³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

The National Housing Trust initiative (NHT) differs from the traditional grant funding approach in that the purchase of homes will be jointly funded by participating councils and developers, with the Scottish Government providing guarantees to councils to ensure they are able to repay any money they borrow to fund the scheme. As such, there is no Scottish Government money allocated to the NHT to build affordable homes in the same sense as monies would be allocated under grant-based schemes.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-01735 on 11 August 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at .

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-01736 on 11 August 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at .

The Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) now provides loans to farmers, land managers, rural businesses, cooperatives and communities for the pre-planning consent costs of developing proposals. The spending review later this year will give an opportunity to consider future funding for community renewables.

The Scottish Futures Trust is seeking to procure almost 700 affordable homes through the first phase of the National Housing Trust initiative, with contracts already finalised for 296 of these units across three council areas. In view of the substantial interest from local authorities, housing associations, and private house builders in extending and expanding the NHT approach through improved and new versions of the NHT model, the Scottish Government is considering the options for procuring more new homes through further NHT phases in 2011-12 and beyond, taking account of the views of stakeholders, and will provide further information on its plans shortly.

This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. Scottish Enterprise leads on this program providing staff, marketing and other support.

I will ask Scottish Enterprise’s Chief Executive to write to you with the information.

The Scottish Government is currently considering how best to introduce enterprise zones in Scotland, including exploring the creation of one or more low carbon enterprise zones, so as to maximise their possible economic impact.

This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. Scottish Enterprise leads on this program providing staff, marketing and other support.

I will ask Scottish Enterprise’s Chief Executive to write to you with the information.

The Scottish Government will be responsible for the introduction of enterprise zones in Scotland and we are currently considering how best to maximise their economic impact. No decisions have therefore been taken as yet on the annual budget necessary to support their introduction.

The Scottish Government is currently considering how best to introduce enterprise zones in Scotland, including exploring the creation of one or more low carbon enterprise zones, so as to maximise the possibility of their economic impact. These considerations include the nature and scale of the incentives to be available to businesses locating in the zones.