- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 October 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 5 November 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on evidence from the research and consulting company, Oakdene Hollins, in its report, Recycling DRS in Scotland, published in September 2019, that glass reverse vending machines are not currently economically viable for glass, and what measures it is taking to ensure that they are.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s “A Deposit Return Scheme for Scotland: Full Business Case Stage 1” details the costs associated with the operation of an ambitious scheme which includes glass. This includes the costs associated with the acquisition and operation of reverse vending machines (RVMs).
It is the intention that all costs incurred by return points be met through a handling fee paid by producers or a scheme administrator acting on their behalf. Again, this includes costs associated with the purchase, lease, maintenance or upkeep of RVMs.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 October 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 5 November 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what the basis is of the claim at table 2.2 in the paper, A Deposit Return Scheme for Scotland, that, under the current system, the recycling rate for glass would be unlikely to increase above 64% by 2043.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s “A Deposit Return Scheme for Scotland: Strategic Environmental Assessment” indicates that, without further intervention, glass recycling is not anticipated to increase above current levels.
It is recognised that there are a range of measures which can drive improvements in glass recycling and the Scottish Government is committed to a comprehensive suite of activity to increase performance in this area. Deposit return is a key element of those plans and, once established, will deliver significant increases in recycling rates for single-use drinks containers.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 October 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 October 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve road safety on the A75.
Answer
The Scottish Government through Transport Scotland is currently progressing a number of actions to further improve safety on the A75. These actions involve collision reduction measures at Ardachie Straight, approximately 5 miles west of Newton Stewart, including enhanced reflective road studs and vehicle activated traffic signs to warn road users of the bend and to reduce speed. We are also investigating collision reduction measures at the junction with the A751 which includes improved junction signing, road markings and foliage removal. It is anticipated that this will be implemented this financial year. Investigations are on-going for a controlled pedestrian crossing in Crocketford following the public meeting held earlier this year. It is anticipated that any facility will be delivered in the next financial year (2020/21) subject to local consultation.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 October 2019
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 6 November 2019
To ask the Scottish Government how it tackles non-native invasive species.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 6 November 2019
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 30 October 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-25088 by Michael Matheson on 17 September 2019, where the 40% of the ChargePlace Scotland network serving small towns and rural areas is located, broken down by Parliamentary constituency and region.
Answer
At end-August 2019, 445 chargepoints on the ChargePlace Scotland network were located in areas designated as accessible small towns, remote small towns, accessible rural or remote rural as set out in the Scottish Government’s six-fold urban/rural classification. The following table provides a breakdown of these chargepoints by Local Authority area.
Local Authority | Number of Chargepoints 1 |
Aberdeen City | 6 |
Aberdeenshire | 30 |
Angus | 15 |
Argyll and Bute | 30 |
City of Edinburgh | 11 |
Clackmannanshire | 6 |
Dumfries and Galloway | 16 |
East Ayrshire | 8 |
East Dunbartonshire | 1 |
East Lothian | 33 |
East Renfrewshire | 4 |
Falkirk | 2 |
Fife | 27 |
Highland | 49 |
Inverclyde | 3 |
Midlothian | 11 |
Moray | 12 |
Na h-Eileanan an Iar | 16 |
North Ayrshire | 17 |
North Lanarkshire | 9 |
Orkney Islands | 17 |
Perth and Kinross | 29 |
Renfrewshire | 2 |
Scottish Borders | 27 |
Shetland Islands | 13 |
South Ayrshire | 8 |
South Lanarkshire | 22 |
Stirling | 16 |
West Dunbartonshire | 3 |
West Lothian | 2 |
TOTAL | 445 |
1 in locations designated as accessible small towns, remote small towns, accessible rural or remote rural as set out in the Scottish Government’s six-fold urban/rural classification.
Please note, the data presented includes areas of low population density within or nearby urban centres meaning some cities have chargers located in areas designated as accessible small towns.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 October 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 30 October 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what improvement work is planned for the A75, and what the (a) cost and (b) timeline is for this.
Answer
In the current financial year the Scottish Government will invest approximately £2 million on road maintenance schemes on the A75. In addition, there are also road safety improvement schemes being progressed. This financial year these include accident reduction measures at:
- A75 Ardachie Straight - estimated to cost £115,000, subject to road space being available, and;
- A75 junction with the A751 - estimated to cost between £50,000 - £70,000.
Investigations are also on-going for a controlled pedestrian crossing in Crocketford following the public meeting held earlier this year. Estimated cost and timescales for this will be determined upon decision of what type of facility is suitable.
Transport investment has to be supported by robust evidence and the South West Scotland Transport Study is also being progressed. This study is considering the rationale for improvements to all modes of transport on key strategic corridors, including that served by the A75. The study will provide recommendations which identify transport interventions to be considered in more detail through the second Strategic Transport Projects Review. The output of the review will provide Scottish Ministers with a programme of potential transport investment opportunities over the period 2022 – 2042 and will support the vision, priorities and outcomes of the new National Transport Strategy.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 October 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 29 October 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the (a) risk and (b) potential consequences of its proposed deposit return scheme leading to consumers choosing to purchase larger (i) alcohol and (ii) other bottle types.
Answer
The Scottish Government published “A Deposit Return Scheme for Scotland: Full Business Regulatory Impact Assessment” (BRIA) on 9 July 2019. That BRIA concluded that any impact on consumer choice, including a shift towards purchasing larger sized products, is likely to be small. The decision to pursue a scheme design which maximises consumer convenience and targets a high capture rate should help to mitigate this impact.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 October 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-25088 by Michael Matheson on 17 September 2019, whether it will provide a breakdown of the £30 million in grants given to local authorities.
Answer
The following table provides a breakdown of grant funding awarded to all 32 Local Authorities from financial year 2012-13 to 2019-20 (inclusive) for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. This includes £12.1 million awarded to 5 Local Authorities (City of Edinburgh Council, Dundee City Council, Falkirk Council, Glasgow City Council and Stirling Council) through our Switched on Towns and Cities projects which will deliver both charging infrastructure and provide funding for electric vehicles for public sector fleets.
Local Authority | Grants offered |
Aberdeen City Council | £ 1,007,500.00 |
Aberdeenshire Council | £ 1,075,500.00 |
Angus Council | £ 803,000.00 |
Argyll & Bute Council | £ 678,000.00 |
Clackmannanshire Council | £ 481,000.00 |
Dumfries & Galloway Council | £ 1,084,000.00 |
Dundee City Council | £ 3,757,597.00 |
East Ayrshire Council | £ 987,000.00 |
East Dunbartonshire Council | £ 633,000.00 |
East Lothian Council | £ 1,192,000.00 |
East Renfrewshire Council | £ 400,000.00 |
Edinburgh Council, City of | £ 3,248,447.68 |
Falkirk Council | £ 3,186,157.00 |
Fife Council | £ 1,261,000.00 |
Glasgow City Council | £ 3,963,500.00 |
Highland Council, The | £ 2,916,000.00 |
Inverclyde Council | £ 411,000.00 |
Midlothian Council | £ 472,000.00 |
Moray Council | £ 556,000.00 |
North Ayrshire Council | £ 637,500.00 |
North Lanarkshire Council | £ 629,000.00 |
Orkney Council | £ 448,000.00 |
Perth & Kinross Council | £ 1,432,546.67 |
Renfrewshire Council | £ 1,261,500.00 |
Scottish Borders Council | £ 824,000.00 |
Shetland Council | £ 400,500.00 |
South Ayrshire Council | £ 766,000.00 |
South Lanarkshire Council | £ 1,007,500.00 |
Stirling Council | £ 3,370,562.00 |
West Dunbartonshire Council | £ 458,000.00 |
West Lothian Council | £ 773,500.00 |
Western Isles / Eilean Siar Council | £ 441,000.00 |
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 October 2019
To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide further details of the £7.5 million fund for the electric vehicle charging network announced on 29 August 2019.
Answer
The £7.5m Strategic Partnership between the Scottish Government, SP Energy Networks and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks includes Scottish Government funding of £5m and at least an additional £2.5m from the network companies to support the delivery of trial projects. The trial projects are currently under development and once finalised, will be announced ahead of financial year 2020-21.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 22 August 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 21 October 2019
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent since September 2016 to make public sector buildings more energy efficient.
Answer
Since 2016, the Scottish Government has made available the funds listed below to the value of £80,526,000 to support public sector energy efficiency.
Fund | Made Available Since September 2016 | Notes |
Non Domestic Energy Efficiency Procurement Framework and Project Support Unit | £866,000 | Supports public bodies to implement energy efficiency retrofit projects using Energy Performance Contracts Since 2016, £32 million of capital investment in public sector energy efficiency projects has been supported. The capital funding used is provided by the PSEELS or by Public Bodies capital funds. |
Scottish Government Public Sector Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme (PSEELS) delivered by Salix Finance Ltd | £18,400,000 | Interest free loans for public energy efficiency measures. Energy efficiency investment is delivered on an “Invest to Save” basis. These loan funds are revolving, whereby loan repayments are used to fund subsequent projects. |
Scottish University Carbon Reduction Fund and Universities for the Future | £39,000,000 | Loan fund for installation of energy efficiency measures in universities |
Energy Efficient Scotland Pilots and Decarbonisation Fund | £17,260,000 | Pilot projects designed to increase understanding of design, delivery and impact of energy efficiency approaches. |
Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland | £5,000,000 | Loan scheme for registered social landlords to install energy savings improvements. |
Total | £80,526,000 | |
