- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 February 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 9 March 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the generation of energy from biomass is renewable and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.
Answer
We do consider the generation of energy from biomass to be renewable. Electricity generated from biomass sources qualifies for support under the Renewables Obligation Scotland. This is wholly consistent with Article 2 of European Directive 2001/77/EC on the promotion of renewable energy.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 January 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Mary Mulligan on 13 February 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what compensation will be payable to property owners whose properties are adversely affected by the construction of wind farms in their vicinity.
Answer
It would be for individualproperty owners to consider whether a situation has arisen that gives scope forpursuing a compensation claim.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 February 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Frank McAveety on 10 February 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it gives towards attracting international cruise ships to call at Scottish ports.
Answer
This is an operationalmatter for VisitScotland, which is responsible for maximising the economicbenefits of tourism to Scotland.
VisitScotland does recognisethe importance of the cruise market. It provided start up funding forCruiseScotland to attract more business from this sector, and is now representedon its board. The future structure of CruiseScotland is being discussed withVisitScotland, which has agreed to assist with research and development.
There has of course beenconsiderable private sector investment in the cruise market, for example at OceanTerminal at Leith. The public sector has also been active whereappropriate; for example Highland Council markets its cruise ports in the Northto the international cruise market.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 January 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 10 February 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving to encourage the growth of indigenous businesses in the small and medium-si'ed enterprise sector.
Answer
The Scottish Executive, and its economic development agencies – Scottish Enterprise andHighlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) - have a range of support in place toassist the growth of indigenous businesses these include measures to helpbusinesses to innovate, invest in capital equipment, export, access equitycapital, improve energy efficiency and utilise broadband technology.
Full details on all theforms of support available to businesses can be accessed through BusinessGateway, in the Scottish Enterprise area, and by contacting directly the LocalEnterprise Companies in the HIE area, who act as a single access point forbusiness support.
Details of ScottishEnterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise performance and finances areavailable from their operating plans and annual accounts which can be obtainedfrom their respective website.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 January 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 10 February 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether private membership golf clubs will be eligible for the mandatory rate relief for community amateur sports clubs announced by the Minister for Finance and Public Services.
Answer
Amateur sports clubs whichare registered as Community Amateur Sports Clubs with the Inland Revenue will -on introduction of the necessary enabling legislation - be eligible for 80%mandatory rate relief. The granting or otherwise of community amateur sportsclub status is entirely a matter for the Inland Revenue Sports Club Unit.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 January 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 2 February 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it receives value for money for Scottish Enterprise's investment in the Institute for System Level Integration given the number of students enrolling in 2002-03 who were from the United Kingdom.
Answer
As part of project Alba, theInstitute for System Level Integration has been supported in line with thecommitment in Smart Successful Scotland to move to a technologicallyinnovative, knowledge based economy.
Funding issues in relationto the Institute itself are an operational matter for the main funding partners– Scottish Enterprise, University of Glasgow, University of Strathclyde,Heriot-Watt University and Edinburgh University. Non-UK students areself-funding.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 January 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 28 January 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in respect of the construction of wind farms on Forestry Commission land.
Answer
Our planning policy guidanceis given in National Planning Policy Guideline 6: Renewable EnergyDevelopments. Forestry Commission Scotland serves as the Executive’s forestrydepartment. The corporate plan for the Forestry Commission in Scotlandrecognises that “Every effort is being made to increase the value and income from leasesof many kinds, and from developments such as windfarms, mineral sites andtelecommunication masts, for which the national forests can often provide asuitable location.” In this way the national forest lands make a considerablecontribution to the Executive’s targets for increasing the proportion of powergenerated from renewable sources.
All proposals are developedwith full public consultation, and detailed plans for careful forestrestructuring. The usual planning consents and environmental impact assessmentsare required and environmental, economic and social issues are taken fully intoaccount.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 January 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 22 January 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what economic factors it takes into consideration when identifying sites for the relocation of civil service agency jobs outwith Edinburgh.
Answer
The Executive advises bodiescarrying out relocation reviews that several socio-economic factors should be takeninto consideration when carrying out the qualitative assessment of prospectivelocations. The factors include income and employment deprivation, healthdeprivation and disability, education, skills and training deprivation, andgeographical access to services. We are currently considering the consistencyof socio-economic statistics to be used by bodies in relocation reviews.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 January 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 22 January 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether low pay in a particular area is taken into account when it identifies sites for the relocation of civil service agency jobs outwith Edinburgh.
Answer
The Executive advises bodiescarrying out relocation reviews that low pay should be one of severalsocio-economic factors taken into account when carrying out the qualitativeassessment of prospective locations.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 December 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 21 January 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30714 by Mr Andy Kerr on 11 November 2002, how many people have been employed in its Environment and Rural Affairs Department in 2002 and in 2003.
Answer
The following table shows thenumber of staff (headcount) and the number of full-time equivalent staff inpost in the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department as at thedate given.
Number of Staff in the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department
| | Headcount | Full-time Equivalent |
| Year | Permanent | Casual | Permanent | Casual |
| 1 April 2002 | 1,101 | 102 | 1,074.1 | 99 |
| 1 April 2003 | 1,116 | 66 | 1,086.1 | 65 |
| 31 December 2003 | 1,113 | 65 | 1,082.1 | 64 |
