Chamber and committees

The draft Energy Strategy sets out our policy towards the current generation of nuclear power stations; that Hunterston B and Torness nuclear power stations should not be replaced with new nuclear generation under current technologies.

The Scottish Government has not considered any new technologies for nuclear power generation in Scotland, but under the draft Energy Strategy consultation, in order that Scotland can continue to benefit from reliable, flexible generation capacity in the future, invites views on the future of Scotland’s decommissioned thermal generation sites.

It is for the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) to develop a compliant SVQ and Modern Apprenticeship framework for the sector. Following a recent meeting with representatives of the sector CITB has agreed to revise the qualification structure to include the industry skills test in a way that meets the SQA regulatory requirements. To allow time for this to happen and to reassure the sector, SQA has extended the current SVQ until 31 August.

Ministers and officials have had no meetings about west coast ferry services with P&O since 1 November 2016.

Ministers met representatives of Associated British Ports on 13 December regarding ABP’s offer to use Troon as the port for the Arran/Kintyre services. Officials also attended that meeting and had one additional meeting with ABP on the same subject on 19 January 2017.

All Scottish Government Ministers have been promoting Modern Apprenticeships during Scottish Apprenticeship Week with all undertaking at least one event and the First Minister visiting IA & C Maciver a small vehicle engineering company on the Isle of Lewis.

Scottish Government and SDS recognise the continued importance of the construction-related occupations as growth sectors in the Highlands and Islands. We have recently published details of a rural supplement for Modern Apprentices to ensure young people in some of the more remote parts of Scotland are not disadvantaged when it comes to accessing apprenticeships. Work is being undertaken to close the reported skills gap in plumbing in the region, the Highlands and Islands SIP Programme Board are co-ordinating the Highlands and Islands Modern Apprenticeship Development Action Plan in partnership with SDS.

MA Stats, in Scotland for, the plumbing framework show a steady increase over the last few years.

The 2020 Challenge for Scotland’s Biodiversity, which was published in 2013 as a supplement to the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy published in 2004, recognises the importance of aligning policy across a range of areas which can contribute to meeting our international biodiversity targets.

Agriculture

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) rules in Scotland include a range of measures which contribute to the fulfilment of biodiversity targets.

Under Pillar 1 of the CAP, non-exempt farmers in receipt of Direct Payments must meet greening requirements, including an Ecological Focus Areas requirement designed to benefit biodiversity on arable land. Farmers in receipt of CAP payments must also meet cross compliance rules which protect hedgerows and other landscape features.

Under Pillar 2 of the CAP, several schemes under the 2014-20 Scottish Rural Development Programme support benefits to biodiversity:

• The Agri-Environment-Climate Scheme is the principal funding mechanism for implementing the 2020 Challenge for Scotland’s Biodiversity.

• The Environmental Co-operation Action Fund will be re-launched in 2017 (for funding to be awarded in 2018-19) in order to support the facilitation of landscape-scale agri-environment and forestry projects.

• Finally, the Farm Advisory Service provides farmers with advice on how to enhance the biodiversity on their holdings.

Forestry

All woodland creation and forest management activities that are funded by the Scottish Government must meet the requirements of the UK Forestry Standard, including its guidelines on General Forestry Practice and Biodiversity. Funding through the Scottish Rural Development Programme is also supporting the delivery of the forestry-related targets in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy.

Fisheries

The Scottish Government fully supports international efforts to maintain steady progress towards maximum sustainable yield. Our negotiating position in the annual talks that set quota for the coming year has long been underpinned by the principles of following the best available scientific advice, using long term fisheries management strategies where available, reducing unnecessary discards and maintaining stocks above safe biological limits and in good reproductive health.

Aquaculture

Scotland has a framework in place to ensure regulatory processes are responsive, accessible and proportionate in a way which can enable measured development while protecting the environment and supporting communities.

Membership comprises of chief executives or equivalent of the main delivery bodies and senior officials from Scottish Government. The following list sets out the current membership of the RAFE Delivery Board:

Board Members

Bill Barron Acting Chief Executive, Crofting Commission

Brian Pack Non-executive member

Bridget Campbell (Chair) Director, Environment & Forestry, Scottish Government

Chris Stark Director, Energy & Climate Change,Scottish Government

Douglas Millican Director, Scottish Water

Elinor Mitchell Director, Agriculture & Rural Economy, Scottish Government

Gordon Watson CEO, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

Grant Moir CEO, Cairngorms National Park Authority

Hilary Pearce Interim Chief Executive, Scottish Land Commission

Ian Jardine CEO, SNH

Iain Gulland Director, Zero Waste Scotland

Jo O’Hara Head of Forestry Commission Scotland

Linda Hanna Non-executive member

Mike Palmer Director (Interim), Marine Scotland

Simon Hodge Chief Executive, Forest Enterprise Scotland

Simon Milne Regius Keeper, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh

Terry A’Hearn Chief Executive, SEPA

Ministers have yet to consider formal arrangements for biodiversity and land use governance. On biodiversity, the focus of the co-ordination of delivery sits with the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy Co-ordination Group (which is chaired by Scottish Natural Heritage) which will continue to meet regularly and will continue to support and coordinate the delivery of the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy and Scotland’s Biodiversity – a Route Map to 2020.

On 28 September 2016, Scottish Natural Heritage published Scotland’s Biodiversity Progress to 2020 Aichi Targets - An Interim Report. Of the twenty Aichi targets, seven are on track, a further six are showing progress and seven will be reported on in 2017 when more data becomes available.

The 2020 Challenge for Scotland’s Biodiversity and Scotland's Biodiversity - a Route Map to 2020 set out the Scottish Government’s biodiversity objectives and the Priority Projects which will contribute significantly to achieving the Aichi Targets. The Route Map Priority Projects are collaborative projects which the Scottish Government and a wide range of partners are taking forward to assist with delivery of the Aichi Targets.

The Ferries Plan 2013-2022 contained proposals on vessel investment and replacement, pier and harbours upgrades, new and improved ferry services and timetables and fares reductions. The policy review of ferry service procurement is unlikely to have an impact on the delivery of these proposals.

I refer the member to the undernoted answers which have been identified from 2002 to date that relate to costs incurred from tendering public contracts for ferry services.

These costs relate to Scottish Executive / Scottish Government staff costs, external bodies or consultants but are not consistent or comprehensive and it has proved difficult to confirm the total tendering costs incurred in previous years. During previous tendering exercises for Scottish Government ferry contracts not all costs were identified. In some cases external consultants costs were recorded but Transport Scotland staffing costs were not and were considered to be part of day to day activities.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

S2W-13267 – answered on 24 January 2005

S2W-18814 – answered on 26 September 2005

S2W-25726 – answered on 19 May 2006

S2W-29866 – answered on 24 November 2006

S2W-31530 – answered on 6 March 2007

S4W-07215 – answered on 29 May 2012

S4W-21149 – answered on 29 May 2014

S4W-22738 – answered on 30 October 2014

S4W-24957 – answered on 27 March 2015

S4W-25839 – answered on 10 June 2015

S5W-00678 – answered on 23 June 2016

Further to my reply to S5W-00678, the final cost to Transport Scotland of procuring the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract 2016-2024 is in the region of £1.1m.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx