- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 6 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review planning gains for onshore windfarm developments, in order to allow rural communities to offset any negative impact that a saturation of windfarms may have on them.
Answer
Draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) set out a spatial strategy based on how our approach to planning and development can help to achieve a net zero, sustainable Scotland by 2045. This included a new policy on community wealth building, supporting a more people-centred approach to economic development. This draft policy proposed that individual proposals in national and major categories of development should contribute to community wealth building objectives.
The Scottish Government also encourages renewable energy businesses and communities to utilise its Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Onshore Renewable Energy Developments (and Shared Ownership of Onshore Renewable Energy Developments) (May 2019) which sets out national standards for implementing community benefits.
The Parliamentary scrutiny period and public consultation on Draft NPF4 has now concluded. Responses received are now being analysed and will inform the finalised NPF4, which will be submitted for Parliament’s approval, prior to adoption by Scottish Ministers.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 6 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider a moratorium on onshore windfarm developments until National Planning Framework 4 is published later in 2022.
Answer
The Scottish Government has no plans to introduce a moratorium on windfarm development.
To achieve a net zero, nature-positive Scotland, our planning system must be rebalanced so that climate change and nature recovery are the primary guiding principles for all our plans and all our decisions. Draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) set out new Universal Policies that should apply to all planning decisions to help us tackle the climate and nature crises and ensure Scotland adapts to thrive within the planet’s sustainable limits. It also included green energy policies which support renewable energy development other than in National Parks and National Scenic Areas, subject to an assessment of their impacts on a case by case basis.
The Parliamentary scrutiny period and public consultation on Draft National Planning Framework 4 has now concluded. Responses received are now being analysed and will inform the finalised NPF4, which will be submitted for Parliament’s approval, prior to adoption by Scottish Ministers.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 6 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to any impact that a saturation of onshore windfarms can have on rural communities and their long-term viability.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) set out how our approach to planning and development can achieve a net zero, sustainable Scotland by 2045. The draft NPF4 included green energy policy 19 which would support renewable energy development other than in National Parks and National Scenic Areas, subject to an assessment of their impacts on a case by case basis. Criteria for assessing proposals were also set out, including impacts on communities and individual dwellings.
The Parliamentary scrutiny period and public consultation on Draft National Planning Framework 4 has now concluded. Responses received are now being analysed and will inform the finalised NPF4, which will be submitted for Parliament’s approval, prior to adoption by Scottish Ministers.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 April 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 3 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to encourage farmland to be used for agriculture instead of tree planting.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-07181 on 24 March 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 April 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 3 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm what its plans are for a post-implementation review of the Honey (Scotland) Regulations 2015.
Answer
There is currently no formal plan in place to conduct a post implementation review of the Honey Regulations (Scotland) 2015. However, as the body with policy responsibility for these regulations, Food Standards Scotland continues to monitor the effectiveness and suitability of the legislation through communication with its stakeholders, such as Local Authorities, businesses and consumers, as well as discussions with other Scottish and UK Government departments.
It should be noted that FSS and the wider Scottish Government have a responsibility to conduct a formal post-implementation review within 10 years of the respective regulations coming into force. With regard to the Honey Regulations this is due to be factored into business planning at a point up to and including 2025.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 28 April 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what action it (a) can take and (b) is taking to ensure that the Consul General of China does not have any undue influence over local or national politics in Scotland.
Answer
Safeguarding our democracy is of upmost importance to the Scottish Government. This includes being an open, accessible and transparent government. Public officials, including Ministers, MSPs and councillors, are subject to Code of Conducts which provide a clear set of principles and standards for their behaviour, including how to avoid undue interference from external actors. We believe the public should have trust in those they elect.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 27 April 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any reported allegations that the Chinese Communist Party, through student groups on university campuses in Scotland, is seeking to deter certain events from taking place, and, if so, what action has been taken to address this.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-07568 on19 April 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 27 April 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the economic value that Chinese students who come to Scotland to study bring to (a) universities and (b) the national economy.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-07566 on 19 April 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 27 April 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made an assessment of the level and nature of financial investment from China in universities in Scotland.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-07567 on 20 April 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Christina McKelvie on 26 April 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has put in place to ensure that former Hong Kong residents who resettle in Scotland are not subjected to racism in the communities in which they chose to live.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-07510 on 19 April 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers