Questions · Peter Peacock

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered transferring the ownership and assets of the national forest estate to the National Trust for Scotland.

Answer · Michael Russell: While the Scottish Government has not specifically considered transferring the ownership and assets of the national forest estate to the National Trust for Scotland, the consultation paper Climate Change and the National Forest Estate <a href="http://…

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are envisaged in potential leases for the national forest estate that would require continued investment in planting on leased land until the expiry of such leases.

Answer · Michael Russell: If a decision is taken to lease parts of the national forest estate, leases would have to comply with the felling regulations which generally require that replanting is carried out after felling.

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it envisages that options to extend leases or to purchase land may exist toward the end of the lease period as part of the potential lease arrangements for the national forest estate on which it is consulting.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is currently consulting on the principle of leasing parts of the national forest estate. Decisions on such matters as the length of any lease and whether or not to offer an option to extend such a lease will be taken in the light of co…

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what overall financial appraisal it undertook of potential costs and benefits of leasing part or parts of the national forest estate before consulting on potential benefits.

Answer · Michael Russell: Initial estimates of the potential costs and benefits of leasing parts of the national forest estate were based on Forestry Commission Scotland''s accounts and its valuation of the estate.

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are considerations or plans underway with regard to public accounting that might relieve in whole or in part any capital charges to be met by Forestry Commission Scotland.

Answer · Michael Russell: HM Treasury have established the Clear Line of Sight project, which seeks to align budgets, estimates and resource accounts. One of the proposals in this project is the removal of cost of capital charges. The earliest expected implementation date of t…

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much Forestry Commission Scotland requires to meet annually in capital charges on the national forest estate and its associated plant, machinery and infrastructure.

Answer · Michael Russell: The amount required depends on the valuations of these assets, the most volatile being the national forest estate. In 2007-08 the charges for Forestry Commission Scotland, including Forest Enterprise Scotland, amounted to £25.1 million.

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether private enterprises leasing parts of the national forest estate would be eligible to receive Scotland Rural Development Programme funds.

Answer · Michael Russell: If a decision is taken to lease parts of the national forest estate, the lessees would be eligible to receive funds from the Scotland Rural Development Programme, subject to approval of appropriate work proposals.

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which public bodies or enterprises, including Forestry Commission Scotland, are eligible to apply for grants to the Scotland Rural Development Programme for new forest planting.

Answer · Michael Russell: Forestry Commission Scotland''s new forest planting on the national forest estate is funded through its own budget. Any other public body or enterprise which owns or leases land is eligible to apply for grants under the Scotland Rural Development Programme fo…

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the Scotland Rural Development Programme is earmarked to support new forest planting and how much has been spent in each year since the programme started.

Answer · Michael Russell: Individual measures within SRDP are not ring-fenced but do give an indicative estimate of expected expenditure. The seven year programme estimates £175 million for woodland creation. As regards expenditure since the Programme started, £19.2 million was spent …

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it costs on average to plant a hectare of new national forest estate.

Answer · Michael Russell: The average cost of establishment for a mixed commercial and amenity woodland on the national forest estate is £3,185 per hectare.

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether new planting rates meet national targets for new forest planting.

Answer · Michael Russell: Earlier this year, Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) indicated in its Scottish Forestry Strategy Implementation Plan that a sustained programme of around 10,000 hectares of new planting would be required each year to achieve the Strategy aspiration of 25% wo…

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many hectares of new planting took place on the national forest estate in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Michael Russell: The total amount of hectares of new planting that took place on the national forest estate in each of the last 10 years are listed in the following tables. Figures for restocking are also shown. Planting on the National Forest Estate <table bor…

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it envisages before decisions are made about which parcels of the national forest estate will be offered for leasing and whether such consultation will involve local communities with a potential interest.

Answer · Michael Russell: If a decision is taken to lease parts of the national forest estate, there will be a further opportunity for stakeholder groups to be involved in discussing and influencing the way in which this would be implemented.

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much time it estimates will be needed to prepare all necessary documentation and parcelling of land for leasing parts of the national forest estate.

Answer · Michael Russell: The extent, nature and number of potential land leases have not been determined, so it is not possible at this stage to estimate the time that would be required to prepare the necessary documentation.

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether potential leasing arrangements for the national forest estate will be subject to competitive tendering.

Answer · Michael Russell: If a decision is taken to lease parts of the national forest estate, then the leasing process will follow best practice in order to secure value for money while safeguarding public benefits.

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much potential income it estimates will arise from joint ventures under powers in relation to the national forest estate on which it is consulting and how such estimates, taken over the same period as potential leasing arrangements, compare with estimated income from leasing arrangeme…

Answer · Michael Russell: It is estimated that annual net income potential from joint ventures for renewable energy development might be expected to reach perhaps £10 million per year by 2012 and perhaps £30 million per year by 2020. Leasing arrangements may produce a lower return, bu…

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it expects from the planned Gordonbush wind farm on the number of golden plovers.

Answer · Jim Mather: In considering the Gordonbush wind farm application, Scottish Ministers, as the competent authority, undertook an appropriate assessment of the development''s impacts on the integrity of the Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands Special Protection Area (SPA), wh…

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration Scottish Natural Heritage has given to evidence on the number of golden plovers adjacent to the Coir’an Eoin section of the Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands Special Protection Area (SPA) and whether such numbers would give cause to extend the SPA to provide appropriat…

Answer · Michael Russell: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has advised that the Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands Special Protection Area (SPA) was identified following considerable assessment and detailed survey over a period of years. The component units of the SPA reflect the outst…

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has given consideration to extending the boundary of the Coir’an Eoin section of the Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands Special Protection Area.

Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-19023 on 15 January 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps…

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with US company the Timberland Fund and when.

Answer · Michael Russell: The term Timberland Fund is a generic term used to describe investment funds specialising in forests, but the Scottish Government is not aware of a US company called Timberland Fund.

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the implications of leasing significant parts of the national forest estate on the community right to buy under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and whether it will publish any such assessment.

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 …

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of leasing parts of the national forest estate on the restoration of native woodlands and whether it will publish any such assessment.

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 …

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether reported cases of bird poisoning or persecution are proportionately greater in the national forest estate or in privately-owned or managed forests.

Answer · Michael Russell: Bird poisoning cases are recorded by the Division of the Scottish Government which deals with Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA). The most recent report shows that in 2007 there were 24 incidents involving birds of prey being killed by deliber…

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any assessment has been made of the impact on any cross subsidy within Forestry Commission Scotland from its commercial income to delivering greater environmental benefits if 25% of the commercial national forest estate were to be leased to private interests and whether it will pu…

Answer · Michael Russell: The consultation exercise and options review will help determine Forestry Commission Scotland''s deliberations on this issue.

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any cross subsidy within Forestry Commission Scotland from commercial income to delivering environmental benefits.

Answer · Michael Russell: Forestry Commission Scotland''s net budget is approved annually by the Scottish Parliament. Amongst other activities this budget includes commercial income and expenditure on environmental operations.

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact on the costs of Forestry Commission Scotland of the leasing of up to 25% of the existing commercial 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 …

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of any reduction of Forestry Commission Scotland harvesting fleets on the viability of the mechanical engineering service and its potential earnings and contribution to the internal business financing of the commission.

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 …

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of leasing a proportion of the national forest estate on the training of apprentices in forestry and whether it will publish any such assessment.

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 …

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the cost implications for the remaining Forestry Commission estate of the lease and transfer of felling rights to private interests and whether it will publish any such assessment.

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 …

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can require private forestry interests to employ harvesting staff directly for forest management purposes where such private forest interests do not currently employ such staff.

Answer · Michael Russell: No.