Questions and answers

Question reference: S4W-10734

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 14 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the National Planning Framework for Scotland 3 and the reviewed Scottish Planning Policy contribute to achieving increased sustainable economic growth without damaging the natural or cultural environment.

Question reference: S4W-10728

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 14 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the National Planning Framework for Scotland 3 and the reviewed Scottish Planning Policy contribute to delivering the duty to further the conservation of biodiversity as required by the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004.

The Scottish Government is undertaking a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of National Planning Framework 3 (NPF3) and the Scottish Planning Policy (SPP), as required by the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. SEA is undertaken to ensure that the environmental effects of plans, programmes and strategies, and reasonable alternatives to them, are identified and taken into account. The findings of the assessment will be set out in an Environmental Report, which will be published for public consultation alongside the Main Issues Report for NPF3 and the Draft SPP in March 2013.

Question reference: S4W-10732

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 14 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the National Planning Framework for Scotland 3 and the reviewed Scottish Planning Policy contribute to the whole of its stated central purpose rather than solely to increasing sustainable economic growth.

Creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth remains the Scottish Government’s central Purpose. The Scottish Government is clear that National Planning Framework 3 will provide a long-term strategy for development to ensure all parts of Scotland can realise their potential, with the revised Scottish Planning Policy also providing a focus on placemaking across urban and rural Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-10726

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 14 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the National Planning Framework for Scotland 3 and the reviewed Scottish Planning Policy are aligned with the National Performance Framework.

Question reference: S4W-10736

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 14 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors the success of the planning system in protecting and enhancing the (a) natural and (b) built environment.

Development plans require Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) under the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. Schedule 3 of the 2005 Act requires provision of a statement on proposed monitoring of environmental impacts within the Environmental Report. At the national level, monitoring of the National Planning Framework is undertaken on an ongoing basis. Monitoring findings, including those arising from the SEA, are set out in the NPF2 Monitoring Report, published in March 2012.

Question reference: S4W-10727

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 14 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the National Planning Framework for Scotland 3 and the reviewed Scottish Planning Policy contribute to achieving the targets set out in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

The Scottish Government is undertaking a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of National Planning Framework 3 (NPF3) and the Scottish Planning Policy (SPP), as required by the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. SEA is undertaken to ensure that the environmental effects of plans, programmes and strategies, and reasonable alternatives to them, are identified and taken into account. The findings of the assessment will be set out in an Environmental Report, which will be published for public consultation alongside the Main Issues Report for NPF3 and the Draft SPP in March 2013.

Development of NPF3 will also include use of the Scottish Government’s Spatial Planning Assessment of Climate Emissions tool, to inform understanding of the likely relative greenhouse gas emissions arising from alternative policy options.

Question reference: S4W-10729

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 14 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the National Planning Framework for Scotland 3 and the reviewed Scottish Planning Policy help deliver the requirements of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 that functions relating to preparation of (a) the National Planning Framework for Scotland by ministers and (b) development plans by planning authorities must be exercised with the objective of contributing to sustainable development.

Planning legislation requires Ministers to exercise their functions in relation to the preparation of the National Planning Framework with the objective of contributing to sustainable development. Similar requirements are placed upon planning authorities in exercising their functions with regard to development planning. guidance on the five guiding principles of sustainable development is set out in the existing Scottish Planning Policy.

Question reference: S4O-01492

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 November 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what its position is on recognising an employee forum for members' staff and engaging with it on corporate body decisions that will impact on its members.

Question reference: S4W-10733

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 8 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that its policies contribute to achieving the whole of its stated purpose rather than solely to increasing sustainable economic growth.

The central Purpose of the Scottish Government is to focus the Government and public services on creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth.

The Government Economic Strategy identifies six Strategic Priorities – including Equity - that together will deliver sustainable economic growth, provide opportunities for all to flourish, and deliver the Scottish Government’s important social, regional and inter-generational equity objectives. These priorities continue to inform all policy and spending decisions, including the fundamental shift towards preventative spend.

A progress report was published on 10 September 2012 which provides an update on the series of actions which are being taken forward across the public sector in order to deliver the ambitions of the Government Economic Strategy. More information can be found at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0040/00401529.pdf.

Question reference: S4W-10731

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 8 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it considers sustainable development to differ from sustainable economic growth.

As set out in the Government Economic Strategy, the Scottish Government’s desired characteristics of sustainable economic growth cover social and regional equity (Solidarity and Cohesion) alongside inter-generational equity (Sustainability). Growth that promotes equity and sustainable development therefore underpins the delivery of the Scottish Government’s Purpose and the National Outcomes.

Our focus on sustainability is explicit within the National Outcomes and associated National Indicators, incorporating all of the aspects of sustainable development, from reducing Greenhouse Gas emissions and improving resource efficiency to preserving Scotland’s natural environment. As our Government Economic Strategy highlights, as well as being a desired characteristic of growth, Sustainability is also an important long-term driver of sustainable economic growth and will be key if we are to maximise Scotland’s economic potential.

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