- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 October 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance is available to Forestry Commission Scotland staff to enable them to determine what a “significant impact” is, as defined under Article 3 of the EnvironmentaI Impact Assessment (Forestry) (Scotland) 1999 Regulations.
Answer
Forestry Commission Scotland provides internal guidance to staff in the form of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Code, which contains information on all of the steps in the Environment Impact Assessment process and on policy and legislation. Within this document, guidance is provided on assessing sensitivity, magnitude and significance. Forestry Commission Scotland also provides a training course to staff using this guidance.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 October 2016
To ask the Scottish Government how Forestry Commission Scotland is meeting (a) national and (b) international biodiversity obligations across the forest estate.
Answer
Forest Enterprise Scotland, an agency of Forestry Commission Scotland, manages Scotland’s National Forest Estate (NFE) on behalf of Scottish Ministers. FES uses - at a national level - the National Strategic Directions publication, which sets out how the conservation of biodiversity is delivered across the NFE in line with the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act (2004). In prioritising biodiversity related work programmes, Forest Enterprise Scotland is guided by the Scottish Forestry Strategy, as well as the biodiversity guidelines contained within the UK Forestry Standard. The actions taken, and progress achieved, are reported annually in the published Forest Commission Scotland Annual Review, as required by the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011). In addition, the independent certification of the NFE under the UK Woodland Assurance Standard provides assurance that the management of biodiversity on the estate follows industry best practice.
The delivery of Scottish Biodiversity Strategy objectives on the NFE also contributes to the international biodiversity targets set out in the EU Biodiversity Strategy and in the Convention on Biological Diversity's Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 (Aichi targets). To ensure that the EU Habitats and Birds Directives are met, all nature conservation features of special interest on designated sites on the NFE are also monitored in collaboration with Scottish Natural Heritage under the national Site Condition Monitoring programme.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 October 2016
To ask the Scottish Government how it records the potential cumulative impact of new commercial afforestations and how these records help to inform decisions for assessment criteria.
Answer
The cumulative impact of projects is taken into account during the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) determination screening phase. Information on existing woodland creation projects is recorded and is available to Forestry Commission Scotland staff and the public through the publically available web browsers at the following: http://scotland.forestry.gov.uk/supporting/communication-consultation/map-viewer-guidance
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 October 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment criteria and procedures are used before consent for new woodland planting is issued to ensure that significant negative environmental effects will not arise.
Answer
Schedule 3 of the Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) (Scotland) Regulations 1999, states the Selection Criteria for Projects having significant effects on the environment – this includes the characteristics and location of the project. The procedures used by Forestry Commission Scotland are contained in the published guidance available at the following website: http://scotland.forestry.gov.uk/images/corporate/pdf/EIAGeneral09.pdf
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 October 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to determine the effectiveness of environmental impact assessment guidance issued to Forestry Commission Scotland area office staff to ensure that the purpose of the Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) (Scotland) Regulations 1999 is met.
Answer
Forestry Commission Scotland Internal Audit services are used to test for compliance with procedures under the Environmental Impact Assessment legislation. The last audit was carried out in 2014 and this gave substantial assurance that guidance was being complied with and that objectives were being achieved.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 October 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what monitoring is in place to ensure that new woodland planting schemes are delivering biodiversity outcomes.
Answer
The Scottish Government requires that all new woodland planting schemes, funded under the Scottish Rural Development Programme Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS), comply with the UK Forestry Standard and its Forest and Biodiversity Guidelines. Under the FGS applicants can propose to deliver specific biodiversity outcomes. Those applications are monitored to ensure that the biodiversity-related works the applicant proposed are completed. Site inspections are on a sample basis. A failure to carry out the required works can result in a breach of the FGS terms and conditions and monies may be recovered.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 October 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what environmental checks are in place for woodland planting schemes that do not require an environmental impact assessment.
Answer
All woodland planting applications are screened against the Environmental Impact Assessment legislation. Those that do not require an Environmental Impact Assessment but are seeking grant funding are carefully assessed to ensure compliance with the UK Forestry Standard.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 September 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 20 October 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what the cost to business will be of the MV Hebrides running aground on 25 September 2016; how much freight traffic will be disrupted; what contingencies it will introduce to allow freight to move during the disruption, and what support it will offer to the businesses affected.
Answer
CalMac Ferries Limited (CFL) worked hard to clear any backlog of freight following the MV Hebrides incident. Business and freight customers should contact CFL direct for the most up to date information and assistance during this period of disruption. CFL put in place a number of contingency measures including vessel redeployment and revisions to timetables to ensure that lifeline services continue to link to the Western Isles during this period of disruption.
The MV Hebrides resumed service on the Clyde & Hebrides Ferry Services network on Sunday 16 October 2016. This followed full repairs in the Garvel, Clyde, and effective sea trials.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 September 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 19 October 2016
To ask the Scottish Government how long the disruption will be to the Uig-Tarbert-Lochmaddy ferry route following the MV Hebrides running aground on 25 September 2016; how many passengers will be affected, and what support it will offer to them.
Answer
The MV Hebrides resumed service on the Clyde & Hebrides Ferry Services network on Sunday 16 October 2016. This followed full repairs in the Garvel, Clyde, and effective sea trials.
The contingency arrangements put in place by the operator, CalMac Ferries Ltd, during the period of disruption, including repositioning of vessels, ensured that connectivity with the Western Isles was maintained.
Affected customers were encouraged throughout this period to contact the operator if they had any concerns.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 September 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 October 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what the reason was for the technical failure that caused the MV Hebrides to run aground on 25 September 2016, and what steps it is taking to avoid similar incidents in the future.
Answer
A formal and independent investigation by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is currently underway. Further technical investigations are also on-going. Consequently the reasons for the MV Hebrides incident on 25 September 2016 has yet to be formally determined. Any lessons learnt will be implemented to try and avoid similar issues occurring in the future.