Chamber and committees

The following table provides details of the forest planting rates in each of the last five years, also showing year-on-year percentage changes. The figures refer to areas for which Forestry Commission Scotland paid grants and the area planted by Forestry Commission Scotland on the national forest estate.

Year ended 31 March	Area of new planting for which Forestry Commission Scotland paid grants (hectares)	Area of restocking for which Forestry Commission Scotland paid grants (hectares)	Area of new planting on Forestry Commission Scotland estate (hectares)	Area of restocking on Forestry Commission Scotland estate (hectares)	Total (hectares)	% change (+ or -)
2001	11,627	3,561	92	4,449	19,729
2002	7,880	2,884	100	4,874	15,738	-20%
2003	6,634	3,489	95	4,987	15,205	-3%
2004	6,703	3,618	90	5,195	15,606	+3%
2005	5,647	4,193	35	5,283	15,158	-3%

 

The numbers of households on waiting lists for each local authority are published on an annual basis for 2000-01 onwards in the quarterly Scottish Executive Statistical Bulletin (Housing Series) Housing Trends in Scotland. This is available online in the publications section of the housing statistics branch reference site at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/housing/hsbref (bulletins HSG/2001/6, HSG/2002/3, HSG/2003/4 and HSG/2004/4). The published table shows the position at the beginning and end of the year. The most recent figures are for 2003-04 and the 2004-05 figures will be published at the end of August 2005.

The Housing Trends bulletins also show the numbers of local authority dwellings.

There is no central register of problem drug users in Scotland.

Some £1.47 million of FIFG funding remains to be allocated to projects in the Highlands and Islands area representing some 8.95% of the FIFG allocation. The equivalent Lowland Scotland figures are £13.9 million and 38.6%.

A record of ScottishMinisterial attendance at EU Council of Ministers meetings since 1999 canbe found on the Scottish Executive website at:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/InternationalRelations/Europe/Page6.

To date Scottish Ministershave attended Council of Ministers meetings on 68 occasions. Ministerialattendance at Councils is an important aspect of the Executive’s EuropeanStrategy and, where appropriate, the participation of Scottish Ministers canplay a significant role in promoting Scottish and UK interests.Scottish interests are of course represented at all Councils by the UKdelegation. In addition where devolved issues are concerned the Executive worksclosely with the UK Government to ensure that Scottish circumstances andconcerns are reflected in the UK’s negotiating position.

Details of all Councilmeetings can be obtained from the Council of the European Union website at:

http://ue.eu.int/cms3_fo/showPage.ASP?id=1&lang=en&mode=g.

The information requested isnot held centrally. However, comprehensive information on energy costs andperformance within NHSScotland is publicly available on the NHSScotlandProperty and Environment Forum internet site under the heading “EnvironmentReports” at: http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/pef/.

At a meeting between theindustry and the Commission on 29 July 2005, Commissioner Borg outlined fivepotential fuel support measures, as follows:

Paymentsunder FIFG for the temporary cessation of fishing on the grounds of adverseimpacts of viability due to high fuel costs. Such payments would need to comefrom existing FIFG budgets and could be given for three month periods, with amaximum of six months funding between now and the end of 2006.

Paymentsunder FIFG for re-gearing activity which leads to the introduction of more fuelefficient fishing gear. This did not extend to re-engining.

 Commissionreview of the de minimis level of state aid which is exempt from the ban onfisheries operational subsidies. At present 3,000 Euros per boat over a threeyear period can be paid.

ACommission review of adjustments to the European Fisheries Fund to cover longerterm fuel related restructuring activities.

A Commission review of the possiblecreation of a guarantee fund for fuel.

The Scottish Executive remainsin close dialogue with the industry, the UK government and the EU Commission regarding theeffects of high fuel costs and will continue to explore what options might beavailable.

The Executive has commenceda review of National Planning Policy Guideline 6: Renewable Energy. Thisreview, which will be underpinned by strategic environmental assessment, willconsider the need for a national spatial framework and/or regional targets foron-shore wind farms. It is hoped to issue revised policies for publicconsultation early in 2006.

The role of on-shore windfarms in contributing to the Executive’s renewable energy targets was one of anumber of issues considered by the Forum for Renewable Energy Development inScotland (FREDS) in Realising the 2020 Target - Future Generation GroupReport 2005, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament InformationCentre (Bib. number 36765). FREDS confirmed that the development of onshore windhas an important role to play in providing the economic justification for thedevelopment of Scotland’s grid, which in turn could also substantiallybenefit other renewable technologies which will come on stream over a longertime. The Executive has accepted the findings of this report.

The Land Reform (Scotland) Act2003, Part 3 provides for a crofting community right to buy eligible croft landat any time, subject only to ministerial approval of an application by a croftingcommunity body to use the right to buy (i.e. on a compulsory basis).

Part 2 of that act allows ruralcommunity bodies to register an interest in rural land (defined, for the purposesof the Community Right to Buy, as land other than excluded settlements of over 10,000population) and the right to buy that land when it comes to be sold. This is a pre-emptiveright to buy.

These rights relate to the acquisitionof land and any property or property right that is considered to be part of theland asset such as buildings. There is no right to buy moveable property or mosttypes of tenancy.

Forestry Commission Scotland’sNational Forest Land Scheme gives communities the opportunity to buy any part of the national forest estate, even though the land has not come up for sale, so longas they can satisfy the eight criteria of the scheme.

The National Forest Land Schemealso provides for the commission to sell national forest land for affordable housingto housing associations and trusts, and for “sponsored” land sales, where communitieswill have the first opportunity to buy surplus national forest land that the commissionproposes to sell.

The scheme builds on the Rightto Buy principles enshrined in the Land Reform Act, but goes a step further by enablingcommunities to initiate discussions where national forest land is not actually upfor sale.

The National Forest Land SchemeGuidance can be found at www.forestry.gov.uk/nfls

The Transfer of Crofting Estates(Scotland) Act 1997 enables the transfer of Scottish ministers’ crofting estates tocrofting trusts. Any interests in mineral, sporting or other rights relating tothese estates may also be transferred. The act allows the disposal of crofting propertyonly to organisations which are considered properly representative of relevant croftingestates and which have the promotion of the interests of the persons residing onthe estate as their primary objective. Before agreeing to disposal the Scottishministers must first consult the Crofters Commission.

Under the act, financial assistancecan be provided by Scottish ministers towards the start up costs of a body to whomcrofting property is being transferred and for the legal expenses of the transfer.Any rights of pre‑emption are extinguished under the act which allows thoseaffected by this to submit a claim for compensation within a specified period witha right of appeal by the claimant to the Scottish Land Court.

The definition of rural landused for Community Right to Buy purposes (and the Community Acquisition provisionsof the National Forest Land Scheme) means that the areas covered by those schemesextend beyond the Executive’s core definition of rural areas. There are howeverno specific schemes to provide for community purchase of land and property currentlyexcluded by the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.

Today I am launching a new sustainable framework for Scottish Sea Fisheries that describes the steps the Executive is taking to secure a sustainable, profitable and well-managed sea fishing industry in Scotland. These include a number of measures which we shall be taking in partnership with other UK fisheries departments in response to Net Benefits.

The joint UK Administrations’ response to the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit report, Net Benefits is also being published today and copies of both the documents have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, (Bib. number 36906 and 36905 respectively). We have set out a coherent plan for the future of Scotland’s sea fisheries industry and look forward to its delivery, working in partnership with the industry and others.