Chamber and committees

We now expect to issue the response early in the New Year.

I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

There is no legislation governing the placing of radiators under the Scottish Executive central heating programme, but guidance is provided in the Technical Specification issued by Communities Scotland to the Eaga Partnership Limited.

I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

The Technical Specification provides guidance on the positioning of radiators and allows for flexibility on where radiators are placed. Provided the location of radiators does not interfere with the effective operation of the heating system, then the householder should be the final arbiter on the positioning of radiators.

The Scottish Executive has a range of measures in place to support education authorities working with pupils with dyslexia. This includes the provision of £8.4 million in 2004-05 to education authorities for the training and development of staff working with pupils with additional support needs, including dyslexia.

Guidance on the relationship between local authorities and community councils is contained in the former Scottish Office booklet “Local Authorities and Community Councils – Enhancing the Relationship”. I am arranging for a copy of the booklet, which is also available at:www.scotland.gov.uk/library/documents-w3/lacc-00.htm, to be sent to you.

The legislation governing the establishment and general purpose of community councils is contained at sections 51-55 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (as amended) and section 22 of the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994.

I am happy to be able to announce the appointment of Raymond Young OBE as the Chair of Architecture and Design Scotland, the new public body being established by the Scottish Executive as the national champion for good architecture, design and planning in the built environment. Brian Evans and Malcolm Fraser have been appointed the two Deputy Chairs. These public appointments have been made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland’s Codeof Practice.

The principal aim of Architecture and Design Scotland will be to inspire better quality in design and architecture so that Scotland’s built environment contributes in a positive way to our quality of life and our built heritage. Along with other activities, it will take over the independent design review role of the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland from April 2005. Architecture and Design Scotland will have a much wider proactive role in advocating the benefits of good design and architecture to a wide range of organisations at national, regional and local level. Architecture and Design Scotland will operate as a Company Limited by Guarantee funded directly by the Executive.

I will be making further announcements soon about the appointment of the Chief Executive and the Advisory Board Members of Architecture and Design Scotland.

The Deer Commission for Scotland, under section 37(5)(b) of the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996, is required to prepare and from time to time, revise, a code of practice for the use of vehicles for the purposes of deer management. A copy of the current code is available from the Deer Commission. A revision of the code is under consideration by the commission.

In addition, Best Practice guidance is being prepared on the use of powered vehicles in deer management.

Under section 14 of the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996, where a person performs an act at the request of or under the authority of the Deer Commission for Scotland in pursuance of a control agreement; a control scheme; or section 10 of the act, the person shall not be liable to be proceeded against under the act.

These actions are:

1. Taking, killing or injuring deer in close season.

2 Taking or killing deer at night (under section 10).

3 Offences connected with use of vehicles and aircraft.

It should be noted that section 14 does not provide any exemptions from the offence under section 17(3) of killing or injuring deer other than by shooting, nor from the requirements of wider animal welfare legislation.

We expect to be in a position to bring the rights of access established by Part 1 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 into effect in the early part of 2005. Before then we intend to issue guidance to local authorities under section 27 of the act on the discharge of their functions with respect to access rights. A draft of this guidance will be laid before the Parliament shortly. Also, we are currently consulting on a draft order to be made under section 8 of the Act that would bring woods and forests within access rights. Such an order can only be made if approved by resolution of the Parliament.

Our intention is that access rights will be in effect in good time to allow a major publicity and educational campaign to be mounted to alert the public and land managers to the implications of the new access arrangements, and to their responsibilities under the act, prior to the main period of countryside recreational activities starting around Easter.