- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 30 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive (a) whether housing land audits are a statutory or recommended component of structure and local planning, (b) how frequently housing land audits should be carried out, (c) whether it monitors the performance of local authorities in auditing the Established or Effective Land Supply and (d) how recently each structure plan authority has carried out an audit of local authorities.
Answer
There is no statutory requirement for planning authorities to conduct housing land audits. Planning Advice Note 38 Structure Plans: Housing Land Requirements, however, sets out the Scottish Executive's advice in relation to auditing the effective housing land supply and refers to such audits as an annual process. The Executive does not formally monitor planning authorities' housing land audit performance and so cannot indicate when each structure plan authority last conducted such an audit.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 30 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue a revised version of the table published in SPICe Research Paper 01/13 to show capital works on the Erskine Bridge, as well as the maintenance costs and toll income, as advised by Lewis Macdonald in the Parliament on 6 September 2001 (Official Report, col. 2307).
Answer
The information requested is set out in the Erskine Bridge Accounts, which are presented to Parliament each year.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 30 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it proposes to take on the areas for further investigation of changes to the operation of compulsory purchase, and possible legislation, as recommended in the Review of Compulsory Purchase and Land Compensation prepared by its Central Research Unit.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O-3788 on 20 September 2001. Detailed proposals have still to be worked up and it is therefore too early to comment.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 26 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a plan exists for life-cycle maintenance on the Erskine Bridge and, if so, what capital works are envisaged within the period of any such plan.
Answer
The need and timing of the maintenance required to the bridge is identified by the Operating Company through the inspection regime set out in the Maintenance Manual. These works will then be prioritised and programmed.
The next major works currently planned are strengthening of the bridge deck to meet EC loading requirements and other minor improvements. A contract with an estimated value of £2.1 million is currently out to competitive tender. These works were identified following the national bridge assessment programme.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 26 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive (a) whether it is within the competence of a local authority to acquire land compulsorily, to sell it to a developer under a "back-to-back" agreement; (b) whether it is aware of, and will provide details of any circumstances in which such an agreement has been made.
Answer
Under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 it is competent for a local authority to acquire land compulsorily and for someone else to undertake the development.
We do not hold details of agreements entered into between local authorities and developers.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 August 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 27 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Annex 3 of Travel Choices for Scotland: Strategic Roads Review, whether it has received recommendations from its Inquiry Reporters Unit in relation to the A1 Haddington to Dunbar Draft Order Scheme, whether a decision letter has been issued and what the terms of any such decision letter are.
Answer
The recommendations of the Inquiry Reporters Unit were received in 1997. The A1 Haddington to Dunbar Draft Order Scheme was considered in the Strategic Roads Review and on 4 November 1999 I announced our decision to proceed with the alternative "Expressway option". It follows that no decision letter relating to the Draft Order Scheme was issued.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 20 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what improvements it is seeking in reviewing compulsory purchase powers and what its position is in relation to proposals for the establishment of a centrally-funded agency to support authorities in the exercise of compulsory purchase powers.
Answer
We have been participating in the review of the law and practice of compulsory purchase, compensation and related matters, aimed at making the whole process fairer, more efficient and more effective, which is led by the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions.In due course we propose to consult on proposals for change in Scotland. These will take into account the recommendations of the review, the UK Government's response to it and the research findings and recommendations recently published by the Scottish Executive.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 12 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-15634 by Sarah Boyack on 18 June 2001, whether a person whose property is made the subject of a compulsory purchase order is routinely informed of any representations made by third parties in connection with the order or, if not, whether there are any circumstances in which such persons may be made aware of any third party representations and under what circumstances the public become aware of third party representations made in connection with a compulsory purchase order.
Answer
A person whose property is the subject of a compulsory purchase order (an owner, lessee or occupier) is not routinely informed of any representations made by third parties. If, however, (the owner, lessee or occupier) objects to the order and maintains the objection, the matter will be dealt with at a public local inquiry, and all parties will then be made aware of any third party representations. Similarly other members of the public will become aware of third party representations if they attend the public local inquiry, the date of which will be publicised in one or more local newspapers.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 10 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12758 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 21 February 2001, whether the working group's report in relation to the research report The General Permitted Development Order and Related Mechanisms has now been completed.
Answer
No. The report will be published on completion, and a news release will be issued to highlight the main conclusions.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 August 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 5 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to make any changes to planning procedures comparable to those announced for England by the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on 20 July 2001 following the consultation paper, Streamlining the processing of Major Projects Through the Planning System.
Answer
We have no plans to introduce new procedures similar to those announced for England. The Inquiry Procedure Rules that were introduced in 1997 and amended in 1998 have allowed for more prompt and effective handling of planning inquiries in Scotland.We continue to develop distinctive Scottish initiatives aimed at streamlining the operation of the planning system, such as the review of strategic planning.
