Chamber and committees

The terms of reference for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service feasibility study of a future passenger and vehicle service with the vehicle portion being non-subsidised will be published in full once they are finalised. We expect them to be available shortly.

The Scottish Government has continued to keep in contact with members of the previous inland water rescue stakeholder group when required on matters related to water safety, and as such has not established a new inland water safety working group. We will convene a meeting of a new working group when we consider it necessary, and will of course approach relevant organisations, including those from the third sector.

The Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals sets targets for submission of the report to Scottish ministers from receipt of the case. This is considered a more appropriate indicator of performance.

The Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals (DPEA) has submitted nine reports relating to section 36 wind farm applications in the last five years. The average time taken to submit a report to Scottish ministers in these cases, following conclusion of the inquiry, is 24 weeks. DPEA has also submitted reports to Scottish ministers on three called-in planning applications and five recalled planning appeals in this period. The average time taken to submit the report to Scottish ministers in these cases, following the conclusion of the inquiry, is 18 weeks.

Scottish ministers want decisions to be taken as quickly as possible, allowing for proper consideration of the evidence and information available. Ministers appreciate the complexity of issues raised in wind farm applications and appeals and the evidence heard by reporters at inquiries. Scottish ministers welcome the efforts that have been made by the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals (DPEA) to streamline the processes and timescales for examination of these cases. The processes adopted by both the Scottish Government and DPEA are under constant review, and ministers are confident that these will continue to improve, and determination timescales will reduce.

The average length of time for Scottish ministers to determine an application under section 36 of the Electricity Act after receipt of the inquiry report is eight months. The maximum duration of these considerations has been 23 months (the decision to reject the Greenock wind farm application in 2007) and the shortest period has been three months (the decision to consent the Fallago Rig wind farm after the second PLI in 2010).

The determination of applications for section 36 wind farm developments requires careful weighing of a variety of complex issues and of the advice and opinion received by Scottish ministers from their advisors. In a case where a public local inquiry has been called, this would include, but would not be limited to, the findings of the reporter. Scottish ministers must be confident that all material issues have been appropriately considered before any decision can be made.

Given this, we consider it inappropriate to stipulate a maximum time limit for these considerations. However, we are aware of the impact both on local communities, and on the applicant, of any delay in the determination process and wherever possible such delays are kept to a minimum. Work is being undertaken to address the broader barriers to deployment, such as aviation radar issues, which we hope will be reflected in a reduction in application timescales in due course.

In relation to called-in planning applications and recalled planning appeals, following the submission of the reporter's report to Scottish ministers, ministers aim to issue their decision within two months in 80% of cases and three months in 100% of cases.

The Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals (DPEA) is currently adequately resourced to deal with all aspects of the work it receives, including wind farm applications which require an inquiry. DPEA has a core group of salaried reporters as well as a panel of self employed reporters, who are used to deal with peaks in their workload.

The Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals (DPEA) has targets for processing casework from receipt of the case to submission of the report to Scottish ministers. This target is 38 weeks. No target is set for submission of the report following the inquiry.