Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24497 on 10 June 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

This is an operational matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, and I have asked the Chief Executive, Dr Campbell Gemmell, to write to you.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24870 on 8 July 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The national reserve provision allows member states limited scope to assist farming if there is a risk of land abandonment or in order to compensate for specific disadvantages. It has not, so far, been possible to make a case for deer farmers that meets all the conditions for the national reserve set out in the legislation, even under the latest version (EC/73/2009).

However, an inquiry into future support for agriculture in Scotland has begun, which will look in particular at the single farm payment, and a report is due next year. Deer farmers can also apply for support under a range of other government-funded schemes.

I will be writing very shortly to the Convener of the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee, enclosing the Scottish Government''s formal response to the Committee''s recommendations. The response should subsequently be available on the Scottish Parliament website.

The proportion of planned 2009-10 unit approvals by the Housing Investment Division in rural Scotland as defined by the Scottish Government six-fold urban rural classification is 9%. The proportion of planned approvals in rural Scotland as defined by the Affordable Housing Investment Programme classification is 18%.

The above figures exclude planned approvals of Home Owners Support Fund and Shared Equity Open Market Pilot as these are demand-led programmes, therefore location of approvals are not predetermined.

The number of planned unit approvals and completions in 2009-10 to be built in rural communities with grant support from the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP) is:

	AHIP Rural Classification	Scottish Government Six-Fold Urban Rural Classification: Accessible and Remote Rural
Planned Rural Approvals	1,464	707
Planned Rural Completions	1,546	763

The Affordable Housing Investment Programme classification is based on previous Scottish Government urban/rural definitions at local authority level, for consistency with historic data. This classification includes as rural, towns in predominantly rural local authority areas e.g. Oban.

The figures above exclude planned units to be provided through the Home Owners Support Fund and Shared Equity Open Market Pilot as these are demand-led programmes therefore locations are not predetermined.

This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0625-01.htm

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), which deals with all operational matters in relation to the Connected Communities project, has advised that the project has been providing a satisfactory internet service in the areas of Barra served by the Castlebay and Greinn mast sites since May 2006. The service to the rest of Barra was completed when the Loch Ob and Eoligarry relay sites were completed in December 2008. In the same way that BT cannot guarantee broadband coverage on its broadband-enabled exchanges, Connected Communities is unable to guarantee 100% coverage. Connected Communities also provides a broadband connection to a number of subscribers in Barra who are unable to receive a service from the (BT broadband-enabled) Castlebay exchange due to their distance from the exchange.

Furthermore, in recognition of the publication of the Digital Britain report on 16 June, we understand that the UK Government''s universal service commitment will deliver broadband at a speed of 2Mbps. Further details of how this will be delivered or expected timescales for particular areas are not yet known.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), which deals with all operational matters in relation to the Connected Communities project, has advised that following award of contracts for this project, a number of community champions liaised with the project team on behalf of their communities. The project team continues to consider views from all users of the Connected Communities service and currently liaises with the communities served by the project through community coordinators employed by the local authority, and through meetings with community councils.