Chamber and committees

We have had no discussion with South Ayrshire Council about this energy from waste plant, which is being proposed on land managed by Forestry Commission Scotland. The commission wants to encourage development of a railhead on this site to help take timber traffic off public roads and has proposed that ancillary developments, such as the energy to waste plant, be allowed to help improve the economic viability of the project. Such a development would of course be subject to securing necessary land-use planning consent from the local authority and environmental permit from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

I regularly meet with the Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to discuss matters affecting the service. My last such meeting was on 12 August 2010.

There is regular liaison and discussion between the Scottish and UK Governments regarding a wide range of maritime matters, including the Scottish ferry industry.

There are no ferry services operating between Scotland and the Republic of Ireland. However, there are three commercial services currently operating between Scotland and Northern Ireland, as follows:

Stranraer to Belfast (operated by Stena Line)*

Cairnryan to Larne (P & O Irish Sea Ferries)

Troon to Larne (P & O Irish Sea Ferries).

The A75 Cairntop to Barlae scheme, which is due for completion in October 2010, will see a new 1.4 mile stretch of dual carriageway. This will improve the access to and from Stranraer and Cairnryan in support of the above services. It will also support businesses, communities and tourism across Scotland.

In addition, Scottish ministers remain supportive of the provision of a service between Campbeltown and Ballycastle in Northern Ireland in view of the benefits it will bring to the people across Scotland and Northern Ireland. Consideration is currently being given to the timing of further work on the re-establishment of this service. However, in view of the limited funding available for the route in the 2010-11 budget, it would be inappropriate to say when any tendering of the route could start.

*Stena Line is planning to move its Belfast service from Stranraer to Old House Point, Loch Ryan. A Harbour Empowerment Order for the Loch Ryan Port has recently been approved by the Scottish Parliament which will enable Stena Line to develop and operate its new facility at Old House Point. In summary, the project will:

trigger a £200 million investment by Stena (including two new vessels).

safeguard around 500 port operation jobs (420 in Stranraer).

create around 900 new jobs during the construction period (100 will be local).

shorten the crossing time between Loch Ryan and Belfast.

enable significant regeneration proposals for Stranraer.

Information on wind farm applications being considered by Scottish Ministers is available by local authority areas.

Applications for onshore wind farms in excess of 50 megawatts (MW) are considered by Scottish Ministers under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. Currently two section 36 wind farm applications are under consideration. One is located in the South Ayrshire local authority area and the other in East Ayrshire.

Wind farm applications below 50 MW are initially considered by the planning authorities but such applications may be referred to Scottish Ministers for consideration under either the notification or appeals procedures. There are currently no notified applications being considered but there is one appealed application with the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals for a development in the East Ayrshire local authority area.

The information requested is not held centrally. Community benefit agreements for wind farms are a private matter between the developer and communities concerned. The Scottish Government has no legal powers to compel parties to disclose the commercial details of such agreements.

The Scottish Government welcomes the commitment shown by developers through voluntary, ex-gratia community benefit agreements and has published guidance and models for delivery online at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/261186.

The Scottish Government''s Energy Consents Unit holds the following information on wind farm developments and potential developments of greater than 50 megawatts (MW) in the Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley parliamentary constituency:

(a) Operational sites are operated by:

i Scottish and Southern Energy

ii Scottish Power Renewables.

(b) Applications for wind farm developments have been received from:

iii Scottish Power Renewables

iv E-on UK.

(c) The following wind farm operators have formally requested a Scoping Opinion for potential developments which may be greater than 50 MW:

v Coriolis,

vi Scottish Power Renewables

vii North British Wind Power

viii Infinergy.

Information on wind farm developments of 50 MW and below is not held centrally and is a matter for planning authorities across the Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley parliamentary constituency.

We have no plans to make further payments.

Responsibility for the development and reinforcement of grid infrastructure to accommodate new generating capacity is a matter for the relevant electricity Distribution Network Operator (DNO); in this case Scottish Power Networks. It is for individual developers to engage with the DNO on grid connections and any necessary associated infrastructure development. The Scottish Government encourages individual developers and DNOs to engage proactively on grid connection and to deliver electricity transmission network enhancements and improvements that meet Scotland''s existing energy needs and help deliver our considerable energy potential.