- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 27 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Crown Office has any policy with regard to pursuing claims against schools whose badges potentially breach heraldic law and the Lyon Court's rulings.
Answer
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has no involvement in the enforcement of heraldic law. Offences in connection with that body of law are prosecuted before the Court of the Lord Lyon by the Procurator Fiscal to that Court who is not (despite his title) part of the Procurator Fiscal Service. It is understood that the Lord Lyon has written to the member about the particular position of schools.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 27 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any inconsistencies in the operation of planning guidelines by local authorities, in particular with regard to decisions on housing developments in rural villages.
Answer
When taking a planning decision, it is up to the planning authority to interpret National Planning Policy Guidelines (NPPGs) in the light of local circumstances. The planning authority must assess the weight to be afforded to NPPGs, development plan policies and other relevant considerations when reaching such a decision.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 27 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the recent comments by East Lothian Council's Planning Committee that the guidelines in Designing Places: A Policy Statement for Scotland were not prescriptive enough to be a material consideration in planning issues.
Answer
I am not aware that East Lothian Council Planning Committee have made any comments on Designing Places: A Policy Statement for Scotland. I understand, however, that a report by planning officials to the Planning Committee made reference to the status of this document in respect of a specific housing development.It is clearly stated in Designing Places (in the Foreword and on page 41) that the document is a material consideration in planning applications and appeals. Importantly, the statement sets out general design principles which would be applicable to a range of development types including housing.In addition, National Planning Policy Guideline 1: The Planning System (revised 2000) makes it clear that design is a material consideration in determining planning applications. Design grounds may be used as the sole reason for refusal of an application.It is for the decision-maker to decide what weight is given to each material consideration.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 27 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive with regard to Planning Advice Notice No. 36, what its definition is of "countryside" and what si'e a community must be in order to meet the definition of "rural village".
Answer
There are no definitions provided in Planning Advice Note 36: Siting and Design of New Housing in the Countryside of "countryside" or what size a community must be to be considered a "rural village". This allows our advice to be interpreted to suit local circumstances.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 27 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking in partnership with East Lothian Council to consider and act on any issues relating to the promotion of road safety arising from the development of rural villages for commuter housing.
Answer
Outwith the trunk road network, local roads authorities are responsible for all aspects of road safety and traffic management on local roads in their areas. In the first instance, it is for East Lothian Council to consider the need for particular measures to safeguard road users and residents, and to determine the priority that should be given to particular schemes, both in reviewing their development plans and in considering individual development proposals.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 27 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to give any new guidance to local authorities on planning issues arising from housing developments in rural villages.
Answer
National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) 3: Planning and Housing is currently under review. A copy of the consultation draft of NPPG 3, which was published on 4 March, is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 19850).Responses to the consultation will be carefully considered before the final version of the NPPG is published.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 February 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elaine Murray on 26 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-22172 by Dr Elaine Murray on 5 February 2001, on what grounds it stated that Kilmartin House had not accepted its offer of a meeting and on what date the offer was declined.
Answer
My predecessor, Allan Wilson, offered to meet with representatives of the Kilmartin House Trust in a letter dated 7 November 2001. The director was advised by telephone to await the ministerial reshuffle before making an appointment with the appropriate minister. The director wrote to me on 6 February, and I again offered a meeting with representatives of the trust in a letter dated 21 February. The request was accepted and a meeting took place on 20 March.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 February 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 26 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any local authorities intend to end existing temporary contracts for teachers in order to finance one-year placements for new entrants to the teaching profession from August 2002.
Answer
Deployment of staff is a matter for local authorities and information on the use of temporary contracts is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 February 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 26 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Chief Constable of Lothian and Borders Police and Lothian Transport plc with regard to parking of ministerial cars on double yellow lines and at a bus stop in the Lawnmarket, High Street, Edinburgh between 5.00 pm and 6.00 pm on days when the Parliament is sitting.
Answer
No discussions have taken place between the Scottish Executive and Lothian Transport plc, about parking in the Lawnmarket. There were discussions with the Lothian and Borders Police Scottish Parliamentary Police Service in 1999, about the safe transportation of ministers in the heavily congested area surrounding the Parliament buildings.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 22 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it (a) has given in each of the past two years and (b) plans to give to the Scottish Youth Parliament.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has supported the Scottish Youth Parliament, both financially and with advice as necessary. The Youth Parliament first applied for grant under the Further Education (Approved Associations) (Scotland) Grant Regulations 1989 for financial year 2001-02 and were awarded the sum of £80,000. They applied for three-year funding for the period 2002-05 and have been awarded £80,000 for 2002-03 and indicative amounts of the same for the following two years.
