Question reference: S5W-01784
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 4 August 2016
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Current status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 August 2016
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider publishing a register of cases in which ministers make contact, offer assistance or intervene in planning applications.
Answer
In the few cases where ministers intervene by recommending call-in of planning applications the reasons are publicly available. It is part of the day to day operation of the planning service that stakeholders, including government, communicate and it would not be practical to record and publish every case where there is discussion with government or its agencies. It would be for the planning authority in reporting to its Planning Committee to reflect any brokerage discussion relevant to the progress of any particular planning application and that would be both a proportionate and transparent reflection open to planning authorities.