- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed "management agreements" described in section 13 of the draft National Parks (Scotland) Bill will include payments additional to those already being paid and, if so, by how much per annum in (a) Loch Lomond and the Trossachs and (b) the Cairngorms and whether such payments will accrue to (a) tenants or (b) owners.
Answer
It will be for National Park authorities to decide with whom they wish to enter into management agreements, and what financial arrangements these will include.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive why members of the National Parks Authority will be appointed by it rather than elected by local residents.
Answer
Members of National Park Authorities will need to reflect a wide range of interests. The draft National Parks (Scotland) Bill provides for an important role for local authorities in determining the membership of National Park authorities. All members will be required to have knowledge or experience relevant to the functions of the National Park authority or the National Park.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has explained to the residents of Loch Lomond, the Trossachs and the Cairngorms the "Sandford Principle", as referred to in section 8 of the draft National Parks (Scotland) Bill; whether conservation will take precedence over the social and economic needs of those residents where there is a conflict; whether there has been any reference or explanation of this matter in any of its press releases on National Parks and how many press releases it has issued on National Parks since 2 July 1999.
Answer
The Sandford Principle is explained in the explanatory notes printed opposite the draft bill. Section 8(5) of the draft bill provides that where a National Park Authority considers there is a conflict between the first aim and the others, the first aim (conservation and enhancement of the natural and cultural heritage of the area) should be given greater weight. There have been two press releases on National Parks from the Scottish Executive since 2 July. They do not explicitly cover the Sandford Principle.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the cost of (a) holding a local referendum and (b) holding a local inquiry in (i) Loch Lomond and the Trossachs and (ii) the Cairngorms and whether a local inquiry is more or less democratic than a referendum.
Answer
The cost of (a) and (b) would depend on the nature and extent of the referendum or inquiry. The purposes of each would be different: the draft National Parks (Scotland) Bill does not provide for the holding of a referendum.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, before declaring any area a National Park, it will consult the people resident within that area by holding a local referendum to ascertain whether they agree to their area being so designated and whether it will hold such a referendum once passage of the draft National Parks (Scotland) Bill is complete and any secondary legislation has been published.
Answer
The draft National Parks (Scotland) Bill does not provide for the holding of a referendum. It provides for the involvement of local communities in considering the detailed arrangements for a National Park. The consultation on the Bill ended on 3 March, and comments received are currently being considered.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the cost of implementing the procedure set out in section 2 of the draft National Parks (Scotland) Bill in relation to (a) the proposed Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park and (b) the proposed Cairngorms National Park.
Answer
The procedure set out in section 2 will include many variables. These include the Reporter's time, local authority input, costs of a PLI, if necessary and publication of the report by Scottish Ministers amongst others. Our best estimates are that this type of expenditure, for both areas, will be in the region of £100,000.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed National Parks will require to rely on loans, in whole or in part, for their finance and, if so, by what means the National Parks will raise revenue.
Answer
National Park authorities will receive their core funding from central Government. The draft National Parks (Scotland) Bill provides for the possibility of National Park authorities seeking loans, if necessary. National Park authorities will be able to raise additional money through other sources such as Lottery Funds, European Union funding and commercial activity.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 20 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre a copy of the letter written by its Chief Agricultural Officer to administrators of the Crofters Building Grants and Loan Scheme as referred to in The Herald of Wednesday 1 March 2000, whether there will be any job redundancies of those administrators as a result of any changes to the scheme; whether it remains committed to providing the scheme and, if so, why it has reduced the financial benefits available under it and whether it will publish the rates for grant and loans for building a house (a) at 1990 levels and (b) at current levels, in real terms.
Answer
I am arranging for a copy of the Chief Agricultural Officer's letter to be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Efficiency savings in administering the Crofters Etc. Building Grants and Loan Scheme (CBGLS) mean that workloads throughout the nine Area Offices in the Highlands and Islands may reduce in total by the equivalent of five to seven posts. We aim to avoid compulsory redundancies and will explore ways of achieving this e.g. by redeployment of staff to other work.
The Executive recognises that CBGLS plays a significant role in retaining population levels in the crofting areas. The overall financial benefits available under CBGLS have not been reduced. Rather, the recent adjustments have allowed them to be extended more widely.
The rates for grant/loan in 1990 and at present for new houses are:
| | Grant | Loan |
Up to 15 May 1990 | 50% of the cost of eligible work up to a maximum of £8,700 | Up to a maximum of £13,500 |
From 16 May 1990 | 50% of the cost of eligible work up to a maximum of £11,500 | Up to a maximum of £17,500 |
From 1 January 2000 | £11,500 | Up to a maximum of £17,500 |
Using the GDP deflator the current maximum assistance of £29,000 would be worth £22,230 at 1990-91 prices.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 20 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the reduction in financial support under the Crofters Building Grants and Loan Scheme will have upon levels of population in the Western Isles and in each of the crofting counties.
Answer
There has been no reduction in financial support under the Crofters Etc. Building Grants and Loans Scheme. The changes to the scheme which I made recently will widen access to assistance and therefore make it possible for more people in crofting areas to provide affordable housing for their families.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 20 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the levels of financial assistance available to crofters for house improvements under the Crofters Building Grants and Loan Scheme.
Answer
In the course of the current spending review I will examine all aspects of Rural Affairs Department expenditure including the Crofters Etc. Building Grants and Loan Scheme.
