The marine energy policy group will take forward the recommendations set out in the SEA, including the need to provide strategic locational guidance for developers and further environmental research. The group will be chaired by the Scottish Government and include key industry, environmental and regulatory stakeholders.

Question reference: S3W-12016

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 18 April 2008
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 30 April 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any decision has been taken on the funding, in the current financial year, of joint local implementation plans under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

Question reference: S3W-11750

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 11 April 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 30 April 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to develop the marine energy sector.

The Scottish Government is taking action in a number of areas to develop Scotland''s marine renewables sector.

Our £13 million Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme is helping a number of wave and tidal energy projects make the transition from research and development to commercialisation.

Under the Renewables Obligation mechanism the Scottish Government provides higher levels of support for electricity output from marine energy in Scottish waters than elsewhere in the UK. We are currently consulting on proposals for banding the Obligation to maintain the right levels of support for marine energy.

The unique testing facilities at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney have received public sector investment totalling £16 million, and provide a world class location for testing and proving these technologies.

The Scottish Government has set out its plans to establish a Marine Energy Policy Group, which will lead on actions relating to further environmental research, monitoring and the production of locational guidance for the marine renewables sector.

We are also lobbying hard on grid and regulatory matters, including pressing OFGEM and National Grid for a fundamental reform of the transmission charging regime.

Question reference: S3W-12017

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 18 April 2008
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 30 April 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any decision has been taken on the future funding of joint local implementation plans under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, specifically whether such funding will continue to be allocated through local authorities and NHS boards and whether it will be ring-fenced.

Question reference: S3W-12360

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 25 April 2008
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive what Scottish Development International’s annual budget has been for each of the last three years and what it will be for each of the next three years, broken down by funding stream.

Question reference: S3W-11369

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 March 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 24 April 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to announce the outcome of its consideration of the responses to the consultation into the future of the small organisation water services charges exemption scheme, which was included in its consultation on the principles of charging for water services.

Question reference: S3W-11355

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 March 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 23 April 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it has given to urban regeneration companies (URCs) in each year from 2002-03 to 2008-09, broken down by URC.

The Scottish Government provided the following funding to Pathfinder Urban Regeneration Companies (URCs) over the period 2002-03 to 2007-08. The amounts included for 2008-09 are the Scottish Government''s budgeted contribution to the respective URCs. No funding requests beyond 2007-08 were received from PARC Craigmillar or Raploch.

	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
	(Millions)
PARC Craigmillar	0.0	0.0	6.8	0.0	5.0	9.4	0.0
Raploch	0.0	0.0	2.0	2.5	4.0	6.8	0.0
Clydebank Rebuilt	0.0	0.0	0.0	7.1	2.8	3.9	5.0
Riverside Inverclyde	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	3.0	5.0*
Irvine Bay	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.3	1.2	1.6	2.0
Clyde Gateway	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	3.0	5.0	14.0*

Note: *The amounts quoted are part of a three-year funding award and may be subject to change.

Question reference: S3W-11162

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 22 April 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-10696 by Stewart Stevenson on 19 March 2008, whether it made use of the significant legal advice at its disposal when considering the legality of its decision to favour a select group of islands when introducing road equivalent tariff fares on ferry routes.

Question reference: S3W-11807

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 14 April 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 22 April 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what the remit of its marine energy policy group will be.

Question reference: S3W-11805

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 14 April 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 22 April 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive which stakeholders have been invited to take part in its marine energy policy group.