Questions and answers

Question reference: S5O-00313

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 November 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much carbon dioxide was released as a result of Ineos importing shale gas from the United States.

Question reference: S5W-03313

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 1 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on providing access to adapted vehicles to people with xeroderma pigmentosum who are reliant on them, regardless of their care component rating.

The Scottish Government has set out plans to continue to work with Motability, the independent charity that provides vehicles to recipients of qualifying disability benefits, to ensure the scheme can continue to operate in Scotland when powers over disability benefits are devolved.

The Scottish Government is currently consulting on its approach to Social Security in Scotland. However, until the necessary legislation and delivery mechanisms are in place, the United Kingdom Government will continue to set the qualifying criteria for disability benefits.

Question reference: S5W-03314

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 1 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will categorise xeroderma pigmentosum as a genetic DNA repair disorder, as opposed to a skin condition, to enable people with the condition to claim middle rate Disability Living Allowance.

While we will have powers over disability benefits in the future, the Scottish Government does not yet have the power to amend the qualifying criteria for Disability Living Allowance. We are consulting on our approach to Social Security in Scotland. However, until the necessary legislation and delivery mechanisms are in place, the UK Government will continue to set the qualifying criteria for disability benefits.

Question reference: S5W-03790

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 14 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 31 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that investment in geothermal energy technologies is not discouraged by its moratorium on unconventional gas extraction.

The moratorium on unconventional gas extraction does not cover geothermal energy and should therefore not discourage investment in geothermal energy technologies or have an impact on geothermal energy exploration.

The Scottish Government is keen to develop the potential of a geothermal industry in Scotland which will help reduce carbon emissions while providing additional security of energy supplies. The Scottish Government has been working with stakeholders to explore the capacity of geothermal and its viability as a self-sustaining, economically attractive investment prospect with local community support for the principles of the project, including an understanding of its potential environmental impact.

During 2015-16, the Scottish Government made £179,000 grant available to explore the technical feasibility, environmental sustainability and economic viability of four locations in Scotland: Fife, North Lanarkshire, Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City. The findings of these studies are available on the Scottish Government website at http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/Action/lowcarbon/LCITP/geothermal. A technical appraisal of the feasibility study reports has been undertaken, and a further grant of £37,000 has been awarded to the University of St Andrews for development work in Fife.

The roles of the regulatory authorities in relation to these developments is outlined in the Scottish Government guidance document available at:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/Energy-sources/19185/GeothermalEnergy/RegulatoryGuidance.

Question reference: S5W-03791

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 14 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 31 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact that its moratorium on unconventional gas extraction has had on geothermal energy exploration.

Question reference: S5W-03789

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 14 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 31 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with the Chief Scientific Adviser prior to, and in relation to, its decision to ban underground coal gasification.

Chief Scientific Adviser for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment, Professor Louise Heathwaite, was engaged in the review from the outset and throughout. Since coming into post, the Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland, Professor Sheila Rowan, has met officials and Professor Heathwaite to discuss this issue.

The Scottish Government values the contribution of the scientific advisors, and our evidence-led approach to unconventional oil and gas underlines the value the Scottish Government places on robust science.

Question reference: S5W-03290

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 28 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of food outlets in Wales and Northern Ireland being required to display food hygiene certificates, what plans it has to introduce such a measure.

In Scotland, Food Standards Scotland (FSS) operate the Food Hygiene Information Scheme (FHIS) in partnership with local authorities. The scheme is intended to help consumers choose where to eat out or shop for food by providing at-a-glance information about food hygiene compliance. The scheme is assessed by local authorities during their food law inspections at catering and retail outlets. FHIS applies to all food outlets that supply food to consumers, including restaurants, takeaways and food shops, and is based on a simple, two-tier ‘Pass’ or ‘Improvement Required’ format.

While FSS strongly encourages food businesses to display their FHIS certificate and/or sticker publicly in their premises it is not currently mandatory to do so. All results are published and can be found on the Food Standards Scotland website at http://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/fhis/search.

FSS is currently conducting a full review of the scheme in Scotland and the potential for a mandatory scheme is being considered as part of this process. Any formal consultation on proposals for a revised scheme would be carried out by FSS during 2017.

Question reference: S5W-03317

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 25 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review the specialist medical clothing and equipment needs of people with xeroderma pigmentosum in order to make these available through prescription or social services.

Question reference: S5W-03316

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 18 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on promoting education and awareness in schools of rare diseases.

Further to the response provided to the answer to question S5W-03315 on 18 October 2016, it is for local authorities and schools, in partnership with their NHS Board and wider school communities, to identify their priorities for learning and health promotion. This may include learning and awareness raising about rare diseases.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Question reference: S5W-03315

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 18 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on promoting the use of sunscreen in schools.

Health and wellbeing in Curriculum for Excellence is the responsibility of all school staff and promotes pupils' understanding of their own health and wellbeing.

Schools and local authorities are required to ensure that health promotion is at the heart of a school’s activities by the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007. A school is health promoting if it provides activities, environment and facilities which promote physical, social, mental and emotional health and wellbeing of pupils. It is for local authorities and schools, in partnership with the NHS Board and wider school communities, to identify their priorities for learning and health promotion. This may include learning about sun safety and the promotion of the use of sunscreen.

Guidance on the Administration of Medicines in Schools, was published in 2001 to support NHS boards, education authorities and schools to develop policies on managing healthcare needs in schools, including individual healthcare planning. These policies may include the use of sunscreen in schools. The Scottish Government intends to consult on new guidance on supporting the healthcare needs of children and young people in schools later this year.

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