- Asked by: John Farquhar Munro, MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 June 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 28 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any objections by the Ministry of Defence to wind farm developments in relation to the impact of low flying aircraft have been considered during the development of the Renewables Obligation (Scotland).
Answer
The Ministry of Defence made no response to our preliminary consultation on the Renewables Obligation (Scotland). The Ministry of Defence position on the siting of wind farms in tactical training areas was set out by Dr Moonie, the Defence Minister responsible for these issues, in an answer to a Westminster PQ on 22 March.It is clear that, whilst obstacles in excess of 100 m in height, unlit by night and with the ability to cause interference to radar, are potentially of concern to the Ministry of Defence, each case will be considered on its merits. These matters should be resolved during the planning process.The final statutory consultation on the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) will be published soon. Any comments received from the Ministry of Defence will be considered along with all other responses when that consultation ends.
- Asked by: John Farquhar Munro, MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 June 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 28 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications for wind farms in low flying area 14(T) have been (a) approved and (b) rejected.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16272.
- Asked by: John Farquhar Munro, MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 June 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 28 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any areas of Scotland have been rejected as potential sites for the development of wind farms due to anticipated objections from the Ministry of Defence.
Answer
National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) 6: Renewable Energy Developments notes that planning policy is based on the principle that renewable energy developments should be accommodated throughout Scotland. However, the NPPG recognises that, in the case of proposed wind farms on airfield flight paths and in military aircraft flying areas, consideration should be given to the height of turbines and electro-magnetic fields generated.
- Asked by: John Farquhar Munro, MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 June 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 28 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications have been received for wind farms in low flying area 14(T).
Answer
This information is not held centrally.
- Asked by: John Farquhar Munro, MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 June 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 28 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what weight is given to objections from the Ministry of Defence in relation to decisions on whether wind farm planning applications should be approved.
Answer
It is for the decision-maker to consider the weight to be attached to all issues raised by a development proposal, including objections, before reaching a decision on the application.
- Asked by: John Farquhar Munro, MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 June 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 28 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Ministry of Defence in relation to the siting of wind farms in low flying areas.
Answer
There have been no discussions between the Executive and the Ministry of Defence on this matter.
- Asked by: John Farquhar Munro, MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 June 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 28 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the monitoring by the Performance Audit Group of BEAR (Scotland) Ltd's trunk road maintenance contract has found any shortcomings in their winter road maintenance performance on the Highland trunk road network during the last six weeks.
Answer
The monitoring carried out to date has not found evidence that BEAR Scotland Ltd has failed to meet its contractual obligations with regard to winter maintenance in the Highlands.
- Asked by: John Farquhar Munro, MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 May 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 11 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had discussions with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency regarding plans to decommission nuclear submarines at Loch Ewe and, if so, what the outcome was.
Answer
No.
- Asked by: John Farquhar Munro, MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 11 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for the removal of litter from verges, landscaping and lay-bys on the trunk road network in each of the maintenance contract areas and whether there has been any alteration to these arrangements as a result of the recent letting of new contracts.
Answer
Responsibility for the removal of litter from special roads and motorways lies with the Scottish Executive as the roads authority. For all other trunk roads the responsibility rests with the local councils through which area the trunk road passes. These are statutory obligations and there has been no alteration to these requirements as a result of the recent award of the management and maintenance contracts for the Scottish trunk road network.The recently awarded management and maintenance contracts contain a provision to require the new Operating Company to liaise with local councils and to ensure that their policies meet with the requirements of the relevant sections of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 with respect to the trunk roads within the Unit.
- Asked by: John Farquhar Munro, MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 10 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the successful tender for the trunk road management and maintenance contract in the Highlands.
Answer
The result of the competition was announced in my reply to Des McNulty on 23 January (question S1W-12726). I subsequently announced my intention to award the contract in the answer to question S1W-13044 on 2 February.
