Chamber and committees

The World Cancer ResearchFund advice on meat goes further than current Food Standards Agency advice and theagency is aware of the evidence on the relationship between meat consumption andcancer. The potential impact of a recommendation to consumers to reduce meat consumptionis being considered by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) aspart of a review of iron and health which is due to be made available for publiccomment in 2008.

ScottishGovernment ministers and officials have been meeting frequently withEventScotland to discuss plans for Homecoming Scotland.

I have asked JamesHynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response isas follows.

Communities Scotland provides housing association grant (HAG) toregistered social landlords to provide affordable housing for rent. This includesprojects where buildings are acquired and refurbished for use as housing.

In 2005-06, 353 refurbishedunits were approved for rent, with a total of £17.15 million provided by HAG. In2006-07, this figure increased to 408 refurbished units approved for rent, witha total of £20.036 million from HAG. Figures are not yet available for 2007-08,but based on previous years’ figures, it can be projected that approximately 450units will be approved for refurbishment in the current financial year.

We are not aware ofany evidence that it is more difficult to recruit and retain staff in small schools.The recruitment and retention of staff is a matter for individual local authorities.

No firm date for theestablishment of such a facility has ever been given by the board.

That is a matter forNHS Ayrshire and Arran.

The information inthe following tables, which relates to 2006, is taken from the September 2007 editionof Energy Trends, published by the Department for Business Enterprise &Regulatory Reform (BERR). It is available online at www.berr.gov.uk/files/file41460.pdf.

Figures for renewablesources are combined into four categories so that information about individual sitesprovided to AEA Energy & Environment (AEAE&E) and BERR in confidence isnot disclosed. It is therefore not possible to answer the question in the formatrequested.

Installed Capacityof Sites Generating Electricity from Renewable Sources in Scotland, 2006

Technology	Hydro	Wind and Wave	Landfill Gas	Biomass*	Total
MW	1,330.2	946.5	78.3	42.2	2,397.1
% of total	55.5	39.5	3	2	100

 

Generation of Electricityfrom Renewable Sources in Scotland, 2006

Technology	Hydro	Wind and Wave	Landfill Gas	Biomass*	Total
GWh	4,224.9	2,022.9	424	289.5	6,961.2
% of total	61	29	6	4	100

Notes:

*Includes biofuelsco-fired with fossil fuels.

Components may notadd exactly to totals because of rounding.

The Scottish Governmenthas pressed the UK Government for assurances that the timetable for the competitionto support a full-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) demonstrator project willnot slip any further. Representations have also been made to encourage support fromthe EU for CCS.

My officials havealso had discussions with Scottish Power and Scottish and Southern Energy on jointlyworking together on a feasibility study for CCS.

In addition, workhas been undertaken by Scottish Enterprise to consider development of clean coaltechnology. This has included supporting activities related to CCS through a CO₂consortium with the University of Edinburgh and others. They also work closely with the industry and have supporteda number of events to promote the case for clean coal.

The Cabinet Secretaryfor Finance and Sustainable Development and I, as well as officials, held a numberof meetings, including with the enterprise networks, local authorities and the businessorganisations during which the reforms were discussed. I held a stakeholder eventon 17 August 2007 to which approximately 86 individuals and organisations were invitedand many more attended. The Cabinet Secretary and I met a group of localenterprise company chairs on 3 September to seek their views on the way forward.In addition, a number of unsolicited contributions were received. It is thereforenot possible to provide a precise list of all those involved in the developmentof the reform proposals.

Local authoritiesreceive a funding settlement to assist with the delivery of services to children,including those affected by parental alcohol misuse. It is for local authoritiesto decide how to allocate these resources to best meet the needs of these childrentaking into account local circumstances. In addition, over £10 million per yearis made available to alcohol and drug action teams for treatment service, some ofwhich could include support for young people.

This is a complexand difficult issue, but the Scottish Government is committed to making real andlasting improvements to the lives of children in substance misusing households.