Sarah Boyack

17 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there are any lessons to be learnt, in light of the conclusions of the independent review into the summer flooding in England and Wales by Sir Michael Pitt.

Answer · Michael Russell: Scotland was fortunate not to experience the widespread floodingsuffered by England and Wales, but that the Scottish Government recognise that Scotland toocan learn lessons from the floods. The Scottish Government has noted the interim findings and recommenda…

14 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria have been established for the forestry sales proposed in the budget which are intended to raise £15 million for reinvestment in woodlands.

Answer · Michael Russell: The national forest estatehas been subject to a portfolio analysis, objectively assessing each part of the estate against delivery of economic, social and environmental benefits.This analysis will be used to determine priorities for sale of national forestlan…

14 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been budgeted for the next three years for new woodland planting to benefit wildlife through the Scottish Rural Development Plan.

Answer · Michael Russell: The 2007-13 Scotland Rural DevelopmentProgramme includes an allocation of £170 million for woodland creation. This equatesto an annual allocation for woodland creation in the region of £24 million. Allof this funding will be delivered through measures under A…

10 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the First Minister will make a ministerial statement regarding the decision to call in the Menie Estate planning application.

Answer · John Swinney: As the application site lieswithin the First Minister’s constituency he is debarred from any planning decisionsin this proposed development. It would also be inappropriate for any minister topass comment on a planning application which is currently before the…

10 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications it has called in and determined without recourse to a public inquiry under the terms of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 between the establishment of the Parliament in May 1999 and 30 November 2007.

Answer · John Swinney: Planning applications can becalled in by Scottish ministers under powers contained in section 46 of the Townand Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997. Since May 1999, 163 planning applicationshave been called in by ministers and determined following forms of s…

10 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether SSSI designations on the Menie Estate will require to be considered by the Scottish Government in determining the planning application that it has called in.

Answer · John Swinney: All relevant material considerationswill be taken into account in the determination of the planning application.</p>

10 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning proposals were called in after a decision to refuse planning permission had been taken by a local authority between the establishment of the Parliament in May 1999 and 30 November 2007.

Answer · John Swinney: None. The decision to call inthe application was taken before Aberdeenshire Council had issued its decision.The decision to call in this application was subsequently welcomed by AberdeenshireCouncil.</p>

10 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its reasons were for not calling in the Menie Estate proposal prior to the decision to refuse planning permission by the Infrastructure Services Committee of Aberdeenshire Council.

Answer · John Swinney: There was a general expectationthat the proposal would come before ministers, either through the application beingnotified had Aberdeenshire Council resolved to grant consent, or via an appeal againstrefusal of planning permission.</p>

10 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive by what process the called-in application for Menie Estate will be considered.

Answer · John Swinney: This has not yet been decided.</p>

10 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will release minutes of any discussions between the Chief Planner and the developers of the Menie Estate proposals.

Answer · John Swinney: A minute of the meeting of 4 December 2007 is beingpublished today and will be available on the Scottish Government website at <ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/FOI/Disclosures">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/FOI/Disclosures</a>.</p>

10 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings have taken place since May 1999 between the Chief Planner and developers on applications that were subsequently called in and whether it will list those applications.

Answer · John Swinney: Information in the form requestedis not held centrally.</p>

7 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what schemes are being developed by local authorities for funding through the Strategic Waste Fund; what technology those schemes will utilise, and what contribution they will make to meeting the Scottish Government's targets on diversion of waste from landfill and promotion of recycling.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: As outlined in thebudget announcement on 14 November 2007, the current ring-fencedStrategic Waste Fund will cease to operate from 1 April 2008. Allocations are being absorbed into the local governmentsettlement. The government is still considering the way ahe…

7 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what money has been allocated from the Strategic Waste Fund in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority and scheme.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Details of individualrecycling schemes by local authority are available at Waste Aware Scotland’s websiteat <a href="http://www.sort-it.org.uk/index.asp">www.sort-it.org.uk/index.asp</a>.</p><p>Details of fundingallocated to each local authority from the Stra…

7 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms are in place to meet the EU targets on diversion of domestic waste from landfill.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Landfill AllowanceScheme places limits on the amounts of biodegradable municipal waste which can besent to landfill. Authorities which exceed these limits can be subject to penalties.In addition, Indicator 39 in the National Performance Framework, at Anne…

7 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what residential properties and commercial premises are at risk of (a) river and (b) coastal flooding, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Michael Russell: The information requested isset out in the following tables.</p><p><a name="_Toc154553389">Table1, Properties Inside 1/200 Fluvial Flood Zone, by Local Authority</a></p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=320 colspan=4> <…

7 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the costings and timescales are for each flood prevention scheme that councils have indicated that they wish to pursue which is not yet under construction or ready for construction.

Answer · Michael Russell: Local authoritiesprovided the following information on a number of possible flood prevention schemesthat they report were under consideration; there is no guarantee that any of theseschemes will be pursued. The only firm information we have is on those scheme…

6 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Water of Leith flood prevention scheme will be funded by the Scottish Government in 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 and, if so, by how much in each year.

Answer · Michael Russell: The funding for floodingwill be provided by means of a block grant to each local authority. It will thenbe the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resourcesavailable to it on the basis of local needs and priorities having fi…

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has sought a legal opinion on culling or translocating sparrowhawks to protect racing pigeons and, if so, what the opinion was.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Executive,by long-standing convention, does not disclose whether or not it has sought a legalopinion on a particular matter. We are investigating the options for dealing withsparrowhawk predation on racing pigeons.</p>

29 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what provision is being made for members of the public and interested organisations to submit comments or observations to those conducting the thematic review of the investigation and prosecution of wildlife crime.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Such arrangementsare a matter for Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Her Majesty’s Inspectorateof Prosecution to determine.</p>

14 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will specifically monitor the impact of removing ring-fencing on flood investment.

Answer · Michael Russell: As agreed in the Concordat,there will be a move towards a Single Outcomes Agreement with each local authority.This will be based on the agreed set of national outcomes (underpinned by agreednational indicators), and local outcomes to take account of local pri…

14 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether its budget allocation for local authorities for flood management and protection is based on analysis of the different needs across Scotland.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The funding for floodingwill be provided by means of a block grant to each local authority. It will thenbe the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resourcesavailable to it on the basis of local needs and priorities having fi…

14 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will increase the current levels of expenditure on flood management and protection over the next three years.

Answer · Michael Russell: As agreed in the jointConcordat, the support for Flood Prevention and Coast Protection is one of the grantswhich is being rolled up as part of the Local Government Settlement. The total packageof funding for local government, as published in the Spending Revi…

14 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what notional allocation has been made for local authorities to spend on flood management and coastal protection in each of the next three years.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: As agreed in the jointConcordat, the support for Flood Prevention and Coast Protection is one of the grantswhich is being rolled up as part of the Local Government Settlement. The total packageof funding for local government, as published in the Spending Revi…

12 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-5742 and S3W-5744 by Maureen Watt on 7 and 6 November 2007 respectively and the answer to the second supplementary to question S3F-125 by Alex Salmond on 6 September 2007 (Official Report, c. 1501), given that the second supplementary question refe…

Answer · Maureen Watt: No. The paper entitled<i>School Estate Review: Process 2004-2007</i> prepared for The City of EdinburghCouncil’s Education, Children and Families Committee meeting on 19 November 2007 summarises the consideration of school rationalisationthinking and proposal…

7 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide any funding to cities in addition to the standard local government settlement in recognition of their complex role in supporting the economy.

Answer · John Swinney: Scotland’s cities will benefit from the newarrangements announced as part of the Strategic Spending Review on 14 November2007. The package of measures jointly agreed with COSLA marks a fundamentalshift in the relationship between the Scottish Government and l…

7 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to avoid the gap in the 2007-08 agri-environment programme in this year’s budget.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: There issufficient funding to cover the cost of all existing agri-environmentagreements and for new agreements. We are currently unable to enter into newagri-environment agreements due to delays in the approval of the Scottish Rural DevelopmentPlan and the co…

7 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits were identified as being delivered by the allocation of £40 million in Less Favoured Area Support Scheme payments in 2006-07 and how these were measured.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The RuralDevelopment Regulation 1698/2005 states that payments to farmers in areas withhandicaps should contribute, through continued use of agricultural land, tomaintaining the countryside as well as maintaining and promoting sustainablefarming systems. Rese…

7 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive from where in the Environment and Rural Development budget the £40 million in Less Favoured Area Support Scheme payments made by it in 2006-07 came.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The £40 millionwas met out of the resources voted by the Parliament for the Less Favoured AreaSupport Scheme Level 3 of the Rural Development Level 2 in the 2006-2007Budget. Of the £61 million shown in the Budget, £48.5 million was the nationalfunding DEL ele…

7 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the extra £40 million in Less Favoured Area Support Scheme payments made by it in 2006-07 was additional money.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The £40 millionwas a supplementary payment in recognition of costs associated with the shiftin timing of the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme payments.</p>

2 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what contribution its proposed new affordable housing will make to the Scottish Government’s CO2 emission reduction targets in (a) real and (b) percentage terms.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-6028 on 14 November 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…