Parliamentary questions
Murray Tosh
706 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
16 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to ensure that detailed management plans are agreed with Historic Scotland in respect of scheduled ancient monuments in privately owned forests.
Answer · Allan Wilson: I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to answer. His response is as follows: <P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">We have no proposals at this time. Applications to the Forestry Commission's Woodland Grant Scheme that involve scheduled ancient monumen…
16 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many historic sites and buildings are in its ownership and care and managed by Historic Scotland, the National Trust for Scotland and other agencies; what the criteria are for the acquisition of historic sites and buildings, and whether it has conducted, or is considering conducting,…
Answer · Allan Wilson: Over 300 historic sites and buildings are in the care of Historic Scotland, an agency of the Scottish Executive. Of these, 76 are owned by Scottish ministers and four are on long leases. The remainder, including a few owned by the National Trust for Scotland,…
16 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it is considering for the application of environmental impact assessment procedures to projects intended to make more intensive use of uncultivated land.
Answer · Ross Finnie: A range of options have been included in a consultation paper that was issued on 1 June 2001 and which invites responses on what would be the best way forward on implementing the uncultivated land and semi-natural areas provisions of the Environmental Impact …
16 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review permitted development rights under the planning laws in order to ensure that permitted developments which raise archaeological issues are fully scrutinised and, where appropriate, made conditional upon developer-funded excavations.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: <I><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2>National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) 5:</I> <I>Archaeology and Planning</I> acknowledges that some development which is permitted development may give rise to a real and specific threat to a scheduled monument or other signif…
16 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to conduct an audit of Scotland's heritage comparable to English Heritage's The Monuments At Risk Survey of England 1995.
Answer · Allan Wilson: No. The English Heritage Survey was a sampling exercise which demonstrated that monuments are at risk for a variety of reasons. A different approach has been adopted in Scotland. Historic Scotland's Monument Wardens are engaged in a programme under which ever…
16 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to assess any damage done to archaeological sites in Scotland as a result of land cover changes in recent decades following Scottish Natural Heritage's analysis of these changes as part of the National Countryside Monitoring Scheme.
Answer · Allan Wilson: I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to answer. His response is as follows:<P>Historic Scotland began monitoring the condition of all scheduled ancient monuments in 1986. A team of eleven part-time locally based staff visits these s…
16 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what roles it sees for Scotland's historic environment in its strategy for tourism and for Historic Scotland in developing Scotland's tourism industry.
Answer · Alasdair Morrison: The historic environment is recognised in our tourism strategy as an important factor in attracting visitors to Scotland. <P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">As the largest operator of paid visitor attractions in Scotland, Historic Scotland plays a major role in developing Sc…
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether (a) the line of and (b) the indicative scheme for the A77 Girvan by-pass meet current standards for road design.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-17014.
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether (a) the line of and (b) the indicative scheme for the A77 Maybole by-pass meet current standards for road design.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Proposals for a bypass have not been tested against current design standards.
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which of the recommendations made in Review of the Regulatory Burden: IACS and Inspections in Scotland have been implemented in full or in part and what progress has been made in, and what targets set for the completion of, the implementation of the remaining recommendations.
Answer · Ross Finnie: 16 of the 23 Red Tape Review recommendations have now been implemented in full. These are recommendations 1-3, 6-12, and 15-21, and they include the establishment of an independent appeals mechanism, improvements in inspections and important developments on c…
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a need for improved road links to Turnberry Hotel and golf course to retain the course's future Open Championship status, whether it intends to allocate funding to construct an A77 Maybole by-pass in any future trunk roads budget and whether it plans to make additional r…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The factors taken into account when considering a golfing venue's suitability for the Open Championship are for the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. Representatives of Turnberry have, however, discussed with officials from the Executive the integrated…
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it gave to the Ayrshire Joint Structure Plan Committee and South Ayrshire Council about protecting the line of the proposed Girvan by-pass.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No advice was given to either the Committee or the Council about protecting any line for a proposed by-pass.
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it gave to the Ayrshire Joint Structure Plan Committee about including the proposed Girvan by-pass in its draft Ayrshire Structure Plan.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No advice was given to the Ayrshire Joint Structure Plan Committee about a Girvan by-pass, either by The Scottish Office (at plan submission stage) or by the Scottish Executive in the steps leading up to the plan's approval.
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has subjected proposals for an A77 Girvan by-pass to its New Appraisal Methodology and, if so, what the ratings are for integration, economy, safety, environment and accessibility, and what the summary of monetised cost-benefit measures is for both central and 'ero growth scen…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: No. The Executive would expect proposals prepared around a decade ago to be reviewed using the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance issued on 30 July.
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has subjected proposals for an A77 Maybole by-pass to its New Appraisal Methodology and, if so, what the ratings are for integration, economy, safety, environment and accessibility, and what the summary of monetised cost-benefit measures is for both central and 'ero growth sce…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: No. The Executive would expect proposals prepared around a decade ago to be reviewed using the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance issued on 30 July.
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will (a) detail all the proposed road improvements in the unpublished A77 Ayr-Stranraer Route Action Plan and (b) indicate the best estimate of the cost of each improvement at current prices.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Apart from the ongoing Accident Investigation and Prevention, Mass Action and Traffic Management Works, the following proposed road improvements to the A77 between Ayr and Stranraer are planned:-<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=332><TR><TD WIDT…
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14378 by Sarah Boyack on 5 April 2001, whether the estimated capital value of the trunk road and motorway network as at 1 April 2001 is now available.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The information will be available around the end of this year.
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement on 5 July 2001 by the Minister for Justice regarding consultation on an independent body to look into complaints against the police, whether it will detail all complaints procedures which fall within the Executive's responsibility, which of these already cont…
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive, across all its responsibilities, is subject to independent investigation by the Scottish Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (SPCA) in the event of any claims made by the public of injustice resulting from maladministration.<P>The Exe…
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to implement the recommendation in Rural Partnership for Change: Report of the National Steering Group that it should require its own agencies, and seek to influence the agencies and departments of the Her Majesty's Government, to dispose of housing stock only through str…
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The report suggests that public agencies disposing of houses should consult with the relevant local authority or develop stock disposal strategies that will assist local housing strategies. It recommends that the Executive should promote such policies as good…
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it accepts the recommendation in Rural Partnership for Change: Report of the National Steering Group that sustainable development requirements should be incorporated into planning consents.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16980.
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will act on the recommendation in Rural Partnership for Change: Report of the National Steering Group that it should provide financial assistance to low-income households in the owner occupier sector in certain rural areas to enable them to convert or extend their houses to mee…
Answer · Jackie Baillie: Scottish Homes currently has no authority to provide financial assistance of this type. We appreciate the reasons for this recommendation and the possible benefits, but it would be difficult to administer such a scheme while ensuring safeguards on the use of …
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it accepts the recommendation in Rural Partnership for Change: Report of the National Steering Group that the grant appraisal for self-build houses in certain rural areas should be amended to reflect self-builders' labour costs.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: Scottish Homes is currently considering whether this amendment would be appropriate.
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what studies it proposes to undertake in the light of the recommendation in Rural Partnership for Change: Report of the National Steering Group that ways should be considered of allowing local authorities to enter into equity loan schemes to enable the construction of affordable housing b…
Answer · Jackie Baillie: Scottish Homes is currently considering the benefits and uses of equity loans. We look forward to hearing its views in due course.
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, when responsibility for grant funding for affordable housing is transferred to local authorities, it will require relevant authorities to operate a uniform project appraisal methodology across Scotland and what discretion it intends should be allowed for grant aid for projects in…
Answer · Jackie Baillie: As provided for under section 93 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, Scottish Ministers will make regulations setting out the purpose, procedures and terms and conditions that all local authorities will have to observe in providing financial assistance for ho…
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will act on the recommendations in Rural Partnership for Change: Report of the National Steering Group that it should attach greater priority to funding affordable housing development for the private rented sector in rural areas, and that higher rates of grant for housing devel…
Answer · Jackie Baillie: At my request, Scottish Homes has again increased provisions in rural areas, from £45.1 million last year to £49.5 million in 2001-02. These resources, which are spread across Scottish Homes' regions, are being made available for the provision of affordable r…
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to create a specific affordable housing land use category, as recommended in Rural Partnership for Change: Report of the National Steering Group.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16980.
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will act on the recommendation in Rural Partnership for Change: Report of the National Steering Group that it should explore the scope for creating a standard model planning agreement to facilitate the negotiation of agreements under section 75 of the Town and Country Planning…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16980.
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will amend advice and guidance on estimating demand for housing to reflect the recommendations in Rural Partnership for Change: Report of the National Steering Group with regard to identifying and measuring housing pressure and, in particular, whether it will recommend calculat…
Answer · Jackie Baillie: We are considering the findings of this report in the context of forthcoming guidance to local authorities on pressured area designations.
13 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to create a specific primary dwelling land use category, as recommended in Rural Partnership for Change: Report of the National Steering Group.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: We are considering issues related to affordable housing as part of the review of <I>National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) 3: Land for Housing</I>. We intend to publish a consultation draft of the revised NPPG by the end of the year.
19 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what immunity the Crown enjoys in Scotland in respect of planning law and what plans it has for legislation to remove or amend Crown immunity in devolved areas.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Crown is exempt from the requirements of planning legislation. The Executive intends to remove that exemption at the first suitable legislative opportunity.