Chamber and committees

The number of applications for discharge consent made to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in the years in question, and associated income, are shown in the table. Figures for new discharges and retrospective consents are not collected separately.

Year	No. of Applications	Income (£)
1998-99	1,526	458,265
1999-2000	1,361	363,382
2000-01	1,407	446,106
2001-02	1,203	315,351

We have no such plans at present.

The organisations consulted will include, in addition to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman:Association of Managers of Student Services in Higher Education (Scotland)Association of Scottish CollegesAUTBeattie Resources for Inclusiveness in Technology and Education CentreCitizens Advice ScotlandCoalition of Higher Education Students in ScotlandCommission for Racial Equality Disability Rights CommissionEISEquality NetworkEqual Opportunities Commission46 Further Education Colleges46 Further Education Student AssociationsHer Majesty's Inspectorate of Education20 Higher Education Institutions20 Higher Education Student AssociationsHighlands and Islands EnterpriseLinking Education and Disability Scotland32 Local Education AuthoritiesNational Association of Managers of Student ServicesNUS (Scotland)QAA ScotlandRoyal Society of EdinburghScottish Consumer CouncilScottish EnterpriseSFHEAScottish Agricultural CollegeScottich Agricultural College Student AssociationScottish Civic ForumScottish Faith CouncilScottish Further Education Funding CouncilScottish Further Education UnitScottish Higher Education Funding CouncilScottish Parliament Corporate BodyScottish Parliament Enterprise and Culture CommitteeScottish Qualifications AuthorityScottish Refugee CouncilScottish Science Advisory CommitteeScottish Youth ParliamentSKILLSTUCUNISONUniversities Scotland.The Scottish Executive is committed to carrying out consultation which is thorough, effective and open. We aim to include the full range of stakeholders and those likely to be affected by the proposal, including equality groups, on our list of consultees. In accordance with Executive policy the consultation paper will also be available from the Scottish Executive website, thus enabling anyone who wishes to do so to access the document and make a response.I should welcome members' suggestions of any further interested organisations that the Executive should be consulting.

In our Partnership Agreement A Partnership for a Better Scotland, we gave a commitment to give students in further and higher education the right to refer matters to the ombudsman when institutional mechanisms fail them. We will consult on our plans in autumn 2003 before promoting the required legislation.A copy of the Partnership Agreement can be found on the Executive's website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/government/pfbs-00.asp.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-795 today. All answers to written parliamentary questionsare available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-795 today. All answers to written parliamentary questionsare available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

The Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) Schemes closed to new applications on 31 December 2000 and were replaced by the Rural Stewardship Scheme. However, I am aware of the environmental and other benefits which the ESA Schemes have delivered and that is why I issued a consultation paper on 5 March seeking views on options for continued agri-environment support for farmers and crofters when their existing 10-year ESA agreement expires. The consultation period ended on 30 May. I will consider the precise way forward in light of responses received, but am determined to have appropriate arrangements in place to provide continued agri-environmental support for those whose ESA Scheme agreements are coming to an end in the next few years.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-795 today. All answers to written parliamentary questionsare available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

The level of grant available in Scotland for short-rotation coppice (SRC) in the new Scottish Forestry Grants Scheme (SFGS) is £600 per hectare, but on land set aside as part of the Arable Area Payment Scheme, the SFGS grant is £400 per hectare.Within the Arable Area Payment Scheme, payments for set aside land can include the production of SRC. The currently payment levels are £205.80 per hectare for Less Favoured Areas and £223.97 per hectare for Non Less Favoured Areas.The Forestry Commission grant level for SRC in England is identical to Scotland. However, in England there is also a scheme called the Energy Crop Scheme (ECS) which offers £1,600 per hectare for SRC on ex-livestock land and £1,000 per hectare on all other land types. This scheme is operated by the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and is part of the wider England Rural Development Programme.

Grants for short rotation coppicing are contained within the Scottish Forestry Grants Scheme, which was launched in February 2003 and supports priorities contained in the Scottish Forestry Strategy. The scheme was developed in association with a wide stakeholder group which felt that, while energy crops and wood fuel were potential areas for future development, in view of the many competing priorities for the forestry grant budget, the short rotation coppice grant rates should not increase.Payments for set aside land, which can include production of short rotation coppice, are also contained within the Arable Area Payment Scheme. There are no changes to the rules covering this scheme this year.