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I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22033 on 27 March 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at .

We do not hold information on whether buildings acquired are in fact newly built or new to the Scottish Executive. The core Scottish Executive has not purchased any new office buildings over the past five years.

The information held within the Electronic Property Information Mapping Service (e-PIMS) shows that the number of new lease arrangements for each of the past five years entered into by Core Scottish Executive is as follows:

2004: 1

2005: 2

2006: 3

2007: 0

2008: 0.

A renewal of an existing lease is classified as a new lease and included within the above statistics.

This government remains fully committed to replacing the unfair council tax with a fairer tax based on ability to pay. Legislation will now be brought forward following elections in 2011.

There are already a number of measures available to encourage the uptake of microgeneration and energy efficiency technologies including:

Energy Saving Scotland advice centres;

Carbon Emission Reduction Target which subsidises energy efficiency measures;

Recent changes to permitted development to allow a wider range of microgeneration technologies to be fitted without the need for planning permission;

The introduction of the Home Report including an Energy Performance Certificate and an Energy Report with recommendations for measures to improve the energy performance of a home;

Grants for microgeneration technologies through the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables initiative;

The introduction of the new Energy Assistance Package from April 2009, and

The recent Budget announcement of £15 million of new money for an area-based Home Insulation Scheme.

The Scottish Government will be producing an Energy Efficiency Action Plan which will set out the policies and programmes being undertaken to improve the energy efficiency of all sectors, including the existing building stock.

The Scottish Government is making important progress in improving energy efficiency. Measures that are currently being implemented include:

The introduction of a new requirement, from 1 December 2008, for all houses put on sale to require a Home Report “ including an EPC and Energy Report with recommendations on how to improve the energy efficiency.

Announcement of proposals for the first stage of an ambitious area based home insulation scheme supported by £15 million of new government funding plus £15 million from other sources. The scheme is currently being developed and is expected to be launched in the autumn.

A commitment to bring forward proposals for a significant loan mechanism. This will assist householders wishing to undertake more expensive measures, such as solid wall insulation and installing renewable technologies.

A new Energy Assistance package [which commences 6 April 2009] will do more to help rural households by including a wider range of measures which will benefit rural homes including air source heat pumps for those off the gas grid and a wider range of insulation measures for homes which cannot take traditional measures such as cavity wall insulation. To ensure that these more expensive measures can be installed the grant maximum has been raised by £500 to £4,000 and the upper grant has been raised by £1,000 to £6,500 for homes which have particularly poor energy efficiency.

The Energy Assistance Package will be backed by Scottish Government funding worth around £60 million per annum “ 30% more than the original fuel poverty budget and will help to lever in additional CERT funding from the energy companies worth up to £100 million. The package will be delivered through the successful Energy Saving Scotland Advice network co-ordinated by the Energy Saving Trust.

Working with energy suppliers, through the Scottish CERT Strategy Steering Group, to ensure that Scotland receives its fair share of CERT activity not only in terms of population, but also to meet our distinctive energy needs.

Funding the Carbon Trust to support larger, energy intensive businesses and public sector bodies, to reduce their energy use. Through the Energy Saving Scotland advice network, Energy Saving Trust deliver sustainability living advice to consumers and small and medium-sized enterprises.

Integrating responsibility for fisheries policy and management alongside other marine management responsibilities within a single organisation will mean that Marine Scotland can bring to bear the necessary range of experience, expertise and policy interests. Consequently, it will be better placed itself to make and to offer consolidated advice to ministers so that they can make, informed and, where appropriate, balanced judgements and decisions about how best to manage our marine assets and resources. Amongst other things, this should help reassure fishing and other interests that appropriate, sustainable decisions have been taken.

Marine Scotland will lead on measures to achieve good environmental status in Scottish waters and we believe there are benefits in integrating within the same organisation lead responsibility relating to policy, science and delivery arrangements for marine nature conservation across Scotland''s seas. That will allow informed and, where appropriate, balanced decisions to be taken on marine nature conservation alongside other issues.

Marine Scotland will continue to consider advice from Scottish Natural Heritage and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee on marine nature conservation issues, as appropriate.

Marine Scotland will take an overarching responsibility for marine management, including through the development of a marine planning framework and national marine plan, and allowing the development of local/regional plans. These will reflect strategic priorities, including in relation to the development of marine renewable energy sources.

Integrating the range of policy, planning, science and other functions within Marine Scotland means that it can bring to bear the necessary range of experience, expertise and policy interests and promote achievement of our key strategic aims in an informed and authoritative way. As part of Scottish Government, it will also be well placed to work with policy colleagues elsewhere in the Scottish Government, its agencies and local government. This sort of integrated approach would be more difficult under a non-departmental public body.

Legislation is not required to establish Marine Scotland. The Marine Bill will create new functions for Scottish ministers, which Marine Scotland will deliver on their behalf.

Marine conservation will be a key priority for Marine Scotland and conservation priorities and objectives will be articulated through the National Marine Plan.