- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 March 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 15 March 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates the (a) Marine Energy Group, (b) Marine Strategic Studies Forum and (c) Marine Energy Spatial Planning Group has met since its inception.
Answer
The Marine Energy Group has met on:
January 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
July 2009
September 2009
December 2009
February 2010.
The Marine Strategic Studies Forum has met on:
April 2009.
In addition papers have been circulated for comment regularly.
The Marine Energy Spatial Planning Group has met on:
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
March 2009
August 2009.
Representatives from the Marine Strategic Studies Forum and the Marine Energy Spatial Planning Group have also been included in Offshore Wind Strategic Environmental Assessment workshops in February 2010 and related sectoral discussions. Similarly they will be invited to take part in workshops to discuss Marine Energy Spatial Planning Group initiatives on marine planning, including the Pentland Firth and Orkney waters Marine Spatial Plan, and simplified licensing.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 March 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 15 March 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its news release of 29 October 2008, Potential of offshore wind energy, stating that it would prioritise completion of a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) on offshore wind energy within one year, what the reason is for the delay in the SEA’s completion.
Answer
The Scottish Government is required to ensure that the process of developing the SEA on offshore wind is fully compliant with the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005, and furthermore than the SEA informs the future development plan. In order for this to be the case, the SEA has included an assessment of technical feasibility of future developments as well as an environmental assessment. This has necessarily taken longer than was initially planned, but will provide for a more comprehensive plan that will better serve the industry as well as government and regulators.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 March 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 15 March 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the habitats regulations apply to its plan to develop offshore wind in Scottish territorial waters and, if so, what consideration will be given to the implications for Natura 2000 sites.
Answer
The Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc.) Regulations 1994 do apply to the plan to develop offshore wind in Scottish territorial waters. Therefore, as part of the offshore wind SEA Environment Report commission, the Scottish Government has also undertaken a pre-screening report to consider appropriate assessment requirements for Natura 2000 sites. The government will make a decision on appropriate assessment work following review of this report.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 March 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 15 March 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what opportunities there will be for public and stakeholder participation in the preparation of the marine spatial plan for the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters.
Answer
The Scottish Government intends to carry out an initial consultation on the framework and draft regional locational guidance starting in April 2010. There will be a full formal public consultation on the final draft of the marine spatial plan, in 2011.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 March 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 15 March 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive how (a) environmental, (b) fisheries, (c) recreational and (d) shipping interests are represented on the (i) Marine Energy Spatial Planning Group and (ii) Marine Strategic Studies Forum.
Answer
The Marine Energy Spatial Planning Group (MESPG) is primarily a Scottish Government/local government partnership on marine renewables and does not contain wider representation.
The Marine Strategic Studies Forum has representatives from the West of Four Fisheries Management Group, the Chamber of Shipping, Northern Lighthouse Board, Marine and Coastguard Agency, RSPB, Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, MoD, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Department of Environment and Climate Change, British Ports Association, and Historic Scotland.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 March 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 15 March 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish a marine spatial plan for the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters.
Answer
The marine spatial plan for the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters is being developed in three stages. Stage 1, which sets out the existing relevant data on these waters as well as the framework for the final plan, will be published in April 2010, alongside draft regional locational guidance. Stage 2, which consists of gathering further information will take place during 2010 and stage 3; the preparation and publication of the final draft of the plan is due for completion in 2011.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 March 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 15 March 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the strategic environmental assessment for offshore wind in Scottish territorial waters will spatially identify areas for development, including areas (a) requiring significant protection from development and (b) of search where development is likely to be acceptable, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer
The Strategic Environmental Assessment will assess the likely impact upon the environment of offshore wind developments (including cumulative effects from more than one development, and from other types of developments) and identify three types of spatial areas. These will be:
(a) Areas excluded from development.
(b) Areas which have considerable environmental constraints and/or conflicts of use with potential offshore wind energy development.
(c) Areas which have limited environmental constraints and/or conflicts of use with potential offshore wind development.
The Environment Report will categorise spatial areas into these three types.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 March 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 15 March 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates that the environmental report from the strategic environmental assessment for offshore wind in Scottish territorial waters will be published.
Answer
The Environment Report from the Strategic Environmental Assessment will be published in April 2010.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 11 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list those public authorities to which section 72 of the Marine (Scotland) Bill will apply.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31225 on 10 February 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 10 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list those public authorities that will be required to comply with the requirements of section 71 of the Marine (Scotland) Bill by virtue of section 71(1) of that Bill.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31225 on 10 February 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
