Chamber and committees

Our woodland creation targets are mainly achieved through grant support under the Scotland Rural Development Programme together with the Forest Leasing Scheme and some direct planting undertaken by Forestry Commission Scotland. The 2011-12 Draft Budget provides sufficient funding to meet 10,000 hectares of woodland creation and we have actually increased grants available for forestry by £8.9 million to £36 million.

Our policy is to continue to allow sufficient funding to achieve 10,000 hectares each year, which will deliver the 100 million trees target by 2015.

The expected income to Forestry Commission Scotland by 2020 is £30 million per year from the development of renewable energy facilities on the national forest estate.

The local investigation teams are part of a broader Scottish Government/Young Scot project that is aimed at inspiring young people and encouraging them to consider the issues and opportunities that arise from tackling climate change.

Each team will conduct an investigation into different aspects of low carbon living. The findings of each investigation will be published.

Approximately £4,000 will be allocated to the work of each of the teams.

The most recently published information is contained within Table 1 of the Annual Report on Environmental Performance of the Scottish Government estate for the 2008-09 financial year. This report was published on 21 May 2010 and is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 50874). It highlighted good performance in the areas of waste reduction and recycling but weaker performance in reducing emissions from energy use.

Carbon dioxide emissions arising from energy use in the then 18 target Scottish Government buildings decreased by 0.3% between 1999-2000 and 2008-09.

Young Scot used their networks and experience to establish the teams. The process of identifying locations included ensuring that the teams should represent urban and rural areas.

The process also involved ensuring that participants included young people of different ages in full time education, and young people who are currently not in education or employment. Two schools and one training organisation are involved in the local investigation teams, which are based in Stirling, Lochgilphead and Kilmarnock, and worked with the young people attending their organisations to identify team members.

The most recently published information is contained within Table 1 of the Annual Report on Environmental Performance of the Scottish Government estate for the 2008-09 financial year. This report was published on 21 May 2010 and is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 50874). Carbon dioxide emissions arising from the business travel of Scottish Government officials decreased by 2.5%, between 2005-06 and 2008-09, including a reduction in air mileage of 9% and an increase in rail mileage of 6%; this modal shift of journeys was in line with the Scottish Government''s Travel Plan.

The one-off grant scheme is managed and administered by Eco-Schools Scotland and funded through the core grant from the Scottish Government. Eco-Schools Scotland could continue to operate the one-off grant scheme but in the context of increasing demand for assessments and in order to make best use of their resources, the grant scheme has been suspended from 31 March 2011. Eco-Schools Scotland agreed this approach in consultation with the Eco-Schools Advisory Group which includes the Scottish Government.

Eco-Schools is a highly successful programme and it is important that Eco-Schools Scotland have the operational flexibility to make best use of their resources.

The Scottish Government has confirmed that core funding of £425,000 will be made available in 2011-12, which is the same level of funding as in 2010-11. The shows the Scottish Government''s commitment to Eco-Schools Scotland at a time of considerable financial pressures.

As at 1 March 2011, the percentage of establishments awarded the Eco-Schools Green Flag is:

(a) 38% of local authority schools including primary, secondary and special schools 

 (b) 31% of local authority nursery schools and nursery classes. 19% of local authority or partnership pre-school education providers have been awarded a Green Flag.

The Government On Line Sustainable Performance Information Exchange (GOLSPIE), a web portal within www.scotland.gov.uk is under development and will publish daily energy consumption data. In line with our commitment in Conserve and Save: Energy Efficiency Action Plan we will start to publish this information in the spring. Copies of the Action Plan are available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. Number 52545).

The number of schools and pre-schools awarded a Green Flag under the Eco-Schools programme in each financial year since the programme began in Scotland has been provided by Eco-Schools Scotland and is set out in the following table:

Financial Year	Schools*	Pre-Schools**
1994-95	0	0
1995-96	2	0
1996-97	1	0
1997-98	1	0
1998-99	2	1
1999-2000	5	0
2000-01	3	0
2001-02	4	0
2002-03	12	5
2003-04	31	5
2004-05	64	2
2005-06	89	15
2006-07	121	11
2007-08	172	14
2008-09	191	25
2009-10	173	26
2010 “ 1 March 11	197	24
Total	1,068	128

Notes:

*Includes Primary, Secondary, Independent, Special and composite schools many of which include nursery classes.

**Includes Nursery Schools (not nursery classes) and Early Years Partnership Providers.

Information has only been included in respect of first Green Flags. Many schools have been award a second, third or fourth Green Flag in recent years, though the focus now will be on attaining and retaining the Green Flag rather than have multiple flags.

The Eco-Schools programme is managed and administered by Eco-Schools Scotland which is part of Keep Scotland Beautiful, with funding from the Scottish Government.