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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5W-03559

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 26 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of land approved for woodland expansion is (a) agricultural, (b) BAP priority open habitat and (c) an other category of land.

Between 2007 – 2014 the Scotland Rural Development Programme Rural Priorities Grant Scheme, approved 37,718 hectares for woodland creation, of which 33,808 hectares were eligible for farmland premium. Therefore approximately 90% of woodland expansion was on agricultural land.

The Scottish Government does not collate information on the proportion of woodland expansion taking place on BAP priority open habitats. Woodland expansion applications are considered on a site by site basis and information is therefore contained in each individual case file. BAP priority open habitats are a major consideration in assessing woodland expansion cases.

The Scottish Government does not collate information on other categories of land which has been approved for woodland expansion.

Question reference: S5W-03545

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 26 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria are used to determine whether proposed activities are likely to have a significant effect and require screening in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) (Scotland) Regulations 1999.

The selection criteria for projects having significant effects on the environment are detailed in Schedule 3 of the Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) (Scotland) Regulations 1999. These criteria include the characteristics and location of the project and the characteristics of the potential impact on the environment, such as probability, duration and reversibility of the impact.

Question reference: S5W-03552

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what environmental checks are in place for woodland planting schemes that do not require an environmental impact assessment.

Question reference: S5W-03542

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment criteria and procedures are used before consent for new woodland planting is issued to ensure that significant negative environmental effects will not arise.

Schedule 3 of the Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) (Scotland) Regulations 1999, states the Selection Criteria for Projects having significant effects on the environment – this includes the characteristics and location of the project. The procedures used by Forestry Commission Scotland are contained in the published guidance available at the following website: http://scotland.forestry.gov.uk/images/corporate/pdf/EIAGeneral09.pdf

Question reference: S5W-03547

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to determine the effectiveness of environmental impact assessment guidance issued to Forestry Commission Scotland area office staff to ensure that the purpose of the Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) (Scotland) Regulations 1999 is met.

Question reference: S5W-03540

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many woodland expansion proposals have been consented without an approved environmental impact assessment by each Forestry Commission Scotland conservancy since 2010 for new woodland planting on (a) sensitive and (b) non-sensitive sites.

Question reference: S5W-03555

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what monitoring is in place to ensure that new woodland planting schemes are delivering biodiversity outcomes.

The Scottish Government requires that all new woodland planting schemes, funded under the Scottish Rural Development Programme Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS), comply with the UK Forestry Standard and its Forest and Biodiversity Guidelines. Under the FGS applicants can propose to deliver specific biodiversity outcomes. Those applications are monitored to ensure that the biodiversity-related works the applicant proposed are completed. Site inspections are on a sample basis. A failure to carry out the required works can result in a breach of the FGS terms and conditions and monies may be recovered.

Question reference: S5W-03544

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it assesses the (a) site and (b) cumulative environmental impacts for proposals for woodland expansion.

Forestry Commission Scotland assesses the site of proposals for woodland expansion and their environmental impacts using the Selection Criteria (stated in Schedule 3 of the Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) (Scotland) Regulations 1999) and the information supplied by the applicant. The cumulative impact of projects is taken into account during the Environmental Impact Assessment determination screening phase.

Question reference: S5W-03538

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for activities that require to be screened in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) (Scotland) Regulations 1999 have been (a) received and (b) approved by each Forestry Commission Conservancy office in each year since 2012.

Since 2012 the number of applications received for activities that required screening in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) (Scotland) Regulations 1999 was 979. The number received by each Forestry Commission Scotland Conservancy is detailed in the following table.

	CENTRAL SCOTLAND	GRAMPIAN	HIGHLAND	PERTH AND ARGYLL	SOUTH SCOTLAND	SCOTLAND TOTAL
2012	13	30	112	70	41	266
2013	37	12	61	56	52	218
2014	9	6	48	49	39	151
2015	6	12	44	69	42	173
2016	29	22	46	30	44	171
Total:	94	82	311	274	218	979

Since 2012 the number of applications approved for activities that required screening in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) (Scotland) Regulations 1999 was 967. The number received by each Forestry Commission Scotland Conservancy is detailed in the following table.

	CENTRAL SCOTLAND	GRAMPIAN	HIGHLAND	PERTH AND ARGYLL	SOUTH SCOTLAND	SCOTLAND TOTAL
2012	12	30	112	65	41	260
2013	36	12	61	56	51	216
2014	9	6	48	48	37	148
2015	6	12	44	69	42	173
2016	29	22	46	30	43	170
Total:	92	82	311	268	214	967

Question reference: S5W-03548

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether Forestry Commission Scotland staff involved in determining screening applications under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) (Scotland) Regulations 1999 are required to hold chartered forester status and, if not, how their competence to assess such applications is assured.

Forestry Commission Scotland does not require staff involved in determining screening applications under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) (Scotland) Regulations 1999 to hold chartered forester status.

Forestry Commission Scotland staff are appointed on merit through fair and open competition. They are assessed against the essential criteria for a specific job. For woodland officers, this includes a forestry or equivalent environmental qualification. In addition, Environment Impact Assessment determinations are reviewed and countersigned by a senior member of the Conservancy team to ensure consistency, and to ensure that expert advice has been used where needed.