Questions · Sarah Boyack

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it believes that the precautionary principle should be applied by local authorities to planning applications that incorporate wood-burning biomass energy elements.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Scottish Government planning policy and advice on biomass is contained in: Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 6, Renewable Energy (2007), Planning Advice Note (PAN) 45, Renewable Energy Technologies (2002) and, PAN45 Annex, Planning…

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is available to assist local authority planners and environmental health officers in the assessment of planning applications that incorporate wood-burning biomass energy elements.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Scottish Government planning policy and advice on biomass is contained in: Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 6, Renewable Energy (2007), Planning Advice Note (PAN) 45, Renewable Energy Technologies (2002) and, PAN45 Annex, Plannin…

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the impact of the current economic downturn has been factored into the financial assumptions behind the proposals for the leasing out of at least 25% of the national forest estate.

Answer · Michael Russell: Offering management leases and cutting rights is a potential option for releasing capital from the national forest estate which could be used to fund woodland creation projects to help mitigate climate change. This option is included in a public consultation …

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the business case on which proposals are based for the leasing out of management and cutting rights over the national forest estate.

Answer · Michael Russell: Offering management leases and cutting rights is a potential option for releasing capital from the national forest estate which could be used to fund woodland creation projects to help mitigate climate change. This option is included in a public consultation …

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in which financial year it is anticipated that income will be generated by leasing out management and cutting rights over the national forest estate.

Answer · Michael Russell: Offering management leases and cutting rights is a potential option for releasing capital from the national forest estate which could be used to fund woodland creation projects to help mitigate climate change. This option is included in a public consultation …

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what level of income is predicted to be raised through the proposal that management and cutting rights over parts of the national forest be leased out.

Answer · Michael Russell: Offering management leases and cutting rights is a potential option for releasing capital from the national forest estate which could be used to fund woodland creation projects to help mitigate climate change. This option is included in a public consultation …

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what calculations have been carried out to establish how much of the national forest estate could be bought.

Answer · Michael Russell: Offering management leases and cutting rights is a potential option for releasing capital from the national forest estate which could be used to fund woodland creation projects to help mitigate climate change. This option is included in a public consultation …

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which areas of the national forest estate have been considered for leasing out or transfer to a public trust.

Answer · Michael Russell: Offering management leases and cutting rights, and transferring the proceeds to a not-for-profit trust for investment in woodland creation, are potential options for releasing capital from the national forest estate which could be used to fund woodland creati…

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are currently estimated to work in the areas identified under proposals for leasing out management and cutting rights over parts of the national forest estate.

Answer · Michael Russell: Offering management leases and cutting rights is a potential option for releasing capital from the national forest estate which could be used to fund woodland creation projects to help mitigate climate change. This option is included in a public consultation …

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will guarantee that there will be no redundancies as a result of proposals for leasing out management and cutting right over parts of the national forest estate.

Answer · Michael Russell: Offering management leases and cutting rights is a potential option for releasing capital from the national forest estate which could be used to fund woodland creation projects to help mitigate climate change. This option is included in a public consultation …

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is envisaged that under the option of transferring assets and land in perpetuity to a not-for-profit trust, as set out on page six of the paper Climate Change and the National Forest Estate - Consultation on forestry provisions in the Scottish Climate Change Bill, such a trust …

Answer · Michael Russell: Under one option set out in the consultation paper, a not-for-profit trust could be given the task of holding in perpetuity the national forest estate land that had been leased. A trust could, however, also be given flexibility to sell any newly created woodl…

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discounted the option of transferring assets and land in perpetuity to a not-for-profit trust, as set out on page six of the paper Climate Change and the National Forest Estate - Consultation on forestry provisions in the Scottish Climate Change Bill.

Answer · Michael Russell: No.

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the transfer of Forestry Commission assets and land in perpetuity to a not-for-profit trust is an option being considered by the Scottish Government, as set out on page six of the paper Climate Change and the National Forest Estate - Consultation on forestry provisions in the Scot…

Answer · Michael Russell: As the consultation document indicates, this is one of the options to be considered as part of the consultation exercise and the options review being carried out by Forestry Commission Scotland.

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what level of monitoring it will put in place to assess to what extent biodiversity, access, leisure and recreation are safeguarded if management and cutting rights over parts of the national forest estate are subject to leasing.

Answer · Michael Russell: Offering management leases and cutting rights is a potential option for releasing capital from the national forest estate which could be used to fund woodland creation projects to help mitigate climate change. This option is included in a public consultation …

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what safeguards it envisages will be inserted into the leases for management and cutting rights over the national forest estate to safeguard biodiversity, access, leisure and recreation.

Answer · Michael Russell: Offering management leases and cutting rights is a potential option for releasing capital from the national forest estate which could be used to fund woodland creation projects to help mitigate climate change. This option is included in a public consultation …

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that it envisages that leases for management and cutting rights over the national forest estate will be for up to 75 years.

Answer · Michael Russell: Offering management leases and cutting rights is a potential option for releasing capital from the national forest estate which could be used to fund woodland creation projects to help mitigate climate change. This option is included in a public consultation …

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it envisages allowing foreign companies to bid for leases for management and cutting rights over the national forest estate.

Answer · Michael Russell: Offering management leases and cutting rights is a potential option for releasing capital from the national forest estate which could be used to fund woodland creation projects to help mitigate climate change. This option is included in a public consultation …

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is envisaged that leases for management and cutting rights over the national forest estate will be released in one block or in smaller parcels.

Answer · Michael Russell: Offering management leases and cutting rights is a potential option for releasing capital from the national forest estate which could be used to fund woodland creation projects to help mitigate climate change. This option is included in a public consultation …

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many companies it is envisaged will be involved in bidding for leases for management and cutting rights over the national forest estate.

Answer · Michael Russell: Offering management leases and cutting rights is a potential option for releasing capital from the national forest estate which could be used to fund woodland creation projects to help mitigate climate change. This option is included in a public consultation …

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list meetings that the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment has had with representatives of the major supermarket chains since March 2008, also showing (a) the date each meeting took place, (b) the name of the supermarket chain that was represented and (…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment meets regularly with representatives of the major supermarket chains. Some of those meetings which have taken place include: Retailer Discussion Day - 8 April 2008 Asda Sai…

25 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15362 by Stewart Stevenson on 28 August 2008, when it will launch its consultation on improving the energy performance of existing domestic buildings.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The launch of the consultation is being scheduled into the new year to enable us to take account of recent policy developments in this area.

20 Nov 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the Scottish Government’s pledge of £100 million to alleviate a chronic housing shortage will be spent in Edinburgh.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The £100 million accelerated funding will be split £30 million in 2008-09 and £70 million in 2009-10. To date £9 million of project expenditure has been announced and further tranches covering the £30 million will be announced over the coming month. We are pr…

15 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-10724 by Michael Russell on 13 March 2008, which issues were identified as requiring attention and what steps have been taken in the normal course of government business or are planned in the near future; in particular, what steps have been taken in …

Answer · Michael Russell: Scottish ministers are not persuaded of the need for a specialist environmental court. They will however shortly be seeking the Lord President''s views on ordinary court procedures with particular reference to meeting the requirements of the Aarhus …

10 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15716 by Stewart Stevenson on 10 September 2008, what investment is being made and action taken to ensure that there is no repeat of the flooding incident that took place between Waverley and Haymarket stations during summer 2008.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The recent flooding in Princes Street Gardens was due to a severe downpour. The volume of water was overwhelming and the drainage systems (both railway and local authority which the railway feeds into) could not cope. Network Rail is developing a scheme that …

5 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the bed occupancy rates were for each hospital in the NHS Lothian area in each of the last four years.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The percentage acute bed occupancy for hospitals in NHS Lothian is shown in the following table. NHSScotland - Average bed occupancy1, NHS Lothian Area Years Ending 31 March 2005-08 <table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <th…

1 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of farmers involved in flood management schemes.

Answer · Michael Russell: We will introduce a bill to establish a framework within which local authorities can involve stakeholders, including farmers, in managing flood risk.

1 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total spending is on support for farmers engaged in flood management.

Answer · Michael Russell: Under the new rural priorities element of the Scotland rural development programme it is possible for farmers and other land managers to apply for funding to carry out activities contributing to flood management. However, at the first assessment round no prop…

1 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many farmers are supported financially in providing flood management.

Answer · Michael Russell: Under the new rural priorities element of the Scotland rural development programme it is possible for farmers and other land managers to apply for funding to carry out activities contributing to flood management. However, at the first assessment round no prop…

1 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what lead it has given to Scottish Water and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to work together on upstream flood management.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government encourages the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Scottish Water to work cooperatively with others involved in flood management. We intend to introduce a bill which seeks to establish a framework of duties to ensure that flood …

29 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it will make to encourage the UK Committee on Climate Change to allot sufficient time to considering policy and contextual issues specific to Scotland.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: As a sponsor of the Committee on Climate Change the Scottish Government will play an active role to ensure that Scottish issues are adequately considered. The UK Climate Change Bill enables the Scottish ministers to request advice in relation to Scottish emis…