Questions and answers

Question reference: S3W-20134

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 29 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what decisions have been made following the Agricultural Wages in Scotland: The Scottish Agricultural Wages Board consultation.

Question reference: S3W-20135

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 29 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the retention and expansion of the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board.

Question reference: S3W-19756

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 28 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions air ambulance aircraft have been grounded due to staff shortages in each of the last six months.

The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) has advised that, due to short notice sickness absence, there were five occasions over the last six months when one air ambulance aircraft has been grounded. On these occasions, the remaining three aircraft were in operation. The SAS have advised that no requests for an air ambulance were declined due to the unavailability of the aircraft on the five occasions in question.

Question reference: S3W-19702

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that National Planning Framework for Scotland 2: Discussion Draft promotes better and earlier public participation in the planning system as set out in Planning Advice Note PAN 81: Community Engagement - Planning with People.

The Scottish Government considers that it has encouraged interest and wide public participation in the preparation of the second National Planning Framework.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-19700 on 26 January 2009, which explains that further information regarding participation in the preparation of the National Planning Framework is set out in the NPF2: Participation Statement Interim Conformity Report which is available on the government''s NPF website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/planning/National-Planning-Policy/themes/npf/NPF-PS.

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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Question reference: S3W-19704

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what subsequent consultation will be carried out on National Planning Framework for Scotland 2: Discussion Draft to ensure maximum community engagement as set out in Planning Advice Note PAN 81: Community Engagement - Planning with People.

The NPF2: Discussion Draft had a 12 week consultation which included a programme of regional discussion seminars and meetings with stakeholders. Following revisions to the framework, a Proposed NPF was laid before the Scottish Parliament which is currently being considered by the relevant committees.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-19700 on 26 January 2009, which explains that further information regarding participation in the preparation of the National Planning Framework is set out in the NPF2: Participation Statement Interim Conformity Report which is available on the government''s NPF website at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/planning/National-Planning-Policy/themes/npf/NPF-PS.

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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Question reference: S3W-19703

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what further consultation is carried out when pre-application consultations are deemed inadequate.

There are currently no statutory requirements for prospective developers to undertake pre-application consultation on development proposals. The government''s proposals for such consultation with communities are contained in the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2008 which were laid in Parliament on 23 December 2008 and are currently subject to parliamentary scrutiny.

Applications for planning permission are subject to the consultation arrangements set out in the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) (Scotland) Order 1992. Applications may also be subject to additional consultation as set out in Directions issued by the Scottish ministers.

Question reference: S3W-19701

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review National Planning Framework for Scotland 2: Discussion Draft to ensure that the National Standards for Community Engagement and participation objectives described in Preparation of the Second National Planning Framework: Participation Statement are achieved.

Question reference: S3W-19700

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the consultation process that took place on National Planning Framework for Scotland 2: Discussion Draft.

The consultation that has taken place has been within the context of the National Planning Framework Participation Statement, as required by the Planning Act and which is the first of its kind in Scotland.

The government considers that it has conformed with its participation aims and objectives in the preparation of the framework and has learned some valuable lessons which can be used to inform the preparation of NPF3 and similar exercises of this nature.

The government''s actions in seeking to fulfil its participation objectives in the preparation of the NPF2 can be found in the NPF2: Participation Statement Interim Conformity Report as posted on the Scottish Government''s NPF website at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/planning/National-Planning-Policy/themes/npf/NPF-PS.

Question reference: S3W-19417

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Saturday, 05 January 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the existing A82 trunk road through Inverness and connecting to the A9 is adequate for current circumstances and for projected traffic growth up to 2020.

The recently published Strategic Transport Projects Review has recommended 29 nationally strategic transport interventions over the next 20 years that will let us plan for the delivery of an efficient, integrated transport network fit for the 21st century.

Transport Scotland continually monitors the trunk road network to ensure that it is operating effectively at a local level. However, as with other parts of the network, during week day peak periods congestion can occur between the A82 and A9.

Analysis within the STPR demonstrates that the A96 corridor currently carries up to 17,300 vehicles per day, whereas the A82 is only up to some 6,900 vehicles per day.

Peak-time congestion is experienced on the A9, A96 and A82 routes into Inverness. During the summer, tourist traffic also results in increases in congestion.

In addition to the higher levels of existing traffic, the recommended link between the A9 and A96 within the STPR recognises the significant expansion proposals to the east of the city.

Question reference: S3W-19418

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Saturday, 05 January 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 January 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected traffic growth forecasts are for the A82 through Inverness for the period up to 2020.

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