- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 August 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Burgess on 15 August 2014
To ask the Scottish Government what impact analysis it has carried out on the Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc.) (Scotland) Act 2012; what additional (a) revenues have been generated and (b) costs have been incurred by local authorities, and how many (i) houses, (ii) shops and (iii) business properties have been brought back into use.
Answer
It is too early to determine the impacts to housing as a result of the Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc.) (Scotland) Act 2012. This is due to only a single council applying the discretionary power (to charge increased levels of council tax for certain long-term empty homes) for the first full year of operation in 2013-14. 12 councils are applying the power in 2014-15 and the effect in terms of number of properties affected and revenue raised will be picked up in the local government finance returns to the Scottish Government.
With regards to how many (ii) shops and (iii) business properties have been brought back into use, we have undertaken to conduct post-legislative scrutiny of the empty property relief policy in 2015.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 August 2014
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 14 August 2014
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support older people who live alone.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 14 August 2014
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 June 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 29 July 2014
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-20591 by Richard Lochhead on 12 May 2014, how the potential in-combination impact of the offshore windfarms proposed at Dogger Bank and in the Firth of Forth and Firth of Tay on the Forth Islands Special Protection Area is being considered.
Answer
The potential in-combination impacts on the Forth Islands Special Protection Area will be considered as part of the appropriate assessment undertaken by the Scottish Ministers, as the competent authority, for the Forth and Tay offshore wind farm applications. The in combination impacts of developments outwith Scotland will be considered where appropriate.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 June 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 29 July 2014
To ask the Scottish Government how it is working with other UK authorities to ensure that the development of offshore wind energy results in maximum generation of renewable energy for least environmental impact.
Answer
The Scottish Government is working collaboratively with other UK administrations taking a marine planning approach to ensure that the potential of offshore wind energy is realised in a sustainable manner.
The UK Marine Policy Statement, adopted by all UK administrations, provides the framework for preparing marine plans and taking decisions affecting the marine environment. The Scottish Government is developing its own national marine plan, which has been subject to wide consultation and will require both Scottish and UK ministerial clearance.
In addition, the UK Marine Science Strategy co-developed by the UK and devolved administrations sets out the general direction for marine science across the UK from 2010 to 2025. This strategy has inspired joint scientific partnership projects to assess the interaction of renewable energies and the marine environment.
The Offshore Renewables Joint Industry Partnership is a UK initiative that brings regulators and industry together to look at the impacts and consenting challenges of offshore renewables. This is complemented by other UK working groups that are looking at other relevant factors such as the Offshore Regulators Strategic Environmental Group and the Offshore Renewables Licensing Group.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2014
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 19 June 2014
To ask the First MinisterÌýwhether the Scottish Government would introduce a local income tax in the event of independence.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 19 June 2014
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2014
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 11 June 2014
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address waiting time challenges in NHS Lothian.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 11 June 2014
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 May 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 19 May 2014
To ask the Scottish Government which of the flood improvement schemes proposed in each local authority area in 2013-14 it (a) approved and (b) rejected, broken down by the (i) cost of and (ii) timescale for setting up the scheme.
Answer
A joint COSLA/Scottish Government panel was established to evaluate the seven flood protection scheme applications received. The two successful applications are set out in the following table.
| Council | Scheme | Cost £ | Construction Timescale |
| Scottish Borders | Selkirk | 31,767,058 | Oct 2014 – Dec 2016 |
| Angus | Brechin | 16,383,000 | Nov 2014 - Mar 2016 |
Ìý
The five unsuccessful applications are set out in the following table.
| Council | Scheme | Cost £ | Construction Timescale |
| Dumfries and Galloway | Whitesands | 12,201,665 | Jul 2015 - Dec 2016 |
| Dundee | Dundee Central Waterfront Broughty Ferry | 1,620,999 Ìý 1,649,377 | Aug 2014 - Dec 2016 Ìý Jun 2014 – Mar 2015 |
| Edinburgh City | Water of Leith | 35,400,400 | Nov 2014 - Dec 2016 |
| Inverclyde | Inverclyde | 3,156,684 | May 2014 - Mar 2016 |
| Perth and Kinross | Almondbank | 14,745,877 | Oct 2014 - Apr 2016 |
Two of the unsuccessful schemes are the subject of an ongoing appeal.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 April 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 12 May 2014
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with (a) the UK Government, (b) the European Commission and (c) EU member states regarding the potential impact of offshore windfarms outwith Scottish waters on protected wildlife sites in Scotland, and what the reason is for its position on this matter.
Answer
The Scottish Government has ongoing discussions with the UK, European Commission and EU member states on marine issues, including renewables and protected wildlife sites. While the issue of windfarms outwith Scottish waters impacting protected sites in Scotland has not been specifically discussed, current evidence suggests that there are no significant impacts associated with this issue.
However, to ensure the Habitats Regulations Appraisal process is comprehensive, regular discussions do occur on this issue between the respective statutory nature conservation bodies.
Ìý
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 April 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 12 May 2014
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that offshore windfarms are monitored to ensure that they do not result in greater than predicted impacts on the environment and to inform future plans and projects.
Answer
Offshore wind farm consents issued by the Scottish Ministers contain stringent conditions which the developer must comply with. These conditions include requirements for the developer to monitor the impact on the likes of birds, marine mammals, fish and benthic communities. The Scottish Ministers will also form independent regional and strategic advisory groups (including importantly, but not exclusively, members from ornithological, fishing, fisheries and marine mammal organisations) for the purpose of advising ministers on research, monitoring and mitigation programmes. Consent conditions will require developers to contribute to these groups. An iterative sectoral plan review process ensures that the results of environmental assessments and monitoring of wind farms developments, alongside a programme of relevant scientific research, will inform future strategic plans for offshore wind in Scottish territorial waters.
Ìý
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 April 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 12 May 2014
To ask the Scottish Government how, in making planning decisions, it has taken account of the potential cumulative impact of offshore wind developments in Scottish, UK and other European waters on protected wildlife sites, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer
At the strategic plan level, a Strategic Environmental Assessment and a Habitats Regulations Appraisal of Marine Scotland’s forthcoming plans for offshore renewables, under the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations as amended, have been undertaken and have considered the potential for cumulative impacts with plans and projects outwith Scotland on Scottish wildlife sites.
The need for a cumulative impact assessment is also laid down in the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive 2011/92/EU which requires that the impacts of a project be assessed ‘cumulatively’ with other projects. When assessing an offshore wind farm application and its cumulative impact on European protected wildlife sites, the Scottish Ministers, as the competent authority, must undertake an appropriate assessment. Within this assessment, the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 require that the in-combination impacts (e.g. with other developments both inside and outside Scottish waters) are fully considered. Previous examples of appropriate assessments for consented offshore wind projects can be viewed on the Marine Scotland website.
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