Chamber and committees

This is a matter for the National Trust For Scotland as owners of the Mar Lodge Estate.

Data on the number of NHS dentists at 31 December 2004 is not available centrally.

The latest centrally-held information on hospital and community health service(HCHS) dentists and general dental practitioners in NHSScotland, as at 30 September 2004, was published today, 10 February 2005, on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, at:

www.isdscotland.org/workforce.

The Scottish Executive is committed to maintaining strong, prosperous and growing communities in rural Scotland. Examples of the wide range of measures we are taking to achieve this are set out in our Annual Rural Report, http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/rural/anrr04-00.asp.

On housing, we have increased our investment in rural areas this year to nearly £80 million which will fund more than 1,400 affordable homes. This includes both quality housing for rent and low-cost home ownership units. The percentage share of the housing investment programme allocated to rural areas now stands at a record high of 28% in 2004-05, compared with 20% in 1999-2000.

The Executive has commissioned the National Radiological Protection Board to give advice on the radiological significance of levels of radon in Scotland, and, as part of this process, the board is completing its survey of radon, in housing across Scotland. The survey findings will be available later in the year. Meantime, building regulations require that, in radon affected areas, radon control measures must be incorporated into new houses as they are being built.

The Scottish Executive intends to introduce the following measures to improve road safety on the A90 at the Laurencekirk/Marykirk junctions:

• The introduction of a 50mph speed limit over a 1,600 metre length of the A90 between Oatyhill and Johnstone Lodge.
• The installation of a safety camera
• The introduction of a 50mph speed limit over a 1,600 metre length of the A90 between Oatyhill and Johnstone Lodge.
• The installation of advanced warning signs
• The extension of high friction surfacing
• Renewal and relocation of the direction signs to Marykirk to assist visibility
• Installation of verge markers
• Renewal of lining
• The clearance of vegetation.

These safety measures will be introduced as soon as possible and we are starting the necessary statutory procedures to reduce the speed limit to 50mph between Oatyhill and Johnstone Lodge immediately.

Yes. Scottish Water’s consultation code was approved by Scottish ministers after consultation with the Water Customer Consultation Panels. We have asked the panels to keep the code under review and report back on how well it is being implemented.

The development of the Aberdeen Crossrail proposal is being led by Aberdeenshire Council, in partnership with Aberdeen City Council. I understand that a full appraisal of the proposal is currently being prepared in accordance with the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance. 

Planning legislation aims to strike a balance between allowing an applicant to submit a revised application where they may have made a genuine attempt to take into account objections to a previous proposal or if there has been a change in circumstances, and preventing applicants from using repeat applications to wear down the resistance of local communities.

Section 39(1) of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 therefore gives planning authorities the power to decline to determine applications for planning permission if, within the previous two years the development proposal was subject to refusal of planning permission by the Scottish ministers and in the opinion of the planning authority there has been no significant change since that refusal.

As part of our work on modernising the planning system, we will consider whether this section needs to be amended in the context of a future planning bill.

The Scottish Executive expects all education authorities to develop and implement an anti-bullying policy and for this to be reflected in school-level policies. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education may look at schools’ policies and practices in relation to bullying within its school inspections.

The report of the Discipline Task Group Better Behaviour – Better Learning also made 36 recommendations regarding the role of education authorities and schools in promoting positive behaviour. It recommended that all schools should have policies and procedures for the care, welfare and discipline of pupils and this would include bullying.

The Scottish Executive has had no discussion with First Group plc, regarding the possible reopening of Laurencekirk Station. However, officials met with Aberdeenshire Council on 30 September 2004, to discuss the proposals for reopening the station.