- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 June 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 14 June 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the eligibility criteria for access to the warm homes fund referred to by the First Minister on 26 May 2011 (Official Report, c.70) will differ from those for other such schemes.
Answer
The Warm Homes Fund will deliver renewable energy and energy-efficient homes in those communities worse affected by fuel poverty. We will open the fund to community groups and housing associations to take forward schemes. The operational details of the fund are being worked on and will be announced in due course.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 June 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 14 June 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the warm homes fund referred to by the First Minister on 26 May 2011 (Official Report, c. 70) is a new fund.
Answer
The Warm Homes Fund is a new fund that will receive £50 million from the Scottish Futures Fund to deliver renewable energy and energy-efficient homes in those communities worst affected by fuel poverty. This investment will create and protect jobs and deliver a fairer future for our nation.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2011
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 16 June 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth last met the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland and what matters were discussed.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 16 June 2011
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 May 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 2 June 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it is providing to farmers and crofters on a replacement for the Single Farm Payment Scheme.
Answer
The Scottish Government is actively engaging with farming and crofting representatives on the future of the Single Farm Payment Scheme through our CAP Stakeholder Group taking forward the work of the Pack Inquiry. The future of the Single Farm Payment Scheme will be governed by the outcome of the post 2013 CAP negotiations which are about to begin in Europe.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 May 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 25 May 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive when a draft specification for the next contract to provide lifeline ferry services to the Northern Isles will be put out to consultation and what form it will take.
Answer
A public consultation exercise on the Northern Isles ferry service was held between 11 June and 30 September 2010. The responses to that consultation are being used to inform drafting of the specification and we will work closely with the appropriate Regional Transport Partnerships and local authorities throughout the drafting process.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 May 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 25 May 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what the proposed dates are for the various (a) pre-tender, (b) tender and (c) contract award stages of the next contract to provide lifeline ferry services to the Northern Isles.
Answer
(a) Consultation responses are being used to inform drafting of the specification of the next contract for the Northern Isles ferry services. We are currently working with the relevant local Regional Transport Partnerships and Local Authorities as we prepare the specification.
(b) We aim to place an advertisement in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) in summer 2011.
(c) We aim to award the contract in early spring 2012.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 March 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 22 March 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the Less Favourable Area Support Scheme payments to farmers and crofters for 2011 (a) started, or will start and (b) will stop being issued.
Answer
The 2011 Less Favoured Area Support Scheme runs from 1 January to 31 December 2011. The Scottish Government plans to start issuing the related payments from January 2012. Payments will be processed after all necessary eligibility checks have been completed and, given the example of most recent years, it is expected payments will be effectively complete by February 2012.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 March 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 22 March 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates the (a) first and (b) last Less Favourable Area Support Scheme payments to farmers and crofters were issued in (i) 2007, (ii) 2008, (iii) 2009 and (iv) 2010.
Answer
The Less Favoured Area Support Scheme runs from 1 January to 31 December each year with eligible claims being settled in the following year. Since the 2008 scheme, the aim has been to pay the majority of eligible claims from January and complete settlement of all claims as soon as possible thereafter. The following table shows payment performance for the 2007 to 2010 schemes:
| Scheme | Payments Started | Payments Complete |
| 2007 | 11 February 2008 | 30 April 2008 |
| 2008 | 16 January 2009 | 27 March 2009 |
| 2009 | 27 January 2010 | 31 March 2010 |
| 2010 | 28 February 2011 | Ongoing |
The start to payments for the 2007 scheme year was delayed due to late approval by the European Commission.
As far as the 2010 scheme is concerned, the Scottish Government has settled 90% of potential eligible claims, worth some £54 million. After a delayed start, this means around 9,900 farmers and crofters across Scotland have been paid and the aim is to settle the remaining claims as soon as all the required eligibility checks have been completed.
The delayed start to the 2010 payment process was due to the disruption caused to inspection work by the severe weather from November to January: it is a condition of the scheme, put in place by the European Commission, that payments cannot start until all inspection work has been finalised.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 March 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 17 March 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-39728 by Jim Mather on 1 March 2011, how many representations the Section 36 team of its Energy Consents Unit has received (a) in favour of and (b) against the (i) Aikengall II Wester Dod community wind farm, (ii) Allt Duine wind farm, (iii) Arecleoch wind farm, (iv) Black Law wind farm, (v) Black Law wind farm extension, (vi) Braes of Doune wind farm, (vii) Clashindarroch wind farm, (viii) Clyde wind farm, (ix) Clyde wind farm extension, (x) Creag Dhubh wind farm, (xi) Dorenell wind farm, (xii) Druim Ba wind farm, (xiii) Dunmaglass wind farm, (xiv) Earlshaugh wind farm, (xv) Ewehill wind farm, (xvi) Fallago Rig wind farm, (xvii) Farr wind farm, (xviii) Fauch Hill wind farm, (xix) Glenmorie wind farm, (xx) Griffin wind farm, (xxi) Hadyard Hill wind farm, (xxii) Harelaw renewable energy park, (xxiii) Harestanes wind farm, (xxiv) Harrows Law wind farm, (xxv) Kilgallioch wind farm, (xxvi) Kyle wind farm, (xxvii) Kype Muir wind farm, (xxviii) Lewis wind farm, (xxix) Moy wind farm, (xxx) Muaitheabhal wind farm, (xxxi) Pairc wind farm, (xxxii) Tom nan Clach wind farm, (xxxiii) Viking wind farm, (xxxiv) Waterhead Moor wind farm, (xxxv) Westerdale wind farm, (xxxvi) Whitelee wind farm, (xxxvii) Whitelee wind farm extension, (xxxviii) Whitelee wind farm extension phase 2, (xxxix) Windy Standard wind farm extension, (xl) Abercairny wind farm, (xli) Afton wind farm, (xlii) Baillie wind farm, (xliii) Berry Burn wind farm, (xliv) Black Law wind farm extension, (xlv) Blackcraig Hill wind farm, (xlvi) Calliachar wind farm, (xlvii) Carraig Gheal wind farm, (xlviii) Causeymire wind farm, (xlix) Crystal Rig wind farm extension, (l) Crystal Rig wind farm extension 2, (li) Crystal Rig wind farm phase 2a, (lii) Dersalloch wind farm, (liii) Druim Ba wind farm, (liv) Dunbeath wind farm, (lv) Gordonbush wind farm, (lvi) Ewehill wind farm, (lvii) Greenock wind farm, (lviii) Mark Hill wind farm, (lix) Millennium wind farm extension, (lx) Mid Hill wind farm capacity increase, (lxi) Newfield Windfarm, (lxii) Paul’s Hill wind farm, (lxiii) Paul’s Hill wind farm extension, (lxiv) Rothes wind farm, (lxv) Rothes wind farm extension, (lxvi) Spittal Hill wind farm and (lxvii) Stornoway wind farm applications.
Answer
Representations made from members of the public and from formal consultees are a material consideration in the determination of section 36 applications by Scottish Ministers.
Representations received for the wind farms listed above are set out in the following table.
| Wind Farm | Support | Objections |
| Aikengall II Wester Dod community wind farm, | 382 | 104 |
| Allt Duine wind farm, | 7 | 4 |
| Arecleoch wind farm, | 0 | 20 |
| Black Law wind farm, | 1 | 36 |
| Black Law wind farm extension, | 0 | 10 |
| Braes of Doune wind farm, | 13 | 4 |
| Clashindarroch wind farm, | 3 | 300 |
| Clyde wind farm, | 0 | 181 |
| Clyde wind farm extension, | Application not yet received. |
|
| Creag Dhubh wind farm, | 608 | 622 |
| Dorenell wind farm, | 844 | 1,630 |
| Druim Ba wind farm, | 5 | 442 |
| Dunmaglass wind farm, | 6 | 645 |
| Earlshaugh wind farm, | 1 | 36 |
| Ewehill wind farm, | 0 | 14 |
| Fallago Rig wind farm, | 6 | 645 |
| Farr wind farm, | 1 | 36 |
| Fauch Hill wind farm | Application not yet received. | |
| Glenmorie wind farm, | Application not yet received | |
| Griffin wind farm, | 33 | 180 |
| Hadyard Hill wind farm, | 1 | 12 |
| Harelaw renewable energy park, | 23 | 159 |
| Harestanes wind farm, | 4 | 82 |
| Harrows Law wind farm, | 4 | 253 |
| Kilgallioch wind farm, | 1 | 66 |
| Kyle wind farm, | 0 | 4,260 |
| Kype Muir wind farm, | Application not yet received. | |
| Lewis wind farm, | 98 | 10,924 |
| Moy wind farm, | Application not yet received. | |
| Muaitheabhal wind farm, | 85 | 5,066 |
| Pairc wind farm, | 3 | 3,239 |
| Tom nan Clach wind farm, | Processed by Local Panning Authority | |
| Viking wind farm, | 1,112 | 2,772 |
| Waterhead Moor wind farm, | 0 | 378 |
| Westerdale wind farm, | No application received | |
| Whitelee wind farm, | 12 | 67 |
| Whitelee wind farm extension, | 2 | 51 |
| Whitelee wind farm extension phase 2, | 2 | 5 |
| Windy Standard wind farm extension, | 9 | 93 |
| Abercairny wind farm, | 3 | 951 |
| Afton wind farm, | 0 | 0 |
| Baillie wind farm, | 829 | 433 |
| Berry Burn wind farm, | 87 | 140 |
| Black Law wind farm extension, | 0 | 10 |
| Blackcraig Hill wind farm, | 66 | 552 |
| Calliachar wind farm, | 1 | 1,022 |
| Carraig Gheal wind farm, | 89 | 351 |
| Causeymire wind farm, | 0 | 4 |
| Crystal Rig wind farm extension 2, | 0 | 29 |
| Crystal Rig wind farm phase 2a, | 0 | 5 |
| Dersalloch wind farm, | 23 | 2,614 |
| Druim Ba wind farm, | Formal consultation has not yet begun | |
| Dunbeath wind farm, | 789 | 780 |
| Gordonbush wind farm, | 0 | 495 |
| Ewehill wind farm, | 1 | 19 |
| Greenock wind farm, | 7 | 141 |
| Mark Hill wind farm, | 9 | 49 |
| Millennium wind farm extension, | 2 | 9 |
| Mid Hill wind farm capacity increase, | 1 | 1 |
| Newfield Windfarm, | 15 | 45 |
| Paul''s Hill wind farm, | 0 | 81 |
| Paul''s Hill wind farm extension, | 0 | 70 |
| Rothes wind farm, | 24 | 169 |
| Rothes wind farm extension, | 0 | 37 |
| Spittal Hill wind farm and | 1,253 | 1,437 |
| Stornoway wind farm applications. | Application not yet received. | |
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 February 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 14 March 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will broaden the eligibility criteria for funding from the National Renewables Infrastructure Fund to allow applications from ports that are not involved in the manufacture of offshore renewable energy installations but wish to be involved in their servicing, maintenance and supply.
Answer
Scottish Enterprise created the National Renewables Infrastructure Fund (N-RIF) to support, where necessary, development of port and near-port manufacturing locations for offshore wind turbines and related developments including test and demonstration activity, with the overall aim of stimulating an offshore wind supply chain in Scotland. This reflects the priorities highlighted in the National Renewable Infrastructure Plan and recognised the potential need for public funding to act as a catalyst in attracting vital capital investment to support these locations to attract major manufacturing projects. There is no intention at present to broaden the eligibility for funding from N-RIF.
Scottish Enterprise is currently in discussion with a number of port and harbour bodies to assist them in identifying potential business opportunities in support of the operation and maintenance of future offshore energy developments. Servicing and maintenance operations are more likely to require to be located close to the operating site for logistical reasons. This would not rule out support where a strong case can be made for other forms of public intervention.
