- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 August 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 1 September 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the statutory guidance on home education that was issued in 2008.
Answer
The guidance has been well received by both local authorities and home educating organisations. We routinely keep all such guidance under regular review to ensure that it is accurate and up to date. However, we have no plans to review or revise it in any significant way.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 August 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 1 September 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will respond to the Department for Transport’s review of the Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfers) Regulations (SI 2010/1228).
Answer
Earlier this year I wrote to the UK Government, in response to the consultation on the draft Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfers) Regulations 2010, welcoming the proposals to make regulations covering the ship-to-ship transfer of oil cargoes within the United Kingdom''s internal waters and territorial seas.
I plan to respond to the recently announced review of the regulations, reiterating my support for regulations to control ship-to-ship transfers of oil as cargo. I also plan to seek reassurances that Scottish interests are taken into account in this review.
A copy of the Scottish Government''s response (Bib. number 51560) a copy of which will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 12 July 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 28 July 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive on what legal basis it will authorise seismic surveys in Scottish territorial waters
Answer
This is a matter reserved to Westminster under The Offshore Petroleum Activities (Conservation of Habitats) Regulations 2001 (as amended), which provide for the issuing of consents for geological surveys, including seismic surveys, for oil and gas related activities. Any consents in relation to seismic surveys whether in inshore or offshore waters are issued by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 12 July 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 28 July 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will consult stakeholders on the guidance relating to disturbance of marine European protected species, as the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment committed to do on 2 December 2009 during Stage 2 consideration of the Marine (Scotland) Bill (Official Report c. 2244), and whether this will be a full public consultation.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35264 on 28 July 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 12 July 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 28 July 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish guidance on disturbance of marine European protected species, as the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment committed to do on 2 December 2009 during Stage 2 consideration of the Marine (Scotland) Bill (Official Report c. 2244).
Answer
Marine Scotland is currently developing statutory guidance for Scottish inshore waters, in line with Scottish regulations. Marine Scotland will consult key marine stakeholders on this guidance and publish it in autumn 2010.
The Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Natural England and the Countryside Council for Wales have produced statutory guidance on the disturbance of marine European protected species for UK offshore areas, including offshore waters adjacent to Scotland.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue guidance on how it defines an insignificant effect in relation to sections 82 and 83 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010.
Answer
As indicated during Stage 2 of the Bill process, we intend to issue guidance in relation to sections 82 and 83 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 on insignificant effects.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consult stakeholders when developing guidance on how it defines an insignificant effect in relation to sections 82 and 83 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010.
Answer
Yes, relevant stakeholders will be consulted.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 June 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 17 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether an appropriate assessment has been carried out regarding the marina developments in Inverness, Whiteness and Avoch, each of which are within the EU Habitats Directive designated bottlenose dolphin special area of conservation.
Answer
The marina developments at Inverness, Whiteness and Avoch were approved under separate applications, under various consenting procedures and on differing timescales.
The development at Inverness Harbour was enabled by a Harbour Revision Order in 2005. An appropriate assessment was not completed as Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) advice indicated that the proposed development, subject to mitigation measures identified by SNH, was not likely to have a significant effect on the special area of conservation (SAC). The Scottish Government understands that the mitigation works have been carried out.
A Harbour Revision Order was made in November 2008 to enable Whiteness Marina Company to carry out physical works to the harbour and operate as a Statutory Harbour Authority. An appropriate assessment of the Whiteness development was carried out in January 2010 as part of the planning application approval process which specifies the number of berths permitted.
Avoch Harbour works were authorised by consent under Section 34 of the Coast Protection Act in August 2009. Advice from SNH relating to the increased number of berths proposed was that these would not have an adverse effect on the integrity of the SAC. This advice was used as our Appropriate Assessment prior to issuing the consent.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 June 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 17 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33201 by Richard Lochhead on 30 April 2010, whether the European territory referred to in Article 11 of the EU Directive on Conservation of Wild Birds (79/409/EEC) refers to the territory of any member state, or the territory of the individual member state implementing the directive.
Answer
Ultimately the interpretation of whether the European territory referred to in Article 11 of the EU Directive on Conservation of Wild Birds (79/409/EEC) refers to the territory of any member state or the territory of the individual member state implementing the directive is a matter for the courts. In the absence of any court judgement, the Scottish Government would take a pragmatic view, based on the bird species in question and its potential for harm to the environment.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 June 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 16 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33069 by Richard Lochhead on 6 April 2010, for what reason the report, Entanglement of Minke Whales in Scottish Waters: an investigation into occurrence, causes and mitigation, has not been finalised and published.
Answer
The Report entitled
Entanglement of minke whales in Scottish watersL an investigation into occurrence, causes and mitigation was published on 14 June 2010. It concluded that there is no reason at present to suppose that entanglement poses a threat to the conservation status of minke whales in the region but Marine Scotland is continuing to monitor the situation. The report can be found on the Sea Mammal Research Unit website via the following link
http://www.smru.st-andrews.ac.uk/.
