- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 June 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 27 June 2013
To ask the Scottish Government when it was advised of Forestry Commission Scotland's decision to transfer land to Glenfeshie Estate, and what its response was.
Answer
Forestry Commission Scotland has delegated authority from the Scottish Government to manage the National Forest Estate (via Forest Enterprise Scotland). This includes purchase, sale or exchange of land.
Therefore there was no requirement for Forestry Commission Scotland to advise the Scottish Government of its decision to transfer land to Glenfeshie Estate.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 June 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 26 June 2013
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce legislation based on the recommendations of the Land Reform Review Group’s final report and, if so, when.
Answer
The Community Empowerment and Renewal Bill is currently proceeding and any relevant recommendations that the review group can make within the Bill timescale, will be taken forward as part of that Bill. The Bill team and review group are liaising closely to ensure that this happens.
The Scottish Government will look to take any necessary action to legislate on the proposals in the group’s final report, as quickly as possible following the production of the report but we don’t wish to prejudge the outcome of the review group’s work at this time, given that the second phase of its work is in its early stages and in advance of ministers having the opportunity to consider the review group’s findings.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 June 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 25 June 2013
To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) remit, (b) timescale and (c) membership will be of the group carrying out the review of agricultural tenancy legislation.
Answer
As stated on 28 May 2013, in my speech to the NFUS Conference-A Shared Vision for Land Tenure, I will make an announcement after the summer break indicating how we will carry out the review of agricultural holdings legislation.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 June 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 25 June 2013
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-14141 by Richard Lochhead on 7 May 2013, what the qualifying criteria are for receiving the aid; how much has been paid, and when the first payment was made.
Answer
Farmers will be eligible to receive financial aid if they have used a fallen stock collection service during the period 1 March 2013 to 31 May 2013.
The financial aid will be administered by the National Fallen Stock Company (NFSCo). Farmers who are members of NFSCo need to take no action at this stage. Farmers who are not members of NFSCo need to complete an application form providing their name, address and bank details. This form should be submitted to NFSCo along with evidence to show that they have paid for collections made in the relevant period by an operator approved to collect and dispose of fallen stock by 31 July 2013.
Application forms are available to download at http://www.nfsco.co.uk/news.php or by emailing [email protected] or by calling the NFSCo helpline on 08450 548888.
Payments will commence in August 2013 and any subsidy payments to farmers will be calculated according to collections made.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 June 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 25 June 2013
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-14139 by Richard Lochhead on 13 May 2013, what the qualifying criteria are for receiving the aid; how much has been paid, and when the first payment was made.
Answer
The Weather Aid Scheme opened for applications on 3 June 2013 and detailed notes for guidance are available on the Scottish Government website:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/farmingrural/Agriculture/grants/WeatherAidScheme.
The eligibility criteria takes into account the impact of the severe weather on businesses and the type and extent of losses they suffered.
The scheme closes for applications on 5 July 2013 and the Weather Aid Industry Group will set the payment rates once all applications have been assessed. The aim is to make as many payments as possible in early August.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 June 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 17 June 2013
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its response to its consultation on a plastic bag tax.
Answer
The Scottish Government has not consulted on a plastic bag tax. Our safeguarding Scotland’s resources consultation on efficient use of materials included a proposal for regulations requiring retailers to charge at least 5p for all single use carrier bags, regardless of material, and donate the net proceeds to good causes. We intend to publish our proposals soon, together with consultation responses and analysis.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 June 2013
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 11 June 2013
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its 2011 climate change target.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 11 June 2013
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 May 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 30 May 2013
To ask the Scottish Government how many ministerial journeys of (a) one to two miles and (b) one mile and under have been completed (i) by car, (ii) on foot, (iii) on bicycle and (iv) using public transport since 2007 and what impact it expects its recently launched campaign, Not Far? Leave the Car, to have on such journeys.
Answer
The information requested at point (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.
The recently launched Active Travel campaign aims to encourage the Scottish public to reduce the number of short journeys made by car. The campaign raises awareness of the benefits of walking and cycling in terms of wellbeing, environment and financial cost.
The Scottish Government continually looks for ways to minimise the use of cars for official journeys and Ministers take their responsibility to travel sustainably very seriously and aim to use more sustainable forms of transport whenever possible.
Where practicable, Ministers are encouraged to use public transport or walk to their engagements.
You may be interested to know that all Ministerial journeys by Car and public transport are published on the Scottish Government Website.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Burgess on 29 May 2013
To ask the Scottish Government how many landlords registered their tenants’ deposits with the tenancy deposit protection scheme by the deadline of 15 May 2013.
Answer
Up to the end of April this year, over 140,000 deposits with a total value of £89 million had been lodged with one of the three approved tenancy deposit schemes. Of these, more than 25,000 deposits had been submitted directly by landlords. Information on the number of landlords registered and deposits lodged with the schemes, as at the deadline of 15 May is not yet available.
Comparison with the number of properties private landlords have registered with local authorities suggests that some landlords still need to lodge deposits.
The Scottish Government will continue to work with the scheme providers and other stakeholders to encourage compliance with the law in this area.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Burgess on 29 May 2013
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take with regard to landlords that did not register their tenants’ deposits with the tenancy deposit protection scheme by the deadline of 15 May 2013.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to work with the scheme providers and other stakeholders such as Citizens Advice Scotland and Shelter Scotland to encourage compliance with the law.
The Scottish Government recently introduced the Tenant Information Pack which provides key information for tenants and landlords in an easy to read format. From May 1st, landlords have a legal duty to provide the Tenant Information Pack to new tenants. The pack includes information on tenants’ rights with regards to their deposit being protected in a Tenancy Deposit Scheme.
The launch of the pack is supported by a new website: rentingscotland.org, which offers practical renting guides for tenants and landlords in Scotland’s private rented sector. Renting Scotland is jointly funded by the Scottish Government and Shelter Scotland. The website is an industry-wide information hub for both tenants and landlords in the private rented sector in Scotland.
Private landlords have a duty to protect tenants’ deposits with one of the three approved tenancy deposit schemes. If they fail to do so the tenant may apply to a sheriff to enforce the law. The court may order the imposition of a financial penalty of up to three times the deposit on a landlord. In addition, local authorities may take such a breach of housing law into account when considering the fit and proper test for landlord registration and licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation.
