Questions and answers

Question reference: S4W-09825

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 25 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding there will be for the National Retrofit Programme in 2013-14; when this will be announced, and what account will be taken of fuel poverty in the Highlands and Islands in determining this.

Question reference: S4W-09835

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 18 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-08299 by Stewart Stevenson on 24 July 2012, whether it will provide an update as to when it will announce the appointment of the convener of the Crofting Commission.

Question reference: S4O-01377

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 October 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it works with further and higher education institutions to develop skills relevant to the renewable energy sector.

Question reference: S4W-09837

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 12 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how many people are employed on zero-hours contracts, broken down by gender and expressed as a percentage.

It is not possible to give an estimate for the number of people in Scotland who had a zero hours agreed work arrangement during April to June 2012, as the data is unreliable. This is due to the small sample size of this cohort in Scotland.

Note:

1. The question in the LFS on special working-hours arrangements is only asked during the April to June and October to December quarters on the Labour Force Survey. The information is, therefore, not available on the Annual Population Survey (as the question is not asked in every quarter).

2. A zero hours contract is where a person is not contracted to work a set number of hours, and is only paid for the number of hours that they actually work.

Question reference: S4W-09407

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 20 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what the maximum length and width is for tracks for agriculture or forestry purposes that can be laid without the need for planning consent.

Question reference: S4W-09410

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 20 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will remove permitted development rights for tracks laid for agriculture and forestry purposes.

The Scottish Government recently consulted publicly on a number of proposed amendments to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992. The consultation included proposals to remove permitted development rights for new tracks and for widening or lengthening existing tracks. Permitted development rights for repairing existing tracks would be retained.

Responses to the consultation have been analysed by an independent consultant. The analysis of responses has been published. The Scottish Government is considering the arguments put forward by respondents to the consultation.

The analysis is published on the Scottish Government website and can be viewed at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/09/3943. A summary of the key findings is also available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/09/2886/0.

Question reference: S4W-09403

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 20 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce the findings of the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) Banding Review.

Question reference: S4W-09409

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 20 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether tracks laid for renewable energy, recreation or tourism purposes can benefit from permitted development rights and, if not, what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Specific permitted development rights apply only to the construction of agricultural or forestry tracks which meet the criteria set out in the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992; there are no specific permitted development rights for the construction of tracks used for other purposes.

The Scottish Government is considering proposals to restrict the current permitted development rights in relation to agricultural and forestry tracks. Responses to public consultation on these, and other, proposed amendments to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992 have now been analysed and we are considering how to proceed in this matter.

The analysis is published on the Scottish Government website and can be viewed at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/09/3943. A summary of the key findings is also available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/09/2886/0.

Question reference: S4W-09408

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 20 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that tracks laid for agriculture or forestry purposes could have adverse environmental impacts and, if so, what these are.

Any inappropriately located development can potentially have an impact on the environment.

The Scottish Government is considering whether to amend permitted development rights for agricultural or forestry tracks. An analysis of responses to a public consultation on proposed amendments to permitted development rights has been published and the Scottish Government is considering options for change.

The analysis is published on the Scottish Government website and can be viewed at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/09/3943. A summary of the key findings is also available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/09/2886/0.

Question reference: S4W-09406

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 20 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what action can be taken regarding tracks for agriculture or forestry purposes located outwith designated sites.

Planning permission is required for constructing hill tracks, including all tracks accessed by the public. At present certain private enterprises - such as agricultural and forestry operations - have permitted development rights, which enable hill tracks to be constructed without the need to apply for a formal grant of planning permission.

It is for planning authorities to determine whether or not a particular track is in breach of planning control and to take enforcement action if they consider it necessary.

Chamber and committees