- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 June 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 16 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive in what areas the 7,500 hectares of new trees referred to by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment at the Forestry in the Low Carbon Economy conference on 2 June 2010 will be planted.
Answer
The approved planting is distributed throughout Scotland. The main regions are Highland and Dumfries and Galloway; significant amounts are also planned for Borders, Grampian and Argyll.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 June 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 16 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive how many hectares of new tree-planting it is planning to undertake in the next 12 months.
Answer
There are 7,500 hectares approved for planting in 2010-11, and we expect that figure to increase, aided by the significant improvements we have made to the rates of grant available through the SRDP and by streamlining administration. In addition, Forestry Commission Scotland''s (FCS) repositioning programme will facilitate more planting (around 1,000 hectares) on the national forest estate, while a pilot scheme being developed by FCS to lease land from farmers also aims to increase planting levels.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 June 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 16 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive how the planting of 7,500 hectares of new trees in the next 12 months, as referred to by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment at the Forestry in the Low Carbon Economy conference on 2 June 2010, will be financed.
Answer
The new woodland planting will be funded through the Scottish Rural Development Programme and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 May 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 9 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had, or plans to have, with the UK Government about its proposed white paper on nature; whether the paper is expected to address any matters affecting Scotland and, if so, what opportunities stakeholders in Scotland will have to comment on such matters.
Answer
Scottish Government and UK Government officials are in regular contact on a wide range of matters relating to policy on the natural environment and we would expect to be involved in discussions about any new policy developments affecting Scottish interests. We understand that the scope and content of the proposed UK Government white paper on nature are still to be decided.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 May 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 May 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32445 by Stewart Stevenson on 24 March 2010, on what date it will announce its decision on the future of the Odeon Cinema in Clerk Street in Edinburgh.
Answer
A decision to refuse listed building consent was issued on the Odeon cinema case on 21 May 2010. The reasons for the time taken to reach a decision were given in answer to question S3W-32445. Before reaching a decision officials met with ministers on 12 January 2010 and 18 May 2010.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 May 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 May 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the meetings that have taken place to discuss the future of the Odeon Cinema in Clerk Street in Edinburgh.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33575 on 26 May 2010. 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/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 May 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 May 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32445 by Stewart Stevenson on 24 March 2010, whether it will provide details of the reasons for the time that it has taken to consider the reporter’s report on the listed building status of the Odeon Cinema in Clerk Street in Edinburgh and not being able to reach a decision within the three-month period.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33575 on 26 May 2010. 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/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 May 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 May 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what the carbon benefits are of restoring Scotland’s blanket bogs.
Answer
Blanket bogs represent a considerable reservoir of carbon, the balance of which is disturbed when they are drained. Benefits of restoration may therefore include a reduction in losses over time of carbon to watercourses and atmosphere. The magnitude of the benefits will vary from site to site, depending on such factors as altitude, species composition and management.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 May 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 May 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total area of blanket bog is in Scotland.
Answer
Blanket bog occurs close to other habitats such as wet and dry heath, with a range of transitional forms and as such has a number of possible definitions. Recent estimates of extent, each using slightly different methods and criteria, are between 1.1 million and 1.9 million hectares.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 May 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 May 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total area of blanket bog is in the national forest estate.
Answer
Once blanket bog has been planted with trees it can no longer be defined as blanket bog. However, using British Geological Survey data, Forestry Commission Scotland has estimated that the total area of peatland capable of supporting blanket bog vegetation on the national forest estate is 71,000 hectares, of which 44,500 is planted with trees.
