Meeting Scotland's Future Energy Needs

Meeting Scotland's Future Energy Needs PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215028136
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 16

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Book Description
This report is a brief description of a visit to Westfield Development Centre, where Fife Energy Limited has developed an advanced fuel technology and gasification plant. It is able to convert any carbon-containing material into a synthetic gas, composed primarily of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, which can be used in place of natural gas, for example to generate electricity. The Committee was impressed by the plant, and by a number of other energy projects in the Fife area - wave generation, off-shore wind demonstrators, battery research - and recommends that the Minister for Energy either visits the site or receives a presentation from the Westfield Centre in the course of the consultation period for the energy review (which ends on 14 April 2006).

Meeting Scotland's Future Energy Needs

Meeting Scotland's Future Energy Needs PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215028136
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 16

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Book Description
This report is a brief description of a visit to Westfield Development Centre, where Fife Energy Limited has developed an advanced fuel technology and gasification plant. It is able to convert any carbon-containing material into a synthetic gas, composed primarily of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, which can be used in place of natural gas, for example to generate electricity. The Committee was impressed by the plant, and by a number of other energy projects in the Fife area - wave generation, off-shore wind demonstrators, battery research - and recommends that the Minister for Energy either visits the site or receives a presentation from the Westfield Centre in the course of the consultation period for the energy review (which ends on 14 April 2006).

Meeting Scotland's Future Energy Needs

Meeting Scotland's Future Energy Needs PDF Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Scottish Affairs Committee
Publisher: Stationery Office Books (TSO)
ISBN: 9780215024138
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 85

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Book Description
Meeting Scotland's Future Energy Needs : Second Report of Session 2004-05

Meeting Scotland's Future Energy Needs

Meeting Scotland's Future Energy Needs PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780215026002
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 7

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Book Description
The Scottish Affairs Committee published its report on Scotland's future energy needs in March. This reply from the Scottish Office, received on 10 October, responds to each of the twelve recommendations.

The Sewel Convention

The Sewel Convention PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215029249
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 88

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Book Description
The Sewel Convention seeks to ensure that the UK Parliament legislates on devolved matters only with the express agreement of the Scottish Parliament, and consent is also required for legislation on reserved matters if it alters the powers of the Scottish Parliament or Scottish Ministers. Following on from a report by the Scottish Parliament Procedures Committee on the operation of the Convention (SP paper 428, 7th report, session 2 (2005) (ISBN 1406113220) published in October 2005), the Committee's report focuses on ways of improving the communications procedure between the Scottish and Westminster Parliaments, and how MPs could be better alerted that a particular Bill before Parliament had been subject to a Sewel motion in the Scottish Parliament. Recommendations made include: the introduction of a formal process whereby the Scottish Parliament notifies Westminster when a Sewel motion has been passed and the 'tagging' of all relevant public Bills; and the need for an explicit statement on explanatory notes to Bills as to which parts of the UK the provisions will affect. The report also recommends the further consideration of the need to establish a 'Super' Scottish Grand Committee, composed of Scottish MPs, MSPs and Scottish MEPs, to discuss matters of mutual interest.

Sessional Returns

Sessional Returns PDF Author: Great Britain: House of Commons
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215025227
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 344

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Book Description
With corrigendum slip dated June 2005 (1 sheet).

Employment and Skills for the Defence Industry in Scotland

Employment and Skills for the Defence Industry in Scotland PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215521170
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 164

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Book Description
Defence and aerospace industries in Scotland generate nearly £2.31 billion in sales and together with the MoD support almost 50,000 jobs and a record number of apprentices. As well as a recognised expertise in naval ship building, Scotland also has a strong defence electronics industry and a strong aerospace industry based around Prestwick. This report examines the delay in the signing of the contract for two new aircraft carriers: the Committee is concerned that similar delays during the construction phase could lead to job losses and damage the ship-building skills base the UK needs to support if it wishes to retain sovereign capability in key areas. The Committee also comments on the Government's decision to treat the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) vessels as commercial rather than naval vessels, making them subject to EU competition law. There is confusion over the status of these vessels. The report also looks at the supply of skilled, semi-skilled and graduate workers, the Modern Apprenticeship programme, and the funding for adult apprentices. It is vital for Scottish industry to look at upskilling throughout the workforce, including mature workers who were not able to access apprenticeships as school leavers. The issue of constitutional change also affects the future sustainability of the Scottish defence industry. In the long term it is unclear what naval requirement an independent Scotland would have and whether this would make up for the potential loss of UK MoD orders. Government and industry need to work effectively together to ensure that Scotland's engineering and manufacturing base continues to be world class.

Work of the Committee in 2005

Work of the Committee in 2005 PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215027139
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 24

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Book Description
Work of the Committee In 2005 : First report of session 2005-06, report, together with formal Minutes

Experience of the Scottish Elections

Experience of the Scottish Elections PDF Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Scottish Affairs Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215520463
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 136

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Book Description
On 3 May 2007, combined elections were held in Scotland, electing members to the Scottish Parliament and all 32 of Scotland's local councils. The number of spoilt ballots cast in these elections was unusually high, and difficulties with the electronic counting machines led to the count being suspended in some constituencies. The Electoral Commission engaged Ron Gould CM to conduct an independent assessment of the elections. This report examines the findings of the Gould Report and its recommendations, some of which have already been accepted in principle by the Scotland Office and by the Scottish Executive, including holding the Scottish Parliament and local government elections at different times and producing separate regional and constituency ballot papers for the Scottish Parliament elections. Evidence strongly suggests that there are deep problems with the way elections are administered, both in Scotland and across the UK, which, if left unaddressed, could again create difficulties in the future. Any changes to the way in which elections are carried out must be accompanied by rigorous research and testing; the absence of such research and testing was a major failing that led to the problems of 3 May. There were failings on the part of the Scotland Office, where lengthy delays disrupted election planning and led to weak contingency arrangements. The Electoral Commission did not do enough to warn of potential problems with the ballot. The use of e-counting has been subject to particular criticism. Although electronic counting may have the potential to produce results more quickly, in these elections it did not operate efficiently or transparently. Any future proposals must place the needs of the voter and the interests of transparency far above the limitations of any given technology.

Poverty in Scotland

Poverty in Scotland PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215037756
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 60

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Book Description
The inquiry into both rural and urban poverty in Scotland was extensive. It was therefore decided to publish the report in two volumes. This report focuses on issues surrounding the definition and measurement of poverty; the effectiveness of Government policy; and the problems of fuel poverty and debt. Child poverty will be the subject of the subsequent report.

Commission on Scottish Devolution

Commission on Scottish Devolution PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215544575
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 76

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Book Description
This report examines the recommendations of the Commission on Scottish Devolution ('the Calman Commission'), specifically the parts which relate to relations between the two parliaments. The Scottish Affairs Committee concludes that closer cooperation between the UK and Scottish parliaments and governments is only possible if backed up by political will. Removing procedural barriers is only one part of improving communication and cooperation; structural changes alone will not make the difference. The Committee's key findings are: the Government should make time for a regular 'State of Scotland' debate, to include devolved matters; The UK and Scottish governments have given a positive response to the idea of appearing before committees of either Parliament; the idea of a 'Scottish Super Grand Committee' composed of Scottish MPs, MSPs and Scottish MEPs should be revisited; changes should be made to allow UK and Scottish parliamentary committees to work together; positive consideration should be given to whether Scottish ministers can give evidence to UK Parliament committees examining Scotland Act Orders; arrangements should be made to remove any unnecessary barriers to access for MSPs visiting Westminster; a programme of exchanges and secondments with the Scottish Parliament should be funded and encouraged by the House.