Question ref. S6W-04167
Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Date lodged: 5 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many rejected applications to the Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme have been appealed, and of those how many (a) were upheld following appeal and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015.
Current Status:
Holding Answer by Mairi McAllan on 19 November 2021
Question ref. S6W-04151
Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Date lodged: 12 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to the (a) Less Favoured Area Support Scheme and (b) Agri-Environment Climate Scheme there have been in each year since 2015, and how many (i) were approved and (ii) are awaiting a decision.
Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 19 November 2021
The following table summarises how many applications to the (a) Less Favoured Area Support Scheme there have been in each year since 2015, and how many (i) were approved and (ii) are awaiting a decision.
Please note the LFASS claims received in 2021 are still being assessed for approval.
Year | Total LFASS Claim Population Received | Eligible Population (Approved) | Awaiting Decision |
2015 | 12,198 | 11,406 | 0 |
2016 | 12,092 | 11,334 | 0 |
2017 | 11,916 | 11,186 | 0 |
2018 | 11,790 | 11,058 | <3 |
2019 | 11,644 | 10,920 | 5 |
2020 | 11,602 | 10,877 | 23 |
The following table summarises how many applications to the (b) Agri-Environment Climate Scheme there have been in each year since 2015, and how many (i) were approved and (ii) are awaiting a decision. The figures below exclude those applications that were submitted then subsequently withdrawn by the businesses concerned.
Please note the 2020 Round was not open to new applications, rather a one year’s extension was offered to all Management options that were due to end in 2020. Not all businesses accepted the offer.
Regards the 2021 Round, no approval decisions have been made as yet. However 72 applications have, so far, been deemed ineligible for approval.
Year | Received AECS Applications | Approved AECS Applications | Awaiting Decision |
2015 | 927 | 594 | 0 |
2016 | 1,251 | 979 | 0 |
2017 | 989 | 807 | 0 |
2018 | 900 | 604 | 0 |
2019 | 709 | 506 | 0 |
2021 | 753 | 0 | 681 |
Question ref. S6W-04150
Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Date lodged: 4 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the data that shows the efficacy of the Hawick flood defences that are soon to be completed.
Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 19 November 2021
The data about the efficacy of the Hawick flood defences is not held by the Scottish Government. The scheme is being taken forward and constructed by Scottish Borders Council and they will be able to provide the relevant data.
Question ref. S6W-04148
Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Date lodged: 4 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government when Scottish Water last undertook an assessment and upgrade of the drainage in Newcastleton.
Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 19 November 2021
Monitoring has found previous flooding incidents in Newcastleton to be due to recurring blockages in the network which Scottish Water’s Sewer Response Team duly attended and cleared. Scottish Water is also aware that more recent incidents have arisen from severe wet weather events leading to surface and river flooding.
The primary flooding issue in Newcastleton is associated with the Liddell Water breaking its banks and I refer the member to the answer to S6W-04149 on 17 November 2021 for further information.
All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
Question ref. S6W-04152
Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Date lodged: 12 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to the (a) Less Favoured Area Support Scheme and (b) Agri-Environment Climate Scheme in each year since 2015 that were not approved have been appealed, and how many appeals (i) have been upheld and (ii) are awaiting a decision.
Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 19 November 2021
The following table summarises how many applications to the (a) Less Favoured Area Support Scheme in each year since 2015 that were not approved have been appealed, and how many appeals (i) have been upheld and (ii) are awaiting a decision.
Please note the LFASS claims received in 2021 are still being assessed for approval.
Year | Number of Appeals | Upheld (in favour of the applicant) | Awaiting Decision |
2015 | <3 | <3 | 0 |
2016 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2018 | <3 | 0 | 0 |
2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The following table summarises how many applications to the (b) Agri-Environment Climate Scheme in each year since 2015 that were not approved have been appealed, and how many appeals (i) have been upheld and (ii) are awaiting a decision.
Please note the 2020 Round was not open to new applications, rather a one year’s extension was offered to all Management options that were due to end in 2020. Not all businesses accepted the offer.
Regards the 2021 Round, no approval decisions have been made as yet.
Year | AECS Applications Reviewed | Review Upheld (in favour of the applicant) | Awaiting Decision |
2015 | 66 | 13 | 0 |
2016 | 93 | 18 | 0 |
2017 | 54 | 14 | 0 |
2018 | 76 | 27 | 0 |
2019 | 63 | 17 | 0 |
Question ref. S6W-04172
Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Date lodged: 5 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to the Forestry Grant Scheme there were, and of those how many (a) were approved and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015.
Current Status:
Holding Answer by Mairi McAllan on 19 November 2021
Question ref. S6W-04149
Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Date lodged: 4 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government when Scottish Water and SEPA last conducted a river profile assessment of the Liddel Water through Newcastleton.
Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 17 November 2021
The most recent cross section survey of the Liddel Water was commissioned by Scottish Borders Council in 2017. This survey was carried out as part of the flood study for Newcastleton. As part of the flood study, SEPA also provided Scottish Borders Council with a LiDAR topographical survey, undertaken in 2013.
SEPA carried out a trash line survey following flooding in February 2021 to determine the flood extent.
A CCTV survey was also undertaken after Storm Dennis in 2020.
Newcastleton is part of the Scottish Borders flood warning scheme. This scheme will be reviewed by SEPA’s Flood Forecasting and Warning Team during the next FRM cycle (2021 – 2027) to determine whether improvements can be made or if there is a need to recalibrate at this location.
Question ref. S6W-04147
Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Date lodged: 4 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to the James Hutton Institute in each year since 2011.
Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 17 November 2021
Details of Scottish Government funding provided to The James Hutton Institute (JHI) is published in their Annual Financial statements available on their website at The James Hutton Institute | Science connecting land and people
Question ref. S6W-04160
Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Date lodged: 5 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many rejected applications to the Organic Farming Agri-Environment Climate Scheme have been appealed, and of those how many (a) were upheld following appeal and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015.
Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 16 November 2021
The following table summarises the rejected Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) applications, specifically Organic Farming, that have been appealed. It records the number of applications that were (a) upheld following appeal and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015.
Please note that the 2020 round was not open to new applications, rather a one year’s extension was offered to all Management options that were due to end in 2020. Not all businesses accepted the offer. 63 Organic applications were offered an extension with 55 applications accepting.
The 2021 round that closed at the beginning of July 2021 was also extended. These applications are still being assessed.
| Year | Application Type | Applications Reviewed | Review Upheld (decision changed to approve) | Awaiting Decision |
| 2015 | Organic | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| 2016 | Organic | <3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | Organic | <3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | Organic | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | Organic | <3 | <3 | 0 |
Question ref. S6W-04164
Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Date lodged: 5 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to the Improving Public Access Agri-Environment Climate Scheme there were, and of those how many (a) were approved and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015.
Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 16 November 2021
The following table summarises the number of Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) applications received, applying specifically Improving Public Access (IPA), and of those how many were (a) were approved and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015. The figures below exclude those applications that were submitted then subsequently withdrawn by the businesses concerned.
Please note that the 2020 round did not include the IPA option and that the 2019 round was not open to new applications, rather a one year’s extension was offered to all Management options that were due to end in 2020. Not all businesses accepted the offer. Improving Public Access is not a Management Option, it is capital only, and as such was not included in the round.
The 2021 round that closed at the beginning of July 2021 was also extended. These applications are still being assessed.
| Year | Application Type | Applications Submitted1 | Applications Approved | Awaiting Decision |
| 2015 | Improving Public Access | 30 | 17 | 0 |
| 2016 | Improving Public Access | 54 | 36 | 0 |
| 2017 | Improving Public Access | 50 | 41 | 0 |
| 2018 | Improving Public Access | 96 | 53 | 0 |
| 2019 | Improving Public Access | NA* | - | - |
1Excludes those applications that were submitted then subsequently withdrawn by the businesses concerned.
* Application type not included in Round