Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-18700 on 18 December 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-18700 on 18 December 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-18700 on 18 December 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The Forestry Commission’s 25 year forecast of maximum potential softwood availability was published in 2012 and covers both the national forest estate and the private sector. The reports, which set out availability in five, five year periods to 2036, can be found at the following website:

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-8rce2q

The forecast suggests that over the next 25 years there is potentially significantly greater availability of softwood compared to current production levels of 7.8 million cubic metres. This potential increase will be in the private sector, which already provides the majority of the Scottish timber harvest. Forestry Commission Scotland is committed to maintaining annual production on the national forest estate at 3.2 million cubic metres (+/-5% and excluding diseased timber) in the short and medium term.

The Forestry Commission will publish a 50 year forecast of potential softwood availability for both the private sector and national forest estate in 2014.

Forestry Commission Scotland does not separately forecast timber production from crops less than five years old because their very young age would make any forecast inaccurate. Sitka spruce represents 65% of the total softwood standing volume on the national forest estate in Scotland.

The current 25 year forecast for Scotland predicts that current levels of planting and replanting can sustain timber production at current levels (and above) over 25 years. The 50 year forecast will identify if this is the case beyond 25 years.

The Forestry Commission has confirmed the reliability of statistics used to inform the softwood forecast. The forecast figures are based on information from the National Forest Inventory for private sector woodlands and the Forestry Commission's database for the national forest estate. These figures are subject to rigorous quality assurance processes and comply with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics, and in due course will be put forward for assessment by the UK Statistics Authority, with the aim that subsequent outputs will be designated as ‘National Statistics’.

Transport Scotland and Police Scotland have been investigating measures to improve clear up times following accidents on the trunk road network. 3D laser scanners are one proposal currently being considered, although no decision on whether to proceed has yet been taken.

Trunk road closures for serious accidents are a matter for Police Scotland. The trunk road operating companies make every effort to minimise the resulting disruption by implementing diversion routes and Traffic Scotland provides up to date traffic and travel information on the closures across a wide range of media.

We have not conducted an economic impact assessment of the impact of trunk road closures on tourism and other business in the Highlands and Islands, nor do we have any such plans.

Scottish Government officials have held discussions with the takeaway food sector as part of the on-going consultation on our draft carrier bag charging regulations. We are also taking advice from the Food Standards Agency on this issue, drawing on experience in areas such as Wales and Northern Ireland where similar measures to promote reuse of carrier bags have already been introduced.

Our draft Regulations already include a number of exemptions from charging for food safety reasons, consistent with Food Standards Agency advice. We will consider all representations made during the on-going consultation period before bringing forward final Regulations next year.

The Food Standards Agency’s remit in this respect is concerned with providing advice on the potential risk to food safety.

The Food Standards Agency’s position regarding the potential for the transfer of pathogens between raw foods (such as raw meat and vegetables containing soil) and ready to eat foods is clear. Carrier bags which have previously been used to transport unpackaged or unsealed raw foods could present a cross-contamination risk to unpackaged ready to eat foods.

Foods purchased from takeaways tend to be cooked, ready to eat foods which are usually wrapped or partially wrapped before placing in a carrier bag. These food items should not in themselves present a risk of contamination if they are cooked and handled properly by the caterer in accordance with food hygiene legislation.

With more and more consumers reusing carrier bags, either for sustainability or as a result of charging the Food Standards Agency’s advice to help prevent bacteria spreading to ready-to-eat food is as follows:

1. Keep raw meat and fish separate from ready-to eat-foods, in separate bags.

2. If your bags are re-useable, keep one or two just for use with raw meat and fish.

3. Do not use them for ready-to-eat foods.

4. Re-useable bags (and single use carrier bags) should be disposed of if there has been any spillage of raw meat juices.

This is an operational matter for Police Scotland.

Each local authority area in Scotland has a local policing plan. Police Scotland is now engaging with communities across Scotland to ensure their views are reflected in the local policing plans. I would encourage farmers and all people from rural areas to participate in this and make their views known.