- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Environment took any advice from officials in his department or the Office of the Permanent Secretary on the appropriateness and advisability of speaking to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) about a then live planning application in Aviemore in which SEPA had statutory responsibilities and in which a donor to the minister’s political party had an interest.
Answer
No. ministers are always aware of the need to conduct business in line with the ministerial code and to behave in an appropriate manner. In relation to the Aviemore planning applications, in the light of the representations received from parliamentarians from four different parties. I decided it was entirely appropriate, and indeed essential, to speak to the Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to check there were no misunderstandings or matters of process for SEPA that were unnecessarily holding up proper consideration of the applications.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive at what time and on what day the Minister for Environment spoke to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency regarding the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest.
Answer
I first spoke to the Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency during the morning of Friday 7 December 2007. I spoke to the Agency again, in the person of its Chief Executive, some hours later when he updated me on the issues in questions.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive why the Minister for Environment did not ask his private secretary or officials to have a conversation with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency with regard to the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest and which had been the subject of representations to ministers.
Answer
I had obtained advice from officials on the general position in relation to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency''s responses to the Aviemore planning applications. However, having received urgent representations from parliamentarians from four different parties expressing concern over these applications, I decided to contact the agency to check there were no misunderstandings or matters of process for SEPA that were unnecessarily holding up proper consideration of the applications. Such actions are wholly consistent with the desire of this administration to improve the process of government and to give a better service to the people of Scotland. I believe I would have been in dereliction of my duties as a minister had I not done so.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the conversation between the Minister for Environment and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in relation to the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest was a formal conversation by the minister in the conduct of his duties and who was present at or listening to that conversation.
Answer
My discussions with the Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on 7 December 2007 in relation to the Aviemore planning applications were undertaken in the normal conduct of my duties. Nobody was present or listened in to these conversations.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the conversation between the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Minister for Environment regarding the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest was arranged by the minister’s private secretary.
Answer
My initial discussions with the Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency concerning the Aviemore planning applications were arranged by my Private Secretary.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers considered using powers of direction over the Scottish Environment Protection Agency when considering the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest.
Answer
Scottish ministers did not consider using powers of direction over the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in relation to SEPA''s role as statutory consultee for the planning applications submitted by Aviemore Highland Resort Ltd.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the conversation between the Minister for Environment and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in relation to the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest was minuted and, if so, whether it will release the minute.
Answer
No minute was taken of my conversations with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on 7 December 2007 in relation to the Aviemore planning applications.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what the accountability mechanisms are from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to ministers and what documents set out the relationship between ministers and SEPA.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9056 on 25 February 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers have powers of direction over the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and, if so, whether these powers have ever been used and, in particular, in any planning matters.
Answer
The Scottish ministers have powers under various pieces of legislation to issue directions to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in relation to the exercise of its functions. These powers are used regularly and cover a range of matters falling within SEPA''s remit. No direction has been issued concerning the exercise of SEPA''s functions relating specifically to planning matters.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions since May 2007 the Minister for Environment has raised with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency operational matters in relation to its independent statutory role in individual planning applications and in relation to which applications.
Answer
I have never raised operational matters with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in relation to SEPA''s statutory role and advice on individual planning applications. I have, on occasion, discussed matters of process, procedure and timescales with SEPA.
