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Secondly, the default position would always be to devolve as much of the budget as possible to the lowest level of accountability; I am a strong supporter of that approach.
It is also important for ensuring a proper chain of accountability. All NDPBs are accountable to the Scottish ministers and, through them, to the Scottish Parliament for the decisions that they take and the money that they spend.
There was a huge amount of material to read, assimilate and try to make sense of, but I believe that I did that.Also, I had to set out the decision in a rational way that took into account all the factors that were involved.
There were also concerns about and opposition to the proposed closure of East Kilbride court. By any account, it is almost as big as the Cumnock and Girvan courts taken together.
In that complaints process, service and conduct are separated, and we can do the same here. We are ultimately accountable for our service to our electorates—ideally, there would be an open list so that there was proper accountability for regional members too.
Questions and Answers
Date answered:
14 March 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimated minimum distance is needed between a standard wind turbine and surrounding forestry, taking into account turbulence and required wind speeds.