Chamber and committees

The draft voluntary modulationregulation currently allows for only one rate of voluntary modulation permember state. This is a point being pursued with the European Commission and othermember states as negotiations progress.

All financial decisions relatingto the budget for the next Rural Development Programme are dependent on the arrangementsfor voluntary modulation and these are not yet known.

No. I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-28341 on 22 September 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Yes. Under existingarrangements, different rates of voluntary modulation can apply in each part of the UK. We want to continue with these arrangements, as do other parts of the UK.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-28343 on 22 September 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

A decision can only be takenonce the rules for voluntary modulation are agreed.

The UK Government has not proposeda 20% rate of voluntary modulation. This is the maximum rate permitted under thecurrent arrangements as set out in Regulation 1259/1999 which first introduced voluntarymodulation and the maximum rate that was agreed by all member states in voluntarymodulation proposals put forward during the December budget negotiations.

Forestry Commission Scotlandhas not yet determined a detailed breakdown of how the £6 million will be allocatedbut it will largely be used to fund current approved contracts and to support landownerswho are restocking as part of the long-term forest plans system which was introduceda few years ago.

However, details of grant paymentsmade up to and including Friday 18 August 2006 have been published on the web pagesof Forestry Commission Scotland and can be viewed at:

www.forestry.gov.uk/sfgsgrantdetails.

These details will be updatedthroughout the financial year.

Sexual Offences PreventionOrders are intended to protect the public from the risk posed by sex offendersby placing restrictions on their behaviour. In order to manage that risk to thepublic it is essential that the police are able to monitor offenders. The mosteffective method of achieving this is for the police to undertake limited andsensitively managed disclosure of such information to relevant individuals andorganisations, for example local authority parties or head teachers of localschools. This limited disclosure, assessed on a case by case basis by thepolice is designed to minimise the risk of driving the offender underground andis an important element in ensuring public safety.

The Community EnvironmentalRenewal Scheme was designed to assist communities in the vicinity of past or presentquarries subject to the Aggregates Levy (in the case of disused quarries providedthat they would have been subject to the levy had they been in operation today).

The Aggregates Levy proceedswere available first from 2002 to 2004, and again from 2004 to 2007. Over this period£7.1 million has been offered or paid to 287 projects. The position on funding afterMarch 2007 will follow from decisions on the levy still to be announced by the Chancellor,and on subsequent decisions by Scottish ministers on distribution of any funds.