- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 17 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the statutory consultees whom the developer of a shore based wave energy power station has to consult before construction of the station can commence and when such consultation should take place.
Answer
As a matter of best practice, we advise developers to speak with the relevant planning authority, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency before submitting an application under section 36 of the 1989 Electricity Act. These are the statutory consultees defined by the Act, although the views of other interested bodies are also sought. Experience with previous renewable energy projects shows that most developers undertake extensive discussions and briefings for local residents prior to submitting their actual applications.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 17 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the statutory consents necessary for the construction of an offshore wave energy power station founded on the seabed and the authorities to whom each application for such consents must be submitted, what average time is taken to issue each consent and what the current level is of any consent application fee is.
Answer
The consents required for an offshore wind or water driven generating station are as follows:
- Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 (consent under section 36 is only required if installed generating capacity is in excess of 50 megawatts, with an application fee of between £5,000 and £20,000 depending on size);
- Section 5 of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985, and
- Section 34 of the Coast Protection Act 1949.
Applications for these consents must be made to the Scottish Ministers via the relevant departments. In addition, an application to the Crown Estate is required for the lease on an offshore site, and the Crown Estate will only consider granting a lease when, amongst other things, it is satisfied that the developer has obtained all the necessary statutory consents.There is no maximum time taken to issue such consents, although the relevant departments would always aim to process these as quickly and efficiently as possible.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 17 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the statutory consents necessary for the installation of a floating offshore wave energy power station moored to the seabed, the authorities to whom each application for such consents must be submitted, what average time is taken to issue each consent and what the current level is of any application fee.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15421.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 17 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken in each of the last two years to encourage the development of wave energy power stations on the Scottish coast or in Scottish territorial waters
Answer
We are aware of the excellent work being carried out by Scottish companies in this field, and applaud the progress made thus far, which is due in part to the unique support offered to wave power in Scotland under the third round of the Scottish Renewables Obligation. We will continue to maintain a dialogue with the key players as we consider appropriate ways in which to help further the industry in Scotland.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 17 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has investigated the statutory, regulatory and financial requirements with which developers of wave energy power stations on the Scottish coast or in Scottish territorial waters must comply and whether it has developed or plans to develop any strategy to reduce any barriers to such development which it has identified.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15427.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 April 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 16 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available for small businesses who want to improve their energy efficiency and what the take-up of any available funds has been from 1999 to date.
Answer
The Scottish Executive's Scottish Energy Efficiency Office (SEEO) operates the Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme, providing free consultancy advice to businesses and other organisations to encourage more efficient use of energy. Funding in the current year is £1.7 million and one particular aim of SEEO is to encourage take-up by small businesses. The introduction of the climate change levy, which has raised business energy costs, is designed to work in this direction and from this year an additional £2 million a year is to be made available from the levy for additional energy efficiency programmes delivered jointly with the Carbon Trust.SEEO also funds the Energy Saving Trust's Scottish programme, which is largely aimed at domestic energy use, but which offers interest free loans to small businesses for investment in energy efficiency through a scheme called Loan Action Scotland.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 April 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 15 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what receipts were given to Her Majesty's Treasury via the UK Consolidated Fund in respect of fines imposed by Scottish courts and police, for each year since 1997.
Answer
The total of fines income, which was collected by the Scottish Court Service in the sheriff courts and subsequently, paid over to the Consolidated Fund for the financial years 1996-97 to 1999-2000 is as follows:
Financial Year | Value sent to Exchequer (£000) |
| 1996-97 | 10,708 |
| 1997-98 | 12,353 |
| 1998-99 | 11,598 |
| 1999-2000 | 10,471 |
The total of court-imposed fines (including back-duty), registered fines, compensation orders, police and procurator fiscal conditional offers of fixed penalties
1 and police fixed penalty notices collected by district courts in Scotland and subsequently paid to the Exchequer for the financial years 1997-98 to 1999-2000 is as follows:
Financial Year | Value sent to Exchequer (£000) |
| 1997-982 | 9,144 |
| 1998-993 | 9,502 |
| 1999-004 | 8,363 |
Notes:1. Procurator Fiscal penalties account for only a relatively small proportion of the total amount.2. Missing data for North Lanarkshire.3. Missing data for North Lanarkshire and Stirling.4. Missing data for North Lanarkshire and Stirling.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 11 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to transfer to local authorities the functions relating to planning which are currently carried out by the Crown Estate Commission.
Answer
The primary legislation needed to implement this change will be introduced as soon as an appropriate opportunity arises in the legislative programme. Any legislative proposals will need to take account of the outcome of the Executive's current aquaculture review which is expected to report around the end of this year.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 April 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 10 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve the energy efficiency of new commercial and shopping developments.
Answer
I intend to bring forward legislation in autumn this year that will improve the energy efficiency of new buildings. Currently subject to EC scrutiny, the draft legislation, The Building Standards Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2001, will introduce more onerous thermal insulation standards within Part J (Conservation of fuel and power) of the Technical Standards for compliance with the Building Standards (Scotland) Regulations 1990.Energy efficiency improvements will cover the building fabric of new buildings, air conditioning, mechanical ventilation and lighting.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 April 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 10 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what policies and incentives are in place to encourage the development of community combined heat and power plants.
Answer
The Executive, like the UK Government, is strongly committed to the development of CHP. Advice and financial support is available for the development and installation of residential CHP. This assistance is available from the Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme and the Energy Saving Trust, whose activities in Scotland are funded by our Scottish Energy Efficiency Office.In addition, the UK Government has just announced a UK-wide "Community Energy" programme. This £50 million programme will support the installation of more community heating schemes over the next two years, and the Scottish Energy Efficiency Office will be working to ensure that Scottish projects will benefit.
