- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 23 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how Marine Scotland will be structured.
Answer
A senior management/organisational structure for Marine Scotland has been decided, comprising a Director and seven functional heads covering:
Marine Planning and Policy;
Aquaculture and Freshwater Policy and Licensing;
Science;
Sea Fisheries Policy;
Compliance;
Performance, and
Priority Projects.
Lower level structures will follow the senior organisational structure. The structure of the organisation will be kept under review in light of experience and developments.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 23 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will guarantee the independence of Marine Scotland from the Scottish Government with regard to decisions on planning permission for development of renewable energy.
Answer
We will be setting out our proposals for marine planning arrangements in the Marine Bill, to be introduced to Parliament shortly.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 23 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Marine Scotland will champion the interests of Scottish ministers.
Answer
As part of the Scottish Government, Marine Scotland will take direction, where appropriate, from Scottish ministers and will be responsible directly to them for its activities and decisions. There will be appropriate safeguards in relation to transparency of appeals, enforcement and science.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 23 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive which submissions to the Sustainable Seas For All consultation have been amended in person since the consultation closed and whether it will publish each of them in full.
Answer
No responses to the Sustainable Seas for All consultation have been amended in person since the consultation closed.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 23 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive in what way establishing Marine Scotland as a branch of the Scottish Government rather than as a non-departmental public body will promote the fishing industry.
Answer
Integrating responsibility for fisheries policy and management alongside other marine management responsibilities within a single organisation will mean that Marine Scotland can bring to bear the necessary range of experience, expertise and policy interests. Consequently, it will be better placed itself to make and to offer consolidated advice to ministers so that they can make, informed and, where appropriate, balanced judgements and decisions about how best to manage our marine assets and resources. Amongst other things, this should help reassure fishing and other interests that appropriate, sustainable decisions have been taken.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 23 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what its reasons are for not using the Marine Bill to establish Marine Scotland.
Answer
Legislation is not required to establish Marine Scotland. The Marine Bill will create new functions for Scottish ministers, which Marine Scotland will deliver on their behalf.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 23 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that marine conservation is central to the objectives of Marine Scotland.
Answer
Marine conservation will be a key priority for Marine Scotland and conservation priorities and objectives will be articulated through the National Marine Plan.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 23 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive in what way establishing Marine Scotland as a branch of the Scottish Government rather than as a non-departmental public body will promote the development of renewable energy sources.
Answer
Marine Scotland will take an overarching responsibility for marine management, including through the development of a marine planning framework and national marine plan, and allowing the development of local/regional plans. These will reflect strategic priorities, including in relation to the development of marine renewable energy sources.
Integrating the range of policy, planning, science and other functions within Marine Scotland means that it can bring to bear the necessary range of experience, expertise and policy interests and promote achievement of our key strategic aims in an informed and authoritative way. As part of Scottish Government, it will also be well placed to work with policy colleagues elsewhere in the Scottish Government, its agencies and local government. This sort of integrated approach would be more difficult under a non-departmental public body.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 20 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the research into micro wind turbines and air source heat pumps will be carried out at the same time given the different issues raised by the decision to delay the granting of permitted development rights for micro wind turbines and air source heat pumps.
Answer
A single study will look at the issues relating to the introduction of permitted development rights for domestic wind turbines and air source heat pumps.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 20 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what timescale it envisages for the drafting and implementation of recommendations on permitted development rights for micro wind turbines and air source heat pumps.
Answer
The drafting of recommendations will take place as part of the study and any timescale for implementation will depend on the content of those recommendations.