Chamber and committees

It is for developers to proposethe location of wind farms. Subsequent applications for planning permission or forconsent under the Electricity Act are subject to consultation requirements and authoritiesdetermining an application must fully consider all material issues relevant to theproposals, including local authority development plans and relevant guidance. Consequently,consultees’ responses including any views of Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park Authorityand representations from members of the public are considered as part of the overalldetermination process.

We place great importance onattracting jobs and increasing investment throughout Scotland, includingNorth Ayrshire.

Together with the local authority,training agencies, the voluntary sector, Communities Scotland and other local partners,Scottish Enterprise is making a significant contribution to the Ayrshire economyby increasing employment and economic development opportunities.

Examples of such support forNorth Ayrshire include: workforce development, the Lochshore project on the siteof the former Glengarnock Steel Mill, Ayrshire Innovation Centre, the Clyde Marina/ArdrossanHarbour project and the Irvine Bay Urban Regeneration Company.

One of our central prioritiesis to support Scotland’s economic growth. We have already made clear that oneof the ways in which we will do so is by removing or reducing the burden of businessrates for small businesses, many of which are located in traditional town centresacross Scotland. We will announce further measures in due course.

The Scottish Executive hasbeen working with Irvine Bay Urban Regeneration Company (URC) and localpartners, including North Ayrshire Council, Communities Scotland and ScottishEnterprise Ayrshire, to assist in the development of comprehensive regenerationproposals for the Irvine Bay area of North Ayrshire, which covers the town of Ardrossan. IrvineBay URC will be submitting a finalised business plan to the Executive in June2007 for consideration. Decisions on any future investment by the Executivewill be taken in that context.

The Scottish Executive recognisesthat images of smokers featured in films, TV and magazines may influence young peopleto smoke. In developing our longer term national smoking prevention strategy, therefore,we will work with the UK Government and other devolved governments to explore waysto reduce positive and increase negative images of smoking in the media. It doesnot seem unreasonable for issues relating to film classification to form part ofthese considerations.

The available information onthe number of persons proceeded against for dog fouling is given in the followingtable.

Persons Proceededagainst in Scottish Courts for Offences Under the Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 2003¹, 2002-03 to 2005-06

Year	Number
2004-05	8
2005-06	8

Note: 1. Where mainoffence.

The Scottish Executive does nothave an estimated date for this. Homelessness legislation introduced standards which temporary accommodation for householdswith children and pregnant women must meet and prohibits routine use of B&Bsand other unsuitable accommodation for these households.

The Litter Act 1958 was repealedby the Litter Act 1983. Prosecutions for littering offences are generally underthe Environmental Protection Act 1990. The available information for persons proceededagainst for littering offences under the 1990 act is given in the table.

Persons Proceeded against inScottish Courts for Littering Offences Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990,2003-04 to 2005-06.

Year	Number
2003-04	28
2004-05	43
2005-06	32

Note: 1. Where main offence.

The information requested isnot held centrally at this time. Changes to the homelessness statistics data collectionsystem, introduced from April 2007, allow councils to identify applicants from themost recent EU accession states. The first annual statistics on such applicants,for the year 2007-08, will be published during 2008.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advises all UK health departments on issues relating to vaccination and immunisation, based on currently available scientific evidence. Last year, the committee considered whether carers should be offered immunisation against influenza routinely each year. However, it concluded that there was insufficient medical evidence to incorporate this group into those currently targeted as at risk against the complications of influenza in this year's policy. Ultimately, however, the final decision as to who should be offered immunisation is a matter for the patient's medical practitioner who should take into account the risk of influenza infection exacerbating the underlying disease as well as the risk of serious illness from influenza.