Peter Peacock

4 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio is of promoted police officers to population in each force area.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-7464 on 14 December 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…

4 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio is of police constables to population in each force area.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The estimated numberof police constables and promoted police officers per 100,000 population, andthe percentage of police officers who are police constables is shown, as at 31 March 2007, for each force in the following table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0…

4 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio is of all police officers to population in (a) the Northern Constabulary area and (b) all other force areas.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The total numberof police officers, and the number of officers per 100,000 population for eachforce, as at 31 March 2007, is shown in the following table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=600> <thead> <tr> <td width=264 valign=top> <p…

4 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with each local authority in the Highlands and Islands parliamentary region about flooding and coast protection; what schemes in each area have been notified to the Executive informally or formally as being likely to require grant support at some point in the f…

Answer · Michael Russell: We have had discussionswith Highland Council about the feasibility studies of flood prevention measuresat Caol and Inverness, Western Isles Council about approved coast protection schemeson South Uist, Benbecula and Barra, Moray Council about their flood prev…

29 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to ensure that planning applications for windfarm developments are processed within a defined time limit.

Answer · Jim Mather: Responsibility fordealing with planning applications for wind farms of less than 50MW and local planningmatters rest with the planning authority. Once a valid planning application is receivedthe authority has two months (or four months if the application is a…

29 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what account local authorities must take of upstream development when considering downstream flood alleviation measures.

Answer · Michael Russell: The estimation offlood flows at any location is a matter for the local authorities and theirprofessional advisors. However it is professional good practice to follow themethodologies set out in the Flood Estimation Handbook published by the Institute of Hydro…

29 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it assesses in statutory processes whether the hydrology of a blanket bog is affected by wind farm development.

Answer · Jim Mather: Scottish PlanningPolicy 6 says that developers will be expected to provide geotechnical andhydrological information in support of applications. Significant environmentaleffects on water and soil, including peat, are part of the environmentalassessment process…

29 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to take steps to extend protection under the EU habitats directive to all blanket bogs.

Answer · Michael Russell: With theexception of one candidate site, the list of Special Areas of Conservationdesignated under the EC Habitats Directive is now complete for the terrestrialenvironment in Scotland. There are no current proposals to extendthis list.</p>

29 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to recognise the importance of blanket bogs such as Dava Moor for their capacity to act as major carbon stores.

Answer · Michael Russell: The ScottishGovernment recognises the role peatlands, including blanket bogs play instoring carbon. Maintaining and enhancing carbon stores will play an importantrole in our overall approach to tackling climate change. The preservation andenhancement of soil …

28 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to remove Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s powers and duties to promote social development.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Governmentrecognises the interrelationship between sustainable communities and sustainablerural economic growth. There are therefore no plans to remove Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s strengthening communities remit.</p>

28 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what duties and powers Highlands and Islands Enterprise has in the field of social development.

Answer · Jim Mather: Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s duties and powersin the field of social development are set out in part 1, section 1(b)(i),section 8(5) and section 13(3) of the Enterprise and New Towns(Scotland) Act 1990.</p>

28 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it believes that the reductions in budgets for, and changing functions of, Highlands and Islands Enterprise will result in any centralisation of its organisation and staffing.

Answer · Jim Mather: One of the aims of the reforms is to create a more coherent approach to national, regional and localeconomic development. Rather than centralise staff and resources, the enterprisenetworks will be expected to devote an increasing proportion of resources away …

28 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations it has held with businesses or business representative organisations in the highlands and islands about reductions in the budget for Highlands and Islands Enterprise for the spending review period; whom it consulted, and what evidence it received.

Answer · Jim Mather: As with previous SpendingReviews, the budget settlement for the enterprise networks was determined throughan internal process by the Scottish Government. It is not normal practice, and norhas it been, to consult with business organisations regarding the setti…

28 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations it has held with businesses or business representative organisations in the highlands and islands about changes to the functions and responsibilities of Highlands and Islands Enterprise; whom it consulted, and what evidence it received.

Answer · Jim Mather: We consulted witha broad cross section of the Scottish business community during the process to developthe enterprise networks reform proposals. Both the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and SustainableGrowth and I, as well as officials, held a number of meeting…

28 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the success of Highlands and Islands Enterprise as an organisation.

Answer · Jim Mather: Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) plays a key rolein delivering sustainable economic development in the Highlands and Islands and achieves many successful outcomes. Ourreforms will enable HIE to focus on activity which will have a greater incrementalimpa…

28 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive to (a) how many and (b) which bodies current functions of Highlands and Islands Enterprise will be transferred and when such transfers will take place.

Answer · Jim Mather: Careers Scotland and most of the national skills and training activitywill transfer from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) to Skills DevelopmentScotland, which is expected to be operational from 1 April 2008. The Business Gateway service already operatin…

28 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what continuing role Highlands and Islands Enterprise will have in social, as well as economic, development.

Answer · Jim Mather: Highlands and Islands Enterprise will maintain its importantrole in strengthening communities, as now, across the Highlands and Islands area.</p>

28 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Highlands and Islands Enterprise will retain its role in relation to the creative industries or whether that role and responsibility will transfer to Creative Scotland when it is established.

Answer · Jim Mather: Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) works closelywith creative industries, integrating cultural and economic development througha programme of access to support and services. HIE will retain this role, notwithstandingthe establishment of Creative Scotland.…

28 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many voluntary or compulsory redundancies it envisages that Highlands and Islands Enterprise will make in the spending review period as a result of reductions in its budget.

Answer · Jim Mather: Determining the correctlevels of its staffing grades and structure is an operational matter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). Where severances are beingconsidered then under the terms of HIE’s management statement, departmental approvalmust be sough…

28 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s actual total expenditure was in comparison with its original budgets in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07 and whether any additional in-year spending allocations have been made to it for 2007-08 and, if so, what the value is of such allocations.

Answer · Jim Mather: The planned budgetfor Highlands and Islands Enterprise is publicly presentedin its Operating Plan which is issued annually.Its actual total expenditure is reported each year publicly through its Annual Reportand Annual Accounts. Copies of these documents for …

27 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many community wardens there have been in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: This is a matter forlocal authorities. The information is not held centrally.</p>

26 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding will be provided from the flood and coast protection budget to (a) Glasgow City Council, (b) Falkirk Council, (c) the City of Edinburgh Council, (d) North Ayrshire Council, (e) Fife Council, (f) Moray Council and (g) South Lanarkshire Council in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09,…

Answer · Michael Russell: At this stage we expectto provide the following funding for 2007-08:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td width=235 valign=top> <p align=center>Local Authority</p> </td> <td width=89 valign=top> <p align=center>Amount</p> </td> </tr…

26 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the funding commitments currently entered into, and the estimates of what might need to be entered into before the end of 2007-08, in relation to flood prevention and coast protection, as referred to at the meeting of the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee on 21 November 2007…

Answer · Michael Russell: No funding commitmentshave been entered into or planned for Rothes for 2007-08. The Rothes Flood PreventionScheme is currently undergoing the statutory process and objections to confirmationhave been under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961. Accordingly…

26 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it believes that the planned reductions in spending on the educational maintenance allowance will increase or decrease staying-on rates in schools.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-7044 on 6 December 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…

26 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimate is of the number of pupils eligible to receive support in (a) Highland, (b) Moray, (c) Argyll and Bute, (d) Orkney, (e) Shetland and (f) Western Isles as a result of planned reductions in spending on the educational maintenance allowance.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The reduction in spendingplanned for education maintenance allowances (EMA) reflects the actual demand forthe scheme. The EMA is an entitlement-based scheme and, given there have been nochanges to the eligibility criteria, all eligible applicants in (a) Highl…

26 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many pupils benefited from the educational maintenance allowance in (a) Highland, (b) Moray, (c) Argyll and Bute, (d) Orkney, (e) Shetland and (f) Western Isles in (i) 2005-06 and (ii) 2006-07.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The number of pupilswho benefited from the Education maintenance allowances in each of these local authorityareas in 2005-06 are as follows:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=110 valign=top> <p>Local Authority</p> <…

26 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether reductions in spending planned for the educational maintenance allowance will be made equally throughout Scotland and, if not, how the reductions will be apportioned.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The reduction inspending planned for education maintenance allowances (EMA) reflects the actualdemand for the scheme. The EMA is an entitlement-based scheme and as there hasbeen no changes to the eligibility criteria all eligible applicants willcontinue to re…

20 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits it considers would arise from changing the historic decoupled basis for Less Favoured Area Support Scheme payments to one that relates more closely to current agricultural activity in retaining people on the land and the management of land and habitats.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The objective of ourLess Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) payments is to compensate land managersin less favoured areas for the particular disadvantages that they face, and therebysustain farming and crofting in these areas, recognising the associated eco…

20 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give an assurance that the historic decoupled basis for Less Favoured Area Support Scheme payments is a temporary mechanism and that a payment method more closely linked to agricultural activity will replace it at the first possible opportunity.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The currentinterim Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS), which is based on historicpayment data, is a temporary measure for the period 2007-09. Different EClegislation relating to LFASS will come into force on 1 January 2010, and so a new scheme will be …

20 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what role COSLA will have in deciding how much funding Moray Council will receive for flooding.

Answer · Michael Russell: The ScottishGovernment will be discussing with COSLA the principles of their approach tothe distribution of funding between authorities.</p>