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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: S4W-13866

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13054 by Derek Mackay on 5 March 2013, how much future waste it has calculated should be diverted from landfill to incineration in order to avoid EU penalty and in which local authority areas it is encouraging these modal shifts.

The Scottish Government met the 2013 EU Landfill Directive target two years early and is on track to meet the 2020 target. The Scottish Governments Zero Waste plan focuses on maximising the value of all material resources for our economy. This means seeking waste prevention, reuse and recycling opportunities ahead of incineration.

Taking the Zero Waste plan 70% recycling target into consideration, the Scottish Government produces annual estimates of the operational shortfall in capacity to treat Scotland’s residual waste (waste that is not recycled). The current estimate indicates a shortfall of around 1.7 million tonnes. These figures are produced to help planning authorities and industry understand Scotland’s needs and investment opportunities. After the material is mechanical sorting to remove any possible recyclable material remaining, treatment options include the production of waste derived fuels for export to continental fuel markets, biological stabilisation of materials for use in land restoration and energy production (anaerobic digestion and combustion).

Question reference: S4W-13867

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13054 by Derek Mackay on 5 March 2013, what contribution it expects energy from waste schemes to make to its (a) renewable energy, (b) zero waste and (c) sustainable development targets.

In 2010, the Sustainable Development Commission reported that energy from waste could contribute around 3% of Scotland’s total heat and electricity demand. The study focused on the use of combustion and anaerobic digestion with biogas capture and the main technologies that could contribute to these outputs. It emphasised that the greatest output could be achieved if thermal output is used for heat, as this would be more than 80% efficient. Thermal only output could equate to around 6% of Scotland’s existing heat demand.

These opportunities need to be set against the Scottish Government’s policy of continually reducing Scotland’s residual waste and minimising the need for residual waste treatment through waste prevention, reuse and increased rates of recycling.

Question reference: S4W-13865

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 17 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13054 by Derek Mackay on 5 March 2013, what analysis it has made of the contribution of the planning system to the zero waste strategy and its target to divert waste from landfill.

National Planning Framework 2, Scottish Planning Policy and development plans support Scotland’s Zero Waste Plan target of no more than 5% of waste going to landfill by 2025. Along with other policy drivers such as landfill tax, development management, decisions are securing new waste infrastructure to encourage reduction, recycling, reuse and the recovery of energy from waste that would otherwise be landfilled.

Question reference: S4W-13864

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 17 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13054 by Derek Mackay on 5 March 2013, what analysis it has made of the contribution of the planning system to its (a) renewable energy generation and (b) economic growth targets.

There is wide recognition that supportive national planning policies are making significant contributions to the achievement of renewable energy targets. National Planning Framework (NPF) 2, Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) and development plans fully support our renewables targets and support sustainable economic growth. Ways in which this support can be strengthened are matters we are considering as part of the NPF and SPP reviews.

Question reference: S4W-13863

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 17 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13054 by Derek Mackay on 5 March 2013, what estimates it has made of the impact on employment opportunities arising from these decisions and whether it considers that the planning appeals system encourages or discourages sustainable development and employment creation.

Planning has an essential role to play in ensuring that we create the Scotland that we want, that we promote and strengthen our economy and build resilient communities. It should act as an enabler of sustainable development of the right type and in the right location. Decisions made by the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals (DPEA) play an important part in this process. When making decisions on planning appeals reporters from DPEA will consider the economic benefits of a proposal along with other material considerations. No estimates have been made of the employment opportunities arising from decisions made by DPEA.

Question reference: S4W-13861

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 17 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13054 by Derek Mackay on 5 March 2013, how many planning appeals in the (a) energy, (b) retail, (c) commercial property, (d) housing, (e) environmental waste management and (f) hotel, leisure and recreation sector ministers considered between May 1997 and May 2011 and with what outcome.

Question reference: S4W-13862

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 17 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13054 by Derek Mackay on 5 March 2013, how many of the energy sector appeals were for wind applications greater than 50 MW and how many were for single turbine or other developments of less than 50 MW.

Question reference: S4O-02005

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 April 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made toward justice for victims of historic child abuse following the first InterAction meeting.

Question reference: S4O-01969

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 March 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to promote the use of new fairtrade products in Scotland.

Question reference: S4O-01946

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what the rates of income tax would be in an independent Scotland.

	Number of appeal decisions	Number of appeals allowed
Energy	99	53
Retail	275	133
Commercial property	665	266
Housing	4240	1175
Environmental waste management	55	31
Hotel, leisure and recreation	455	212