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The remit of the independent Land Reform Review Group (LRRG) has not changed. The consultation, which yielded 484 submissions, has brought forward a wide range of issues on a broad range of subjects, including farm tenancy issues and issues regarding access. In the view of the LRRG, as set out in its interim report, issues raised regarding farm tenancies represent an area already being considered by the Tenant Farming Forum and as such, the review group, as its interim report states, will now concentrate on taking forward a number of issues in respect of the implementation and geographic impact of community right to buy legislation in order to support communities throughout Scotland in achieving their social, economic and environmental potential. The work of the LRRG will also help to formulate potential approaches to extending right to buy to urban Scotland and will inform consideration of the Scottish Government’s community empowerment and renewal proposals.

As was stated during the Land Reform debate on 5 June 2013, issues regarding farm tenants will be considered as part of the review preceding the Agricultural Holdings Bill proposed for later in this parliamentary session.

To meet Scotland’s future energy needs, some form of electricity generation from thermal plant is required as part of a balanced generation mix. As set out in our recent draft second Climate Change Report on Proposals and Policies, our indicative electricity generation scenario beyond 2020 assumes new gas plant being built in Scotland, progressively fitted with Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).

Our target of delivering the equivalent of at least 100% of gross electricity consumption from renewables by 2020 together with the levels of support we have introduced through the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) sends a clear and strong investment signal to renewable generators in Scotland. Under Electricity Market Reform proposals, the introduction of Contracts for Difference will incentivise low carbon technologies, including renewables, and we remain committed to ensuring that investment in renewables continues in order to achieve our 100% target.

While the Emissions Performance Standard is a useful regulatory tool, the deployment of Carbon Capture and Storage at commercial scale will largely be driven by the carbon price floor, support through Contracts for Difference and by the UK’s CCS Commercialisation Programme Competition. The Carbon Capture and Storage Association agree these are the key mechanisms by which CCS will be incentivised.

The Draft Second Report on Proposals and Policies presents emissions and generating capacity based on a plausible generation scenario in Scotland to 2027. This scenario is based on a range of factors, including credible assumptions about: thermal plant extension, build and closure dates: average annual running times and the development and deployment of carbon capture and storage. The scenario presented is not definitive and is designed to give an indication of emissions from the sector by varying the amount of coal, gas and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) on the system.

The principal mechanism for incentivising CCS in the UK is through the DECC CCS Commercialisation Programme Competition and we welcome the fact that the Peterhead CCS Project is a preferred bidder. However, for projects such as the Captain Clean Energy Project and others outside of the Competition process, an adequate CCS-related Contract for Difference through the Electricity Market Reform (EMR) process will be crucial to ensure their economic viability. This is the only way in which a vibrant CCS industry will be created in the UK and we will continue to work with UK Government to ensure this vital issue is properly reflected in the EMR process.

The Scottish Government intend to publish a finalised Electricity Generation Policy Statement (EGPS) in 2013 to reflect consultation responses and contextual changes since the draft EGPS was published for consultation in 2012.

<>As part of the draft Electricity Generation Policy Statement published in March 2012, the Scottish Government informally consulted on the possibility of a distinct Scottish Emissions Performance Standard (EPS). Responses indicated a range of views with industry being supportive of a UK-wide level to ensure a consistent regulatory approach and promote investor confidence in a UK-wide electricity market, while Non-Governmental Organisation’s favoured a Scottish specific EPS at a lower level gradually reducing over time.

Based on the overriding objective of providing a consistent regulatory regime, which does not dis-incentivise investment in clean thermal generation in Scotland, we have agreed to the UK-wide application of the Emissions Performance Standard.

While the Emissions Performance Standard is a useful tool we are clear that on its own it will not deliver the Scottish Government’s 2030 decarbonisation target and should be seen in the context of wider policies and powers. Our current consenting policy on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) already imposes conditions for progressively fitting CCS to all coal and gas thermal plants following successful demonstration at commercial scale. The delivery of our 100% renewable electricity target together with developments in grid technology and storage and progress in demand reduction and energy efficiency will also play a crucial role in the delivery of our long-term decarbonisation target.

The Scottish Government, like the rest of the UK and EU neighbours has not set electricity targets beyond 2020 in terms of specific fuel mixes.

Decarbonisation will be achieved through a range of policies and be dependent upon a number of factors, some of which are beyond the control of the Scottish Government.

We believe that offshore renewable energy has the potential to make a significant contribution to a decarbonised electricity supply but it is too early to indicate what that contribution will be.

As yet, Moray Council has not submitted an application for any additional funding following the recent storms.

The Scottish Government is providing local government in Scotland with over £10.3 billion in 2013-14. Moray Council’s needs-based share of this total amounts to £181.6 million and the vast majority of this funding, including the funding for flood prevention contingency measures, is being provided by means of a block grant. It is the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available to it on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled its statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities including the Scottish Government’s key strategic objectives.

The clearance of road drains and gullies in Moray is a matter for the local authority, the trunk roads authority or operating company as appropriate. However, in the case of land drainage, this is usually a matter for the relevant landowner and, where this involves dredging or clearing watercourses and ditches, they should contact the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency for advice in case this requires an application for an authorisation under the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011.

Data on business sites by industrial sector are available from the Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR). The IDBR, maintained by the Office for National Statistics, is a database of all enterprises registered for VAT and or PAYE, covering 99 per cent of economic activity in the UK. Those excluded are small businesses with no employees and an annual turnover below the VAT threshold (£73,000 as at March 2012).

Business sites are categorised on the IDBR according to the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC). It is not possible to obtain figures for the exact categories requested due to the SIC structure. The data in the following table are the closest SIC equivalents and are provided from the latest year from which data are available.

Table 1: Business sites in selected codes (SIC2007), Scotland, March 2012

SIC 2007 code	Description	2012
46310	Wholesale of fruit and vegetables	175
46320	Wholesale of meat and meat products	150
46350	Wholesale of tobacco products	5
46360	Wholesale of sugar and chocolate and sugar confectionary	50
46380	Wholesale of other food; including fish;, crustaceans and molluscs	270
47210	Retail sale of fruit and vegetables in specialised stores	375
47220	Retail sale of meat and meat products in specialised stores	695
47230	Retail sale of fish; crustaceans and molluscs in specialised stores	240
47240	Retail sale of bread; cakes; flour confectionary and sugar confectionary in specialised stores	895
47260	Retail sale of tobacco products in specialised stores	205
47620	Retail sale of newspapers and stationery in specialised stores	655

Source: Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR), Office for National Statistics

Notes: Business site counts are rounded to the nearest 5.

Business sites are the individual sites within an enterprise i.e. every shop, branch, office.