Chamber and committees

I have asked Mr Bob Millar, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:Communities Scotland does not operate a specific percentage target for home ownership. Local programmes are developed in close consultation with partners and reflect a broad range of existing partnership arrangements. Local programmes are based upon local housing market and needs analysis to identify, consistent with our strategy, the demands, needs and opportunities for housing investment. It is this local analysis that dictates the requirement for home ownership in an area.

I have no information on this.

There are currently 12 wind farms in operation across Scotland. Four developers have submitted applications for the consent of Scottish ministers under section 36 of the 1989 Electricity Act for windfarms of over 50MW capacity. A further five applications are in the process of preparing formal applications under section 36.We do not possess figures for applications made to local planning authorities for windfarms under 50MW under the Town and Country Planning Act.

There is currently around 100 megawatts of onshore wind energy capacity installed across Scotland. This amounts to around 1% of Scotland's total installed generating capacity.

Details of social inclusion partnership (SIP) spending against their SIP Fund allocations is shown in the following tables for 1999-2000 and 2000-01. Out-turn information in respect of 2001-02 is not yet available.

SIP	Total Allocation	Expenditure	Under (Over)
Aberdeen Great Northern	809,000	809,000	0
Arbroath	140,000	140,000	0
Argyle and Bute	206,000	205,113	887
Edinburgh North	2,877,000	2,830,281	46,719
Edinburgh South	740,000	506,427	233,573
Edinburgh Strategic Programme	1,178,000	1,098,064	79,936
Edinburgh Youth SIP	205,000	182,331	22,669
Edinburgh Craigmillar	1,723,000	1,669,416	53,584
Alloa South and East*	750,000	783,252	(33,252)
Dundee Young Carers	56,000	24,332	31,668
Dundee SIP1	2,512,000	2,508,967	3,033
Dundee SIP2	792,000	792,000	0
Dundee Xplore	300,000	181,375	118,625
East Ayrshire Coalfields	741,000	694,110	46,890
Tranent	94,000	93,750	250
Levern Valley*	433,000	554,299	(121,299)
Falkirk	550,000	550,000	0
Fife	751,000	720,332	30,668
Fife Frae	94,000	55,808	38,192
Glasgow Smaller Area	1,100,000	1,096,559	3,441
Glasgow Anti Racist	593,325	465,202	128,123
Glasgow Big Step	378,000	87,298	290,702
Glasgow Drumchapel	1,875,000	1,587,475	287,525
Glasgow East End	2,800,000	2,672,295	127,705
Glasgow Gorbals	562,500	541,183	21,317
Glasgow Greater Easterhouse	3,400,000	2,779,274	620,726
Glasgow Greater Govan	375,000	349,172	25,828
Glasgow Greater Pollock	1,725,000	1,701,653	23,347
Glasgow Milton	200,074	170,303	29,771
Glasgow North	3,300,000	3,240,883	59,117
Glasgow Routes Out	187,500	65,175	122,325
Glasgow Springburn	200,316	200,085	231
Highlands and Islands	603,000	479,730	123,270
Inverclyde	2,998,000	2,928,225	69,775
Moray Youthstart	424,000	419,556	4,444
North Ayrshire	776,000	776,000	0
Motherwell North	1,530,000	1,329,242	200,758
North Lanarkshire	850,000	807,162	42,838
South Coatbridge	250,000	208,947	41,053
GO - Perth	128,000	46,577	81,423
Ferguslie Park**	662,372	484,563	177,809
Paisley	2,981,000	2,654,076	326,924
Scottish Borders	215,000	154,966	60,034
Girvan	315,000	289,848	25,152
North Ayr	1,508,000	1,508,000	0
Blantyre/ North Hamilton	500,000	498,254	1,746
Cambuslang	600,000	598,595	598,595
Stirling	583,000	582,356	644
West Dunbartonshire	2,193,000	2,186,700	6,300
West Lothian	188,000	170,792	17,208
Total	48,952,087	45,479,003	3,473,084

Notes:*Only two social inclusion partnership areas showed an over spend against the agreed SIP Fund allocation in 1999-2000, i.e. Alloa South and East and Levern Valley. It should be noted that any amounts over and above the agreed allocations are met from other sources, usually the local authority.**By April 1999 Ferguslie Park was absorbed into the Paisley Social Inclusion Partnership but was given a ring-fenced budget to be used solely for the Ferguslie Park area. Table shows figures for 2000-01;

SIP	Total Allocation	Expenditure	Underspend
Aberdeen Great Northern	844,000	844,000	0
Argyle and Bute	280,000	260,791	19,209
Edinburgh North	2,589,575	2,556,423	33,152
Edinburgh South	990,938	919,498	71,440
Edinburgh Strategic Programme	550,450	537,490	12,960
Edinburgh Youth SIP	567,000	535,543	31,457
Edinburgh Craigmillar	1,755,335	1,731,958	23,377
Alloa South and East	1,017,000	1,014,783	2,217
Dundee Young Carers	105,000	101,404	3,596
Dundee SIP1	2,119,000	2,106,449	12,551
Dundee SIP2	453,000	448,038	4,962
Dundee Xplore	500,000	269,450	230,550
East Ayrshire Coalfields	1,042,250	1,042,000	250
Tranent	128,000	128,000	0
Levern Valley	446,000	408,121	37,879
Falkirk	578,750	253,525	325,225
Fife	630,000	630,000	0
Fife Frae	164,750	153,817	10,933
Glasgow Smaller Area	1,128,000	6,365	1,121,635
Glasgow Anti Racist	780,500	737,782	42,718
Glasgow Big Step	722,328	565,541	156,787
Glasgow Drumchapel	2,755,280	2,165,307	589,973
Glasgow East End	2,868,000	2,737,062	130,938
Glasgow Gorbals	764,000	716,873	47,127
Glasgow Greater Easterhouse	3,491,000	2,716,902	774,098
Glasgow Greater Govan	509,000	472,008	36,992
Glasgow Greater Pollock	2,343,000	1,920,344	422,656
Glasgow Milton	764,000	567,683	196,317
Glasgow North	2,987,000	2,919,101	67,899
Glasgow Routes Out	353,000	323,209	29,791
Glasgow Springburn	764,000	717,959	46,041
Highland and Islands	886,825	603,504	283,321
Inverclyde	2,421,000	2,388,291	32,709
Moray Youthstart	576,000	131,277	444,723
North Ayrshire	730,000	701,581	28,419
Motherwell North	1,629,500	1,532,360	97,140
North Lanarkshire	886,250	853,681	32,569
South Coatbridge	716,000	605,124	110,876
GO - Perth	194,761	167,706	27,055
Ferguslie Park*	1,101,000	868,946	232,054
Paisley	2,947,000	2,748,356	198,644
Scottish Borders	235,000	226,679	8,321
Girvan	428,000	417,587	10,413
North Ayr	1,545,938	1,545,938	0
Blantyre/ North Hamilton	1,019,000	1,018,721	279
Cambuslang	625,000	593,275	31,725
Stirling	526,000	517,446	8,554
West Dunbartonshire	2,087,000	2,086,223	777
West Lothian	256,000	84,785	171,215
Total	53,800,430	47,598,906	6,201,524

Note:*Ring-fenced element of Paisley SIP.The following is a corrected answer (published on 24 July 2002); see below. Table shows figures for 1999-2000;

SIP	Total Allocation	Expenditure	Under(Over)
Aberdeen Great Northern	809,000	809,000	0
Arbroath	140,000	140,000	0
Argyll and Bute	206,000	205,113	887
Edinburgh North	2,877,000	2,830,281	46,719
Edinburgh South	740,000	506,427	233,573
Edinburgh Strategic Programme	1,178,000	1,098,064	79,936
Edinburgh Youth SIP	205,000	182,331	22,669
Edinburgh Craigmillar	1,723,000	1,669,416	53,584
Alloa South and East*	750,000	783,252	(33,252)
Dundee Young Carers	56,000	24,332	31,668
Dundee SIP1	2,512,000	2,508,967	3,033
Dundee SIP2	792,000	792,000	0
Dundee Xplore	300,000	181,375	118,625
East Ayrshire Coalfields	741,000	694,110	46,890
Tranent	94,000	93,750	250
Levern Valley*	433,000	554,299	(121,299)
Falkirk	550,000	550,000	0
Fife	751,000	720,332	30,668
Fife Frae	94,000	55,808	38,192
Glasgow Smaller Areas	1,100,000	1,096,559	3,441
Glasgow Anti Racist Alliance	593,325	465,202	128,123
Glasgow Big Step	378,000	87,298	290,702
Glasgow Drumchapel	1,875,000	1,587,475	287,525
Glasgow East End	2,800,000	2,672,295	127,705
Glasgow Gorbals	562,500	541,183	21,317
Glasgow Greater Easterhouse	3,400,000	3,378,280	21,720
Glasgow Greater Govan	375,000	349,172	25,828
Glasgow Greater Pollok	1,725,000	1,701,653	23,347
Glasgow Milton	200,074	170,303	29,771
Glasgow North	3,300,000	3,240,883	59,117
Glasgow Routes Out	187,500	65,175	122,325
Glasgow Springburn	200,316	200,085	231
Highlands and Islands	603,000	479,730	123,270
Inverclyde	2,998,000	2,991,245	6,755
Moray Youthstart	424,000	419,556	4,444
North Ayrshire*	776,000	792,559	(16,559)
Motherwell North	1,530,000	1,329,242	200,758
North Lanarkshire	850,000	807,162	42,838
South Coatbridge	250,000	208,947	41,053
GO - Perth	128,000	46,577	81,423
Ferguslie Park**	662,372	528,740	133,632
Paisley	2,981,000	2,749,276	231,724
Scottish Borders	215,000	154,966	60,034
Girvan	315,000	289,848	25,152
North Ayr*	1,508,000	1,950,332	(442,322)
Blantyre/ North Hamilton	500,000	498,254	1,746
Cambuslang	600,000	598,595	1,405
Stirling	583,000	582,356	644
West Dunbartonshire	2,193,000	2,186,700	6,300
West Lothian	188,000	170,792	17,208
Total	48,952,087	46,739,297	2,212,790

Note:* Four Social Inclusion Partnership areas showed an overspend against the agreed SIP Fund allocation in 1999-2000, i.e. Alloa South and East, Levern Valley, North Ayrshire and North Ayr. It should be noted that any amounts over and above the agreed allocations are met from other sources, usually the local authority.** By April 1999 Ferguslie Park was absorbed into the Paisley Social Inclusion Partnership but was given a ring-fenced budget to be used solely for the Ferguslie Park area. Table shows figures for 2000-01;

SIP	Total Allocation	Expenditure	Underspend
Aberdeen Great Northern	844,000	844,000	0
Argyll and Bute*	280,000	291,610	(11,610)
Edinburgh North	2,589,575	2,556,423	33,152
Edinburgh South	990,938	964,498	26,440
Edinburgh Strategic Programme	550,450	537,490	12,960
Edinburgh Youth SIP	567,000	561,891	5,109
Edinburgh Craigmillar	1,755,335	1,731,958	23,377
Alloa South and East	1,017,000	1,014,783	2,217
Dundee Young Carers	105,000	101,404	3,596
Dundee SIP1	2,119,000	2,106,738	12,262
Dundee SIP2	453,000	448,030	4,970
Dundee Xplore	500,000	269,450	230,550
East Ayrshire Coalfields	1,042,250	1,042,043	207
Tranent	128,000	128,000	0
Levern Valley*	446,000	528,206	(82,206)
Falkirk	578,750	578,750	0
Fife	630,000	630,000	0
Fife Frae	164,750	153,817	10,933
Glasgow Smaller Areas	1,378,000	757,173	620,827
Glasgow Anti Racist Alliance	780,500	757,294	23,206
Glasgow Big Step	722,328	565,541	156,787
Glasgow Drumchapel	2,755,280	2,594,432	160,848
Glasgow East End	2,868,000	2,791,711	76,289
Glasgow Gorbals	764,000	731,298	32,702
Glasgow Greater Easterhouse	3,491,000	3,395,426	95,574
Glasgow Greater Govan	509,000	481,019	27,981
Glasgow Greater Pollok	2,343,000	2,000,916	342,084
Glasgow Milton	764,000	581,783	182,217
Glasgow North	2,987,000	2,984,906	2,094
Glasgow Routes Out	353,000	269,706	83,294
Glasgow Springburn	764,000	736,558	27,442
Highland and Islands	886,825	809,329	77,496
Inverclyde*	2,421,000	2,423,735	(2,735)
Moray Youthstart	576,000	576,000	0
North Ayrshire	730,000	714,000	16,000
Motherwell North	1,629,500	1,533,240	96,260
North Lanarkshire	886,250	853,681	32,569
South Coatbridge	716,000	605,124	110,876
GO - Perth	194,761	167,706	27,055
Ferguslie Park**	1,101,000	868,946	232,054
Paisley	2,947,000	2,748,176	198,824
Scottish Borders	235,000	226,679	8,321
Girvan	428,000	417,587	10,413
North Ayr*	1,545,938	1,853,918	(307,980)
Blantyre/ North Hamilton*	1,019,000	1,061,010	(42,010)
Cambuslang	625,000	593,275	31,725
Stirling	526,000	517,446	8,554
West Dunbartonshire	2,087,000	2,086,373	627
West Lothian	256,000	253,525	2,475
Total	54,050,430	51,446,604	2,603,826

Note:* Five Social Inclusion Partnership areas showed an overspend in 2000-01, i.e. Argyll and Bute, Levern Valley, Inverclyde, North Ayr and Blantyre/North Hamilton. It should be noted that any amounts over and above the agreed allocations are met from other resources, usually the local authority.**Ring-fenced element of Paisley SIP.

Wind energy at present accounts for a very small fraction of Scottish electricity generation - around 1%. However, the introduction of the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) has created a huge demand for new sources of renewable energy, which onshore wind is very well placed to meet. As existing fossil fuel power stations are closed over the next two decades, it is expected that wind and other forms of renewable generation will increasingly fill the gap.

In 2000-01, Scotland exported around 19% of its generated electricity; a breakdown of exports by source is not available. The system of Renewable Obligation Certificates under the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) is not yet in full operation, but will not require the export of electricity to accompany the sale outwith Scotland of any such certificates.

I can confirm that there are or have been five occasions on which the police or the procurator fiscal service have been informed about the workings of a social inclusion partnership (SIP), or asked to investigate the workings of a SIP. For information, in the context of this question the phrase "workings of a SIP" is taken as referring not just to internal SIP processes but also to projects funded or partially funded by a SIP. I am unable to comment on any cases that may be under investigation at present on the basis that such disclosure might compromise an on-going criminal investigation. I am also unable to comment on any cases in relation to which there is any related current legal action. Information in the answer refers to the SIP programme, which commenced in 1999.Given the above, I can confirm the details in relation to one case of the five:There were investigations by Glasgow City Council Internal Audit department and Strathclyde Police carried out into the operation of the CHEAF project in Milton. Both of these investigations concluded that there was no evidence to substantiate allegations of financial irregularity which had been levelled at this project.

The implications for local authorities of the increase in employers' National Insurance contributions will depend on a range of factors which relate to councils' staffing and pay levels. We are discussing the total future funding requirements for local government with COSLA as part of the spending review process.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25113.