Chamber and committees

Information is not held centrally on these particular categories. Selected data on vacant and derelict land is contained in Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey 2010, which is available online at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Planning/Publications.

Planning guidance is contained in Scottish Planning Policy http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/02/03132605/0 and Planning Advice Note 65 http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/05/30100623/0.

This information is not held centrally. The Greenspace Scotland report Community Growing in Scotland – Towards a framework for action (April 2011) includes this information at Table 3.1. The report may be accessed online at: http://www.greenspacescotland.org.uk/default.asp?page=578.

This information is not held centrally. The Greenspace Scotland report Community Growing in Scotland – Towards a framework for action (April 2011) includes this information at Table 3.1. The report may be accessed online at: http://www.greenspacescotland.org.uk/default.asp?page=578.

These matters could be considered in local authorities’ development plans informed by the Open Space Audit and Strategy recommended in Planning Advice Note 65. The Planning Advice Note is available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/05/30100623/0.

A total funding package of £528,695 was made available to support the start-up costs of Glencraft (Aberdeen) Ltd, a new social enterprise launched in April 2010, following the closure of the former supported workshop in November 2009. This included a grant of £266,195 from Scottish Enterprise, a loan of £150,000 from Social Investment Scotland and use of premises, which belong to Aberdeen City Council, rent-free for one year. Scottish Enterprise has provided ongoing business advice to the new company since April 2010.

The draft Electricity Generation Policy Statement was published as a draft last November (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/11/17094217/0). It sets out the Scottish Government's position on the role of renewable electricity and fossil fuel thermal generation (coal, gas, oil) in Scotland's future energy mix. That draft statement is subject to a Strategic Environmental Assessment, and is now currently open to consultation.

On 30 June, we published The Routemap for Renewable Energy in Scotland 2011 (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/917/0118728.pdf) which reflects the challenge of our new target to meet an equivalent of 100% demand for electricity from renewable energy by 2020, as well as our target of 11% renewable heat. The Draft Electricity Generation Policy Statement will be updated in the context of the Routemap and the 100% renewables target. That work is underway and the update will be published later this year.

A breakdown of these figures in the form requested is not readily available at present.

Forestry Commission Scotland records show that the total amount of private sector woodland approved for felling without a replanting condition was 267 hectares in 2009-10 and 119 hectares in 2010-11. However, certain categories of felling (including felling associated with planning permission and very small scale felling) are exempt from felling licence requirements, and no central records are held on exempt felling.

Provisional statistics from the National Forest Inventory, published in May 2011, indicated that Scotland has 1.384 million hectares of forest, or 17.8% forest cover, a slight increase on the previous estimate. This provisional report also noted an estimated figure for woodland removal due to wind farm development and habitat restoration in the period 2000 to 2010 of around 10 - 20 thousand hectares. Forestry Commission Scotland is commissioning work in 2011-12 to determine more accurately the area of permanent woodland loss due to wind farm development and habitat restoration.

Work is also continuing on the Native Woodland Survey of Scotland, which will provide maps and estimates of recent losses of native and ancient woodland related to development and other causes.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-01330 on 15 July 2011. 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/Apps2/MAQASearch/QAndMSearch.aspx.

The purpose of the National Renewables Infrastructure Plan (N-RIP) is to provide onshore support, with the focus on Scottish ports and harbours, for the development of a globally competitive offshore renewables industry based in Scotland. The focus of the N-RIP is on the feasibility of, or potential for, economic investment in this regard. Inclusion in the N-RIP therefore would not be a material consideration in determining the application for a power station at Hunterston.

With regard to the current application for a multi-fuel power station at Hunterston, this application is ongoing and under the consideration of Scottish Ministers. The applicant, Ayrshire Power Ltd, is working on additional information to support their application which will be submitted shortly. Upon submission this will be subject to full public consultation and representations will be sought from members of the public.