Chamber and committees

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.

Applications for onshore wind farms in excess of 50 megawatts (MW) are considered by Scottish ministers under Section 36 of the Electricity Act (1989) and a total of 30 wind farms in Scotland have been consented in this way.

Of these 30 wind farms, five are located in South and East Ayrshire local authorities, representing 17 per cent in terms of wind farm developments, 25 per cent in terms of wind turbine numbers and 11 per cent in terms of installed capacity.

Application for wind farms of 50 MW and below are considered by the relevant local planning authority. Information on such developments is not held centrally and is a matter for planning authorities across the Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley parliamentary constituency.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35166 answered on 30 July 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Information on expressions of interest to develop wind farms of 50 megawatts and below is not held centrally and is a matter for planning authorities across the Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley parliamentary constituency.

Requests for scoping opinions for possible developments that may be greater than 50 megawatts are dealt with by the Scottish Government''s Energy Consents Unit.

At this time, five formal requests for scoping opinions have been submitted to the Energy Consents Unit, together with Environmental Assessments and preliminary details of proposals for wind farm developments within the Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley constituency.

The Scottish Government has held no such discussions regarding wind farm applications under Section 36 of the Electricity Act (1989). However, where applications are to be determined by Scottish ministers there are robust and transparent planning procedures in place to ensure that all landscape, environment and visual impact issues relating to any development are taken fully into account.

In addition, Scottish Planning Policy (SPP), which sets out the Scottish Government''s planning policies on the siting of wind farms, indicates that planning authorities should consider the likely impacts of wind farm developments on tourism and recreation interests.

Applications were approved on a first come, first served basis until the initial allocation of vouchers was equal to the budget allocated. The system did not record unsuccessful applications. A total of 4,602 vouchers were allocated during the initial allocation. Following subsequent appeals by individuals and the clarification of these and existing cases the number of current applications is 4,645, 20 of these are duplicates.

The reason for refusal of applications, broken down by postcode, is tabled below.

Postcode	Reason		Postcode	Reason
AB14	Not ESTR		EH55	Not G Rated
AB14	Not ESTR		FK1	Not ESTR
AB16	Not ESTR		FK5	Incorrect address
AB16	Not ESTR		FK9	Has Home Loan
AB21	Not G Rated		G11	Incorrect address
AB43	Incorrect address		G41	Not ESTR
AB44	Not home owner		G42	Not ESTR
AB55	Incorrect address		G42	Not ESTR
AB56	Incorrect address		G46	Not ESTR
AB56	Incorrect address		G53	Incorrect address
DD3	EAP Funding		G53	Incorrect address
DD4	Incorrect address		G61	Incorrect address
DD4	Incorrect address		G61	Not ESTR
DD4	Has Home Loan		G61	Not ESTR
DG1	Withdrawn by applicant		G61	Not ESTR
EH12	Not ESTR		G61	Not ESTR
EH12	Not ESTR		G62	Incorrect address
EH13	Has Home Loan		G62	Not ESTR
EH16	Has Home Loan		G64	Not ESTR
EH26	Not G Rated		G66	Incorrect address
EH52	Incorrect address		G66	Not ESTR
EH55	Not G Rated		G72	Not ESTR

 

Postcode	Reason
ML1	Not ESTR
ML2	Has Home Loan
ML2	Has Home Loan
ML2	Incorrect address
ML2	Incorrect address
ML3	Not ESTR
ML3	Not G Rated, Not ESTR
ML3	Not ESTR
ML5	Not ESTR
ML6	Not ESTR
PA1	Not G Rated
PA10	Incorrect address
PA2	Not ESTR
PA2	Not ESTR
PA2	Not ESTR
PA2	Not ESTR
PH1	Not ESTR
PH1	Incorrect address
PH1	Incorrect address

 

Officials from the Scottish Government''s Energy and Built Environment Directorates hold regular and routine discussions with local authorities about onshore renewables policy and land-use planning, including matters related to the cumulative impacts of wind farm developments where they are raised.

A revision to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) 2009 was made in the week of 19 July 2010. This is referred to as SIMD 2009 Version 2. This answer is based on the revised figures from SIMD 2009 Version 2 as opposed to the SIMD 2009 published in October 2009.

The areas in South Ayrshire in the 5% most deprived are not affected by this revision.

The SIMD is calculated at datazone level. Datazones are small statistical boundaries with an average population of around 750 people.

Of South Ayrshire''s 147 datazones, six are in Scotland''s 5% most deprived areas using SIMD 2009 Version 2. These are listed in the table below. Datazones do not have names and so the table also provides the name of the intermediate geography in which the datazone lies. Intermediate geographies are larger areas built up from a small number of datazones.

South Ayrshire''s Datazones in the 5% Most Deprived Areas (SIMD 2009 Version 2)

Datazone Code	Intermediate Geography Name
S01005590	Ayr North Harbour, Wallacetown and Newton South
S01005592	Ayr North Harbour, Wallacetown and Newton South
S01005594	Ayr North Harbour, Wallacetown and Newton South
S01005598	Ayr North Harbour, Wallacetown and Newton South
S01005600	Lochside, Braehead and Whitletts
S01005611	Lochside, Braehead and Whitletts

 

A list of deprived datazones is available on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) website: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/SIMD.

We have had a variety of representations from dispensing GP practices in NHS Ayrshire and Arran with regard to the control of entry arrangements. Most recently, we have received a number of responses to our Review of the Control of Entry Arrangements consultation exercise, which ended in June 2010. Details can be found on the Scottish Government website at:

www.scotland.gov.uk/318195.