Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has not calculated the cost of providing free school meals to all primary school and secondary school pupils. The most recent school meals data are available on the Scottish Executive website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/06/24125730/0.

This information is not collected, however the publication School meals in Scotland, 2008 contains information on the number of schools in each local authority providing breakfast clubs, see link below:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/06/24125730/27.

The available information on the number of children entitled to and taking free school meals by local authority area has been published in tables 8 and 14 of the School Meals in Scotland, 2008 publication, see link below:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/06/24125730/0.

The Baillie wind farm application is being considered in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 2000. The statutory consultation exercise, provided all parties with the opportunity to make representations. We have received 28 consultee responses and 1083 public representations. Highland Council objected to the proposed development and Scottish ministers referred the application to Public Local Inquiry on that basis, in order to further consider the concerns of the council. Scottish ministers have asked the reporter to consider the following issues:

The relationship of the development to Scottish Planning Policy 6 in relation to the proximity of the proposed wind farm to existing dwelling houses;

The relationship of the development to the provisions of the Caithness Local Plan in relation to areas with a presumption against development, and the Highland Renewable Energy Strategy policy and guidance;

The cumulative impact with other wind farms in the vicinity and in relation to the likely impact on tourism, tourist routes and tourist destinations;

Visual impact, and

Impact on scheduled monuments.

In determining the application, Scottish ministers will consider all material issues including the recommendations of the reporter and the representations made by stakeholders.

Scottish ministers have asked the reporter to consider the following issues at the public local inquiry:

The relationship of the development to Scottish Planning Policy 6 in relation to the proximity of the proposed wind farm to existing dwelling houses;

The relationship of the development to the provisions of the Caithness Local Plan in relation to areas with a presumption against development, and the Highland Renewable Energy Strategy policy and guidance;

The cumulative impact with other wind farms in the vicinity and in relation to the likely impact on tourism, tourist routes and tourist destinations;

Visual impact, and

Impact on scheduled monuments.

Details of the Inquiry will be made available by the reporter in due course.

Discussions about the way forward for the Gourock to Dunoon route have taken place with all interested stakeholders. Specific discussions about the future use of the Dunoon linkspan have taken place with the current operators of the services and with Argyll and Bute Council.

Following the completion of the Strategic Spending Review and the signing of the concordat with local government, the Scottish Government provided local authorities with record levels of funding over the period of the spending review 2008-11.

In accordance with the concordat, it is responsibility of each local authority to allocate the financial resources available on the basis of needs and priorities, including the Scottish Government''s key strategic objectives and manifesto commitments. In turn these aims, objectives and outcomes are reflected in the single outcome agreements, including targets on waste, and local authorities have flexibility over how these are achieved. The overall funding package resulting from the spending review 2007 is considered sufficient to deliver Scotland''s share of the UK''s 2010 Landfill Directive target.

More specifically, the Scottish Government is working closely with COSLA and local authorities to ensure that appropriate plans are in place to meet Landfill Directive targets. In addition, discussions are underway with COSLA and other partners including Scottish Environment Protection Agency on how best to use the zero waste fund to support successful delivery of zero waste policy aims and objectives in order to meet targets.

Until such time as a decision has been reached on the future of this route it would be premature to make any decisions on possible vessel solutions. An announcement about the way forward will be made as soon as practicable.

Relations with the European Commission are a reserved matter. Consequently, formal exchanges with the Commission regarding their investigation are for the UK authorities rather than the Scottish Government. In these circumstances, it would not be appropriate for the Scottish Government to comment on representation made to the Commission, or to speculate about the likely outcome. The Scottish Government can confirm however that it will continue to stress its preference for a passenger and vehicle ferry service on the town centre to town centre route.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17849 on 21 November 2008. 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.