- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has specific statutory responsibilities that it carries out in relation to planning matters and, if so, what these responsibilities are.
Answer
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency is a statutory consultee for developments identified under the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) (Scotland) Order 1992, as amended, and for planning applications requiring environmental impact assessments under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 1999. SEPA also provides advice to planning authorities on environmental aspects which are material planning considerations. In addition, SEPA has a statutory duty under the Environment Act 1995, if requested by a planning authority, to provide advice on the risk of flooding in any part of the authority''s area.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executivewhether, during any discussions the First Minister has had with Mr Donald Macdonald, Mr Macdonald raised any concerns about the Scottish Environment Protection Agency with regard to the planning application in Aviemore in which he had an interest.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9041 on 25 February 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the work of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) relating to aspects of the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest could be said to have been completed more quickly than could normally be expected for similar tasks, following the receipt of information required by SEPA from the applicants and, if so, in respect of what issues.
Answer
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency prioritises responses to planning consultations primarily according to environmental risk, but also takes into account sustainable development considerations. To meet planning authorities'' deadlines, SEPA will also deal with some consultations more rapidly than others.
SEPA gives high-priority to flood risk assessments for developments of a scale and nature such as that proposed at Aviemore in an area already prone to flooding. In the case of the Aviemore planning applications, SEPA also took account of the Cairngorms National Park Authority''s deadlines and the need to provide for the sustainable development of the region, including the particular financial and employment imperatives involved, as part of SEPA''s overall consideration of the applications.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what the accountability mechanisms are from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to ministers and what documents set out the relationship between ministers and SEPA.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9056 on 25 February 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the First Minister has had any discussions with special advisers following and concerning any issues raised by Mr Donald Macdonald or his representatives or others on his behalf; with which special advisers such discussions took place, and on what dates.
Answer
The First Minister has had discussions on a number of occasions with special adviser Kevin Pringle on various dates since 25 January 2008 in relation to media enquiries concerning the Aviemore planning applications.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the advice from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to the Cairngorm National Park Authority changed shortly before the National Park Planning Committee was due to consider a planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest and, if so, on what date the advice was changed and how close that date was to the date that the planning committee was due to meet.
Answer
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) withdrew its objection to the planning application for the development of the Horse Field site at Aviemore on 12 December 2007. SEPA was able to withdraw its objection after it had completed its review of the Flood Risk Assessment, received from the developer on 10 December, and satisfied itself about the potential impact of the development on adjacent properties. The National Park Planning Committee met on 14 December 2007.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether in discussing with the Chief Planner any issue relating to the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest, the First Minister made it clear in what capacity he was acting.
Answer
In requesting information from the Chief Planner, the First Minister was acting in his ministerial capacity.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Chief Planner involved himself or any of his staff in discussions on, or raised issues with any of the statutory agencies involved in, the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest, prior to the First Minister receiving any representations on the issues and, if so, on how many occasions.
Answer
No.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any ministers have met or had conversations with Mr Donald Macdonald since May 2007 and on what dates and at what locations.
Answer
The First Minister met Mr Donald Macdonald in Aviemore on 26 October 2007. Mr Macdonald welcomed Mr Salmond to the SNP Conference at the entrance to the conference. The meeting lasted a few seconds, was fully within public view and was filmed for television.
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing met Mr Macdonald in St Andrew''s House in Edinburgh on 7 August 2007 to discuss Health Service related issues.
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth had a brief informal conversation with Mr Macdonald during the SNP National Conference in Aviemore on 26 October 2007 during which Mr Macdonald mentioned that he had been involved in a meeting, earlier that day, with the local MSP and others in relation to the development proposals for the Aviemore resort.
The Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism met Mr Macdonald in Edinburgh on 30 August 2007 to discuss the Government''s economic strategy and the tourism goal for 2015, and along, with the constituency MSP, at the SNP National Conference in Aviemore on 26 October 2007 to get an update on the Aviemore development from Macdonald Hotels, the local Chamber of Commerce, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Highland Council and the Cairngorms National Park Authority.
The Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture met Mr Macdonald, in his capacity as Chair of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, at Victoria Quay, Edinburgh on 26 July 2007; in central Edinburgh on 2 September 2007, and at the City Halls, Glasgow on 5 October 2007.
The Minister for Community Safety, acting in his capacity as constituency MSP, met or had conversations with Mr Macdonald on a number of occasions since May 2007.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers have powers of direction over the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and, if so, whether these powers have ever been used and, in particular, in any planning matters.
Answer
The Scottish ministers have powers under various pieces of legislation to issue directions to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in relation to the exercise of its functions. These powers are used regularly and cover a range of matters falling within SEPA''s remit. No direction has been issued concerning the exercise of SEPA''s functions relating specifically to planning matters.
