- 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 13 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12508 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 30 January 2001, whether it is now able to state how work towards future surveys of aggregate working can be progressed.
Answer
The Executive has commissioned research on the need to review national planning policy guidance for minerals in Scotland. This is considering a number of issues that will be relevant to the collecting, collating and publishing of aggregates data. The findings of the research, which are expected in the autumn, will be considered carefully before deciding on the most effective way forward.
- 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 Sarah Boyack on 13 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12502 by Sarah Boyack on 30 January 2001, whether it will now publish the estimates provided by local authorities in their statutory road traffic reduction reports.
Answer
A summary of the Executive's response to the local authorities' statutory road traffic reduction reports will be included in the Transport Delivery Plan for Scotland, to be published in the autumn. The full report will be published as a follow-up document to the plan.
- 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 Allan Wilson on 13 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to ensure that detailed management plans are agreed with Historic Scotland in respect of scheduled ancient monuments in privately owned forests.
Answer
I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to answer. His response is as follows:
We have no proposals at this time. Applications to the Forestry Commission's Woodland Grant Scheme that involve scheduled ancient monuments are subject to consultation with Historic Scotland.
- 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 Alasdair Morrison on 13 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what roles it sees for Scotland's historic environment in its strategy for tourism and for Historic Scotland in developing Scotland's tourism industry.
Answer
The historic environment is recognised in our tourism strategy as an important factor in attracting visitors to Scotland.
As the largest operator of paid visitor attractions in Scotland, Historic Scotland plays a major role in developing Scotland's tourism industry. Nearly three million visitors are attracted each year to the historic sites throughout the country which Historic Scotland conserves, manages and presents. The Agency will continue to work with others nationally and locally to maintain and develop high quality visitor attractions and to market them around the world.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 10 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will act on the recommendation in Rural Partnership for Change: Report of the National Steering Group that it should explore the scope for creating a standard model planning agreement to facilitate the negotiation of agreements under section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 between developers and local authorities.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16980.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 10 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to implement the recommendation in Rural Partnership for Change: Report of the National Steering Group that it should require its own agencies, and seek to influence the agencies and departments of the Her Majesty's Government, to dispose of housing stock only through strategies which will assist local authorities' local housing strategies.
Answer
The report suggests that public agencies disposing of houses should consult with the relevant local authority or develop stock disposal strategies that will assist local housing strategies. It recommends that the Executive should promote such policies as good practice with agencies it can influence and should seek to have them similarly promoted by the UK government.
The Executive and Scottish Homes are prepared to enter into discussions on disposals of housing stock by other agencies in appropriate circumstances. In disposing of its own housing stock to registered social landlords, Scottish Homes takes account of local policies and needs by consulting with local authorities.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 10 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to create a specific affordable housing land use category, as recommended in Rural Partnership for Change: Report of the National Steering Group.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16980.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 10 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will amend advice and guidance on estimating demand for housing to reflect the recommendations in Rural Partnership for Change: Report of the National Steering Group with regard to identifying and measuring housing pressure and, in particular, whether it will recommend calculating demand for housing in rural areas as a ratio of supply.
Answer
We are considering the findings of this report in the context of forthcoming guidance to local authorities on pressured area designations.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 10 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will act on the recommendations in Rural Partnership for Change: Report of the National Steering Group that it should attach greater priority to funding affordable housing development for the private rented sector in rural areas, and that higher rates of grant for housing development should be available to the private sector in defined circumstances.
Answer
At my request, Scottish Homes has again increased provisions in rural areas, from £45.1 million last year to £49.5 million in 2001-02. These resources, which are spread across Scottish Homes' regions, are being made available for the provision of affordable rented housing by social landlords. We are not convinced that the resources available would be better targeted through private landlords. However, if it appears appropriate in the local circumstances, Scottish Homes can consider and make recommendations to Ministers to support such projects. In addition, when development funding passes to local authorities, they will also be open to consider and suggest such alternative approaches.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 10 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will (a) detail all the proposed road improvements in the unpublished A77 Ayr-Stranraer Route Action Plan and (b) indicate the best estimate of the cost of each improvement at current prices.
Answer
Apart from the ongoing Accident Investigation and Prevention, Mass Action and Traffic Management Works, the following proposed road improvements to the A77 between Ayr and Stranraer are planned:-
Scheme | Current Estimate |
Turnberry Climbing Lane | £2,400,000 |
Blackneuk | £600,000 |
Burnside | £1,500,000 |
The current Review of Route Action Plans (RAPs) includes the A77 RAP. A number of additional schemes between Ayr and Stranraer are being appraised as part of this review.
