- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 March 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 23 April 2013
To ask the Scottish Government how many visitors there have been to (a) Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, (b) Pentland Hills Regional Park, (c) Edinburgh Castle, (d) the National Museum of Scotland, (e) the National Gallery of Scotland, (f) Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and (g) the Burrell Collection in each year since 1999 and (i) Cairngorms National Park and (ii) Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park in each year since 2002.
Answer
The visitor figures for the following organisations - Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park; Edinburgh Castle; National Museum of Scotland; National Gallery of Scotland; Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and the Burrell Collection, for the years requested, can be found in the following table:
Organisation | 1999-2000 | 2000-2001 | 2001-2002 | 2002-2003 |
Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park | | | | 1,332,250 |
Edinburgh Castle | 1,209,962 | 1,203,203 | 1,126,680 | 1,148,139 |
National Museum of Scotland | 854,300 | 1,111,426 | 1,252,167 | 1,333,621 |
National Galleries of Scotland | | | | |
Scottish National Gallery (incorporating RSA) | 454,643 | 443,834 | 480,008 | 368,754 |
Scottish National Portrait Gallery* | 177,920 | 179,904 | 180,306 | 186,548 |
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (1 and 2) | 346,124 | 443,836 | 269,430 | 300,779 |
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum** | 1,051,050 | 1,003,169 | 1,031,138 | 955,671 |
Burrell Collection | 285,089 | 294,434 | 323,279 | 236,609 |
Organisation | 2003-2004 | 2004-2005 | 2005-2006 | 2006-2007 |
Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 |
Edinburgh Castle | 1,131,880 | 1,226,311 | 1,176,159 | 1,213,571 |
National Museum of Scotland | 1,298,733 | 1,455,814 | 1,586,906 | 1,421,903 |
National Galleries of Scotland | | | | |
Scottish National Gallery (incorporating RSA) | 692,090 | 768,322 | 755,304 | 938,168 |
Scottish National Portrait Gallery* | 163,407 | 169,065 | 172,357 | 196,310 |
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (1 and 2) | 315,370 | 301,756 | 363,232 | 342,893 |
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum** | 370,428 | 0 | 0 | 1,867,192 |
Burrell Collection | 217,084 | 310,276 | 228,007 | 203,903 |
Organisation | 2007-2008 | 2008-2009 | 2009-2010 | 2010-2011 |
Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park | 1,500,000 | 1,400,000 | 1,450,000 | 1,500,000 |
Edinburgh Castle | 1,249,326 | 1,119,752 | 1,196,608 | 1,197,941 |
National Museum of Scotland | 1,471,079 | 1,154,386 | 1,264,994 | 1,318,147 |
National Galleries of Scotland | | | | |
Scottish National Gallery (incorporating RSA) | 947,242 | 836,527 | 913,314 | 979,012 |
Scottish National Portrait Gallery* | 216,187 | 219,111 | 17,139 | 0 |
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (1 and 2) | 305,430 | 295,506 | 290,751 | 296,416 |
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum** | 2,232,475 | 1,445,098 | 1,368,096 | 1,070,521 |
Burrell Collection | 192,551 | 202,750 | 203,153 | 187,756 |
Organisation | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 |
Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 |
Edinburgh Castle | 1,314,975 | 1,240,940 |
National Museum of Scotland | 2,478,406 | 2,471,762 |
National Galleries of Scotland | | |
Scottish National Gallery (incorporating RSA) | 897,014 | 804,914 |
Scottish National Portrait Gallery* | 164,757 | 214,959 |
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (1 and 2) | 315,292 | 233,672 |
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum** | 981,787 | 1,037,594 |
Burrell Collection | 192,762 | 182,983 |
Notes:
*SNPG closed for refurbishment April 2009 - November 2011
**Kelvingrove closed for refurbishment 2003 - July 2006.
Pentland Hills Regional Park
Rather than annual visitor numbers, The Park have numbers from periodic visitor surveys, the most recent of which dates back to 2006. Previous surveys were carried out in 1999 and 1993. The results of the 2006 survey estimated between 470,000 and 570,000 visitors annually.
Cairngorms National Park
The park estimates that they have had 14.53 million visitors over the period 2003-2013.
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
The Park estimate that they receive 4 million visitors per annum, which would equate to 40 million visitors over the 10 years.
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 April 2013
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13054 by Derek Mackay on 5 March 2013, what contribution it expects energy from waste schemes to make to its (a) renewable energy, (b) zero waste and (c) sustainable development targets.
Answer
In 2010, the Sustainable Development Commission reported that energy from waste could contribute around 3% of Scotland’s total heat and electricity demand. The study focused on the use of combustion and anaerobic digestion with biogas capture and the main technologies that could contribute to these outputs. It emphasised that the greatest output could be achieved if thermal output is used for heat, as this would be more than 80% efficient. Thermal only output could equate to around 6% of Scotland’s existing heat demand.
These opportunities need to be set against the Scottish Government’s policy of continually reducing Scotland’s residual waste and minimising the need for residual waste treatment through waste prevention, reuse and increased rates of recycling.
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 April 2013
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13054 by Derek Mackay on 5 March 2013, how much future waste it has calculated should be diverted from landfill to incineration in order to avoid EU penalty and in which local authority areas it is encouraging these modal shifts.
Answer
The Scottish Government met the 2013 EU Landfill Directive target two years early and is on track to meet the 2020 target. The Scottish Governments Zero Waste plan focuses on maximising the value of all material resources for our economy. This means seeking waste prevention, reuse and recycling opportunities ahead of incineration.
Taking the Zero Waste plan 70% recycling target into consideration, the Scottish Government produces annual estimates of the operational shortfall in capacity to treat Scotland’s residual waste (waste that is not recycled). The current estimate indicates a shortfall of around 1.7 million tonnes. These figures are produced to help planning authorities and industry understand Scotland’s needs and investment opportunities. After the material is mechanical sorting to remove any possible recyclable material remaining, treatment options include the production of waste derived fuels for export to continental fuel markets, biological stabilisation of materials for use in land restoration and energy production (anaerobic digestion and combustion).
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 17 April 2013
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13054 by Derek Mackay on 5 March 2013, how many of the energy sector appeals were for wind applications greater than 50 MW and how many were for single turbine or other developments of less than 50 MW.
Answer
There were no planning appeals for developments in excess of 50 megawatts. Any proposal to construct or operate a power generation scheme with a capacity in excess of 50 megawatts requires Scottish Ministers' consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989, and is not the subject of a planning application. All appeals therefore related to developments of less than 50 megawatts.
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 17 April 2013
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13054 by Derek Mackay on 5 March 2013, how many planning appeals in the (a) energy, (b) retail, (c) commercial property, (d) housing, (e) environmental waste management and (f) hotel, leisure and recreation sector ministers considered between May 1997 and May 2011 and with what outcome.
Answer
Planning appeal decisions in the period May 1997 to May 2011 are set out by sector in the following table:
| Number of appeal decisions | Number of appeals allowed |
Energy | 99 | 53 |
Retail | 275 | 133 |
Commercial property | 665 | 266 |
Housing | 4240 | 1175 |
Environmental waste management | 55 | 31 |
Hotel, leisure and recreation | 455 | 212 |
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 17 April 2013
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13054 by Derek Mackay on 5 March 2013, what analysis it has made of the contribution of the planning system to the zero waste strategy and its target to divert waste from landfill.
Answer
National Planning Framework 2, Scottish Planning Policy and development plans support Scotland’s Zero Waste Plan target of no more than 5% of waste going to landfill by 2025. Along with other policy drivers such as landfill tax, development management, decisions are securing new waste infrastructure to encourage reduction, recycling, reuse and the recovery of energy from waste that would otherwise be landfilled.
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 17 April 2013
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13054 by Derek Mackay on 5 March 2013, what estimates it has made of the impact on employment opportunities arising from these decisions and whether it considers that the planning appeals system encourages or discourages sustainable development and employment creation.
Answer
Planning has an essential role to play in ensuring that we create the Scotland that we want, that we promote and strengthen our economy and build resilient communities. It should act as an enabler of sustainable development of the right type and in the right location. Decisions made by the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals (DPEA) play an important part in this process. When making decisions on planning appeals reporters from DPEA will consider the economic benefits of a proposal along with other material considerations. No estimates have been made of the employment opportunities arising from decisions made by DPEA.
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 17 April 2013
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13054 by Derek Mackay on 5 March 2013, what analysis it has made of the contribution of the planning system to its (a) renewable energy generation and (b) economic growth targets.
Answer
There is wide recognition that supportive national planning policies are making significant contributions to the achievement of renewable energy targets. National Planning Framework (NPF) 2, Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) and development plans fully support our renewables targets and support sustainable economic growth. Ways in which this support can be strengthened are matters we are considering as part of the NPF and SPP reviews.
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 April 2013
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 18 April 2013
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made toward justice for victims of historic child abuse following the first InterAction meeting.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 18 April 2013
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 March 2013
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 27 March 2013
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to promote the use of new fairtrade products in Scotland.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 27 March 2013