Chamber and committees

My officials have visited a number of member states to examine their systems for delivering agricultural support and have hosted several reciprocal visits to look at our systems. Although each member state is unique in terms of their support schemes, computer systems and farming structures, nevertheless, these exchanges have been particularly helpful in informing best practice in the implementation of these measures. As I explained in answer to question S3W-36729, however, European legislation governs all member states and, amongst other things, defines what constitutes eligible land, and sets out in detail how penalties are to be applied. I expect any variation in these areas, in other words non-compliance with the regulations, would lead to the member state concerned being fined by the Commission''s auditors.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-37906 on 13 December 2010. As I explained, European legislation on these issues governs all member states and any comparison exercise would not yield a conclusive result.

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.

Although the Scottish Government is aware of some of the international activity taking place with regard to osmotic power generation, no specific consideration has been given to development in Scotland. The focus of the Scottish Government and its agencies has been on the commercial development of wave and tidal energy given Scotland''s unique resource and significant level of market interest in this sector.

The Scottish Government has not undertaken any specific research on the potential advantages of deploying osmotic power generating facilities.

Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise offer a range of research and development and investment support and this would potentially be available to businesses looking to develop osmotic power techniques or facilities in Scotland. These agencies would be willing to engage with any potential developers interested in taking forward activity in Scotland. Should this technology emerge as a commercial proposition the Scottish Government would consider options for eligibility through the Renewables Obligation.

The Scottish Government is not aware of any work that has been undertaken to assess Scotland''s potential for osmotic power generation.

It is not possible to confirm a net decrease in woodland area in the last two years. Based on felling approvals and the area of replanting and new planting in the same reference period, there was an apparent decrease in woodland area of about 5,000 hectares but this takes no account of the time-lag between felling and replanting nor of any woodland expansion through unrecorded natural regeneration. We anticipate a net increase in woodland area in 2010-11 and succeeding years.

A breakdown of these figures is not readily available at present.

Following discussions with the forestry sector this autumn, Forestry Commission Scotland will be piloting the collection of woodland removal data in the period 2000-10 within one of its five conservancies. The focus will be on wind farms and bog restoration, as these are known to be the primary causes of woodland removal this decade.

The pilot exercise will also assess broader trends in woodland removal by analysing forest plans approved in the period 2000-10, calculating areas to be felled and areas to be restocked in each plan period.

Providing the pilot can demonstrate that such information collection would not be disproportionately expensive in terms of cost or time, the methodology will then be rolled out to the remaining four conservancies in Scotland. It is anticipated that data from this project will be available by summer 2011.

ConFor has expressed its concerns to the Scottish Government on behalf of the forestry sector regarding woodland creation grant aided under the Scottish Rural Development Plan.

The first eight local authority summary reports* were published in May 2010. Another five** were published in October 2010. The remaining local authority summary reports will be published in batches each spring and autumn through to spring 2013.

The national report is scheduled for publication by summer 2013.

A map viewer, through which the data used to prepare the summaries can be accessed, is available on the Forestry Commission website at www.forestry.gov.uk/nwss.

Notes:

*Aberdeen, City of Edinburgh, Dundee, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire.

**Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, East Dunbartonshire, Midlothian, Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire.