Forth Ports plc, as statutoryharbour authority under the Forth Ports Authority Order Confirmation Act 1969, isthe main organisation carrying out dredging operations in the Firth of Forth. Incertain cases, e.g. when dredging within 50 yards of a bridge, pipe, submarine cableetc, Forth Ports is obliged to provide interested organisations with no less than28 days written notice of its intention to do so. If such operations involve thesea disposal of dredge material then a licence is also required under Part II of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 (Deposits in the Sea) (FEPA). FisheriesResearch Services, Marine Laboratory at Aberdeen (FRS) acts as the FEPA licensingauthority on behalf of the Scottish ministers. While there is no requirement forpublic consultation under FEPA, FRS routinely consults Scottish Natural Heritage,the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and local fishermen via the ScottishFisheries Protection Agency about all applications received.

Information is not held centrallyon the full range of dredging operations undertaken. Depending on the nature of the method used, some dredging operations may not fall under FEPA and so will notcome to the attention of FRS. Such operations are however likely to be very localisedand small in scale.

Over the past three years therehave been 10 routine (maintenance dredging) and two non-routine (capital dredging)licensed operations involving the sea disposal of dredge material within the Firthof Forth. FEPA sea disposal licences are usually issued for a period of one calendaryear. Details of dredge material disposal operations within the Firth of Forth thathave been licensed over the past three years are given in the following table:

Starting Date of Licence	Licensee/ Applicant (if Different)	Place of Production	Licensed -Actual Tonnage	Nature of Dredge Spoil	Disposal Site Name
01-08-2003	Buchanan Laird Ltd/ Forth Ports	Granton Harbour	311,383- 91585	Capital dredgings	Oxcars
10-10-2003	Forth Ports	Grangemouth	1,150,000- 850,309	Maintenance dredgings	Bo’ness
01-02-2004	Forth Ports	Leith	531,750- 47,576	Maintenance dredgings	Narrow Deep
17-05-2004	Forth Ports	Rosyth	130,000- 114,297	Maintenance dredgings	Oxcars
17-08-2004	Fife Council	Anstruther	42,638- 29,434	Maintenance dredgings	Anstruther
10-10-2004	Forth Ports	Grangemouth	1,150,000- 1,139,967	Maintenance dredgings	Bo’ness
01-05-2005	Forth Ports	Leith	425,400- Nil	Maintenance dredgings	Narrow Deep
10-10-2005	Forth Ports plc	Grangemouth	1,150,000- 250,510	Maintenance dredgings	Bo’ness
01-05-2005	Buchanan Laird Ltd/ Forth Ports	Granton	100,000- 86,638	Capital dredgings	Oxcars
17-05-2005	Forth Ports	Rosyth	260,000- 32,988	Maintenance dredgings	Oxcars
28-02-2006	Briggs Marine/ RNAD Crombie	Crombie	3,700- current licence	Maintenance dredgings	Blae Rock
01-04-2006	Royal Forth Yacht Club	Granton	9,999- current licence	Maintenance dredgings	Oxcars

 

In addition, following extensiveconsultation with interested stakeholders, the Crown Estate granted WestminsterGravels Ltd a 10 year Aggregate Production Licence commencing in January 2001 forthe extraction of up to 6,000,000 cubic metres of aggregates from within the “MiddleBank” area of the Firth of Forth. The only material extracted under this licenceto date was in early November 2005 when 129,387 tonnes was removed in order to supplyinfill material for the Leith Western Dock Reclamation Project.

Scottish Natural Heritage promotessustainable development through its formal and informal advice to public authorities,to land managers and the wider public. More specifically, it is able to promotesustainable development through its grant programmes, research and education servicesand by demonstrating and issuing guidance on best practice.

As I announced in Parliamenton 1 March 2006, I have asked Transport Scotland to takeforward, as part of the Strategic Projects Review, consideration of the role ofany replacement crossing of the Forth. Transport Scotland will assess the possible scope, form and function ofany such replacement crossing in accordance with the Scottish Transport AppraisalGuidance and in light of the national transport strategy.

Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area and can be contacted for more informationif required.

TheStirling-Alloa-Kincardine project will make possible the diversion of many of theEWS trains currently using the Forth Bridge onto a more direct and efficient route.A number of discussions have been held with EWS throughout the development periodof this project. Transport Scotland maintains liaison with EWS on a wide range ofmatters, including future route plans for freight trains.

Transport Scotland has the operationalresponsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-24370 on 28 March 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.In addition, Transport Scotland will report its findings on the scope, form and functionof any replacement crossing of the Forth in the summer of 2007.

Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area and can be contacted for more informationif required.

The Commission’s financial yearruns calendar yearly. The information available is the amount in pound sterlingallocated under European Structural Funds for the year 2005, broken down by programme, which totals £161,513,246.

East ERDF	South ERDF	West ERDF	West ESF	Objective 3	H & I ERDF	H & I ESF	Urban II	Leader+
25,123,094	7,865,666	42,031,336	5,991,833	53,518,387	20,582,225	4,108,291	1,553,255	739,159

 

As we are currently still withinthe 2000-06 programming period, the full allocation for all Scottish programmeshas not yet been disbursed. At current exchangerates, the total funding package equates to £1.156 billion, of which £676 millionhas already been disbursed in the current programming period. The disbursed figurecan change on a daily basis and is influenced by the exchange rate, repayment offunds and decommitment of funds.

New financial spend targets havebeen introduced in 2000-06, by which the full sum of any one year’s allocationsmust be spent within two years of the allocation year or risk automatic de-commitment(referred to as “N+2”).

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-24351 on. All answers to written parliamentary questionsare available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-24351 on 24 March 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-24351 on 24 March 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-24351 on 24 March 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.