Chamber and committees

This information is not availablein the form requested. Information about successful environmental prosecutions ispublished in the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s Annual Reports. Thesemay be found on the agency’s website at: http://www.sepa.org.uk/publications/index.htm.

The Scottish Environment ProtectionAgency is responsible for ensuring that operators fulfil their statutory duty totransport waste in such a way that it does not escape, and is therefore concernedthat vehicles used for this purpose should be suitable. The safety of vehicles usedto transport waste to landfill sites is, however, like the safety of other roadvehicles, a matter for the Department for Transport of the UK Government and itsagencies.

This information is not availablein the form requested. Information about successful environmental prosecutions ispublished in the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s Annual Reports. Thesemay be found on the agency’s website at:http://www.sepa.org.uk/publications/index.htm.

The SPCB has issuedguidance, not rules, for the assistance of members and staff during electionperiods. This guidance makes reference to the existing practices and rules onthe use of parliamentary resources under the Code of Conduct, Members’Allowances Scheme and the Equipment and Furniture Scheme which have beenendorsed by Parliament. The Allowances Scheme sets out that the resourcessupplied to members under the scheme, which includes resources for theemployment of staff, are used only for Parliamentary duties. Activities tofurther the interests of political parties or of candidates would not, ofcourse, be covered by this. Any breach of the Allowances Scheme may lead to thematter being reported to the Standards Committee which has the power to impose sanctions.

The National Language Strategyis a partnership commitment of the Scottish Executive and as such is the responsibilityof Scottish ministers, working with relevant interests where appropriate.

The call-handling system operatedby Response Handling automatically records details of individual calls and summaryreports based on this data are routinely passed to the Executive. The Executivehas been assured, and accepts, that this arrangement delivers accurate and reliableresults in line with the requirements of the service level agreement.

Indirect confirmation of theadequacy of response times is provided by the Executive’s “mystery shopper” programmewhich checks on a random basis that the service is functioning correctly and thecontractor’s own customer feedback system which also generates reports for the Executiveon levels of customer satisfaction. Neither of these checks has identified problemswith response times.

As we had to plan well inadvance of the migration to Holyrood, the contract for all catering outlets waslet last summer. I can confirm, however, that all catering outlets at Holyroodwill serve only fair trade coffee and tea.

The Executive’s current review ofaffordable housing will take account of this contribution from the Scottish Council for Single Homeless.

The power to advance well-beingis an enabling measure available to local authorities: it is for the local authority to decide whether any particularaction would be likely to promote or improve the well-being of its area and/or personsin it.

The exercise of the discretionof planning authorities in considering planning applications is regulated by planninglaw, including the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 and related subordinatelegislation. The Executive does not consider that it would be necessary or appropriatefor the power to advance well-being to be relied upon by any local authority inthe exercise of that discretion.

Planning guidance makes clearthat it is expected that development proposals that are in accordance with localplans will be granted planning permission. Local plans are expected to be responsiveto local needs and to promote change in the wider interests of the community. Tothat extent, local authorities, in making decisions on planning applications, alreadytake into account the welfare of local communities.

Section 21 of theact requires local authorities to have regard to guidance issued by Scottish ministersabout the use of the power. Such guidance was issued in April 2004 (The LocalGovernment in Scotland Act 2003: Power to Advance Well-Being Guidance): chapter2 explains the power and chapter 3 describes the framework of safeguards put inplace under section 22 of the act. The guidance may be found on the Executive’sinternet site at the following address:

www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/localgov/pawbg-00.asp.

Members’ staff trainingcosts are a legitimate charge against the Members’ Support Allowance. The CorporateBody has no plans at present to increase the Members Support Allowance.