- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 13 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 27 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will institute a public inquiry to examine issues surrounding the planning application for the proposed wind farm at Whitelees Forest.
Answer
This application for consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 is currently the subject of consultation. Responses from the three local authorities concerned are still outstanding. It would be inappropriate to take any decision on a public inquiry before we have received and considered these and the other responses to the consultation process.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 24 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current level of ambulance cover is in Lanarkshire; what level of cover it considers appropriate, and whether it is acceptable for there to be periods when no ambulance cover is available in the area.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25782.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 24 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to ensure that there is adequate ambulance cover in Lanarkshire during periods when demand for the service is expected to increase.
Answer
This is an operational matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 24 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many ambulance call-outs there have been in Lanarkshire in each month since January 2002 and what the (a) average and (b) target response times were in each of these months.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25782.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 24 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many ambulance shifts were not covered in Lanarkshire in each month since January 2002.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25782.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 23 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what environmental assessment is required before planning permission for a wind farm is granted and whether such assessment includes a flood risk assessment.
Answer
Wind farms of over 50 mega watts capacity require consent from the Scottish ministers under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. In granting consent under this procedure planning permission is deemed to be granted. Wind farms of smaller capacity require planning permission from the relevant planning authority under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997. The electricity consent procedures and the planning permission procedures have associated formal environmental impact assessment (EIA) requirements contained in the Electricity Works (Assessment of Environmental Effects) (Scotland) Regulations 2000 and the Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 1999 respectively.The information required to be included in the environmental statement associated with an EIA will depend on the particular circumstances of each case. Prior to seeking consent or planning permission, a developer may approach the competent authority (either the Scottish ministers or the planning authority) to seek an opinion on the scope of the environmental statement.Where an application for planning permission is involved, aside from the formal EIA procedures, planning authorities also have powers to require the submission of further information necessary to determine the application. This can include information on, for example, environmental issues, flood risk or traffic impact.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 22 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what reduction in the production of greenhouse gases has been effected by the advent of wind generated electricity.
Answer
The most recently published data shows that wind generation in Scotland in 2000 accounted for 216.7GWh. Depending on the fuel that is displaced, this will reduce emissions by about 20,000 to 40,000 tonnes of carbon.Scottish wind generation has increased significantly since 2000 and, in tandem with other renewable technologies, will assist in filling the gap as existing generation retires over the coming decades, contributing further carbon savings.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 22 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any concerns have been raised over the extraction of peat from the site of the proposed wind farm at Whitelee Forest and, if so, what its response was to any such concerns.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is not aware of any concerns over any potential extraction of peat from Whitelee Forest.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 22 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any concerns have been raised about possible despoiling of an area of special scientific interest in regard to the proposed wind farm at Whitelee Forest.
Answer
There are no Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) or international nature conservation sites within the vicinity of the proposed wind turbine development at Whitelee Forest, and the Scottish Executive is not aware of any concerns about possible damage to SSSIs in this area.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 22 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what flood risk assessment has been completed in connection with the proposed wind farm at Whitelee Forest; whether any such assessment has been provided to (a) it, (b) the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and (c) the local authorities in the area, and whether any such assessment will be published.
Answer
The Environmental Statement prepared on behalf of the developer addressed the issue of flood risk assessment and will be addressed by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the local authorities concerned as part of the consultation process. The application by Scottish Power for consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to construct a wind farm in Whitelee Forest is currently under consideration by Scottish ministers. It would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment further on this particular project.
