Chamber and committees

The number of staff currently employed by Forest Enterprise Scotland, the part of Forestry Commission Scotland which manages the national forest estate, is 779.

Improving the energy efficiency of its buildings estate is an important objective for the Scottish Government and as part of that it will seek to procure only buildings that are in the top quartile of energy performance.

Information on waiting times is held for Scotland as a whole.

The average waiting time during 2008-09 remains around six months.

 

At a national level, research on the potential for woodland expansion was commissioned to support the revision of the Scottish Forestry Strategy in 2006. This research is published and can be viewed at: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-6MGFKY. This research was further analysed for the preparation of a consultation document on woodland expansion in Scotland. The consultation and analysis of responses can also be viewed at: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-7FWEQ5.

The woodland expansion document will feed in to a Land Use Project recently launched by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, this document is available on the Scottish Government website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Research/new-research-projects/social-research/Rural-Land-Use-Study).

Planning Circular 9/1999 encourages local authorities to develop Indicative Forestry Strategies at regional level. There is now coverage of much of Scotland, and these regional strategies have been prepared on the basis of local studies of potential for new woodland creation.

We remain committed to the development and promotion of a network of paths throughout Scotland, including paths around the coast. Access authorities have been provided with powers under the land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 to prepare Core Paths Plans sufficient for the purpose of giving the public reasonable access throughout their area.

Scottish Natural Heritage is at present consulting on a Paths Policy Statement for Scotland''s paths of all kinds and it seeks views as to where the greatest effort is needed to improve path resources and increase participation.

The new EC Marine Strategy Framework Directive and international examples from Canada, New Zealand and Australia were considered in the development of proposals for a Scottish Marine Bill. Sustainable Seas for All - a consultation on Scotland''s First Marine Bill invited views on the management and protection of coastal resources. The responses are currently being analysed. If there are specific examples of good practice the member would like me to be aware of, please write with the details.

Scotland''s beautiful and varied coastline and its wide-range of attractions feature as one of the main activities participated in by visitors to Scotland. VisitScotland''s Visitor Experience Survey for 2008 reveals that 52% of UK visitors and 58% of Scots on holiday in Scotland said they had explored Scotland''s beaches and coastline, although only 4% of the latter said they had explored Scottish beaches and castles as the main purpose of their trip.

The Scottish Government does not hold comprehensive information on this subject. However estimates of the value to the economy of some types of outdoor recreation for some areas of Scotland are available from the British Marine Federation, the World Wildlife Fund and other organisations.

For example, the federation estimate that the annual economic impact of the marine leisure industry in Scotland is £250 million, supporting around 7,000 jobs, with sailing accounting for £130 million of this. The World Wildlife Fund estimates that coastal tourism in Scotland contributes £375 million to the economy. Sportscotland estimates that sea angling is worth around £150 million, and we are near the end of a study to give us a more precise estimate, while recreational diving is worth upwards of £5 million.

At the local level, quite small economic impacts can have a major benefit. The Tiree Wave Classic is supported by EventScotland and is estimated to bring £1 million to the Tiree economy each year. The Fife Coast and Countryside Trust estimate that between 480,000 and 580,000 visitors used the Fife Coastal Path between July 2005 and June 2006, generating between £24 million and £29 million of revenues, and supporting 800 to 900 jobs in Fife.

Twenty-nine of the 32 local authorities in Scotland have single outcome agreements that include outcomes on recycling. The three who do not are Shetland, Western Isles and Clackmannanshire.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) estimates that the waiving of licence application fees will cost SEPA £600,000 in 2008-09.