Chamber and committees

European Regulations (Article 20(5) of EC Regulation 2371/2002) already provide for the exchange of fishing opportunities between EU member states, which have traditionally been pursued through international quota swaps. The Scottish Government and Scottish Fish Producer Organisations seek to increase fishing opportunities through the use of these provisions.

The majority of funding for renewable energy schemes is not allocated by technology type, so it is not possible to give a set figure for micro-hydro.

However, the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme has a budget of  £7.5 million for the provision of advice and grants during 2010-11 and is currently working with community groups on 32 potential micro hydro projects across Scotland with a total capacity of 5MW.

Through the Central Energy Efficiency Fund (CEEF), interest-free loans are available for Scottish local authorities plus NHS boards and Scottish Water to invest in a range of energy efficiency and renewables projects, including micro hydro projects. Individual bodies manage their own CEEF pot which acts as a revolving fund. This revolving fund scheme will continue into 2010-11.

The £1.5 billion Scotland Rural Development Programme of economic, environmental and social measures continues to provide support to help deliver the government''s strategic objectives in rural Scotland, including providing financial support under its Renewable Energy and Diversification Outwith Agriculture measures.

The Energy Efficiency Action Plan, due to be published in late spring, will set out how we will target energy efficiency funding going forward.

It is also worth noting that the key support mechanism for renewable energy schemes of less than 5 Megawatts is the Feed in Tariff, which is managed by Ofgem at a UK level.

Planning applications for small scale hydro schemes are handled at a local authority level and these figures are not held centrally.

The Scottish Government has ensured that Scotland can benefit from the UK-wide feed in tariff for renewable energy schemes, including micro-hydro. The Feed in Tariff came into force on 1 April 2010.

Support is also provided to agricultural, forestry and rural micro businesses wishing to install micro-hydro schemes under the Scotland Rural Development Programme and advice and funding is available to Communities under the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme.

In addition, the Scottish Government supports interest-free energy efficiency loans through our Energy Saving Scotland Small Business Loans Scheme.

The Scottish Government also facilitates the Forum for Renewable Energy Development Micro Hydro Sub-Group, which is an industry led group tasked with taking forward actions identified in the Renewables Action Plan for the micro-hydro sector. The group is currently working with SEPA on its draft guidance for run of river hydro schemes, which should help developers in identifying suitable sites for development.

The Scottish Government has provided funding for micro-hydro schemes under the SCHRI - Energy Saving Scotland Home Renewable Scheme, under the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) and under the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES).

The breakdown for funding allocated under the SCHRI “ Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme is as follows:

FY	Number	Grant Value
2004-05	1	£3,833.41
2005-06	0	£0.00
2006-07	4	£15,244.18
2007-08	5	£16,935.45
2008-09	0	£0.00
2009-10	1	£4,000.00
	11	£40,013.04

 

Figures for the Scotland Rural Development Programme are not broken down by technology or year, however to March 2010 over £2 million of funding has been approved under the Renewable Energy Agriculture Option. Over £437,143 has been approved under the Renewable Energy Forestry Option and £609,705 has been approved under the Renewables Non Land-Based option. Funding is also available for Renewables Projects under the Diversification Outwith Agriculture Option, where businesses are diversifying into renewable energy production, but this option goes a lot wider than just renewable energy projects.

CARES has allocated grants to a number of hydro schemes, mostly larger than micro-hydro. In the last year, CARES awarded a grant of £2,757 to a micro-hydro scheme in Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.

Central Energy Efficiency Funding was provided from 2004-06, with £15 million being split between local authorities and £4 million provided to the NHS and £1 million to Scottish Water. A breakdown of the figures spent on micro-hydro is not held centrally.

The first two tables show the areas of planting, and the areas approved for felling, in private woodlands in each of the last five years, broken down by Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) Conservancy regions.

The third and fourth tables show the areas of planting and felling carried out by FCS on the national forest estate in each of the last five years. A breakdown by conservancy is not available as national forest estate statistics are not held in that format.

Information is not collected on the number of trees planted or felled each year, but an average of 2,000 trees per hectare can be used to estimate numbers of trees planted from total area planted. The number of trees felled depends upon a wide range of factors, including felled area, thinned area, stocking density and management objectives.

Private Woodland Planting Areas (Hectares)

Conservancy	2005-06		2006-07		2007-08		2008-09		2009-10*
	NP	RS	NP	RS	NP	RS	NP	RS	NP	RS
Central Scotland	363	137	774	130	1,069	616	86	103	204	582
Grampian	357	444	981	625	328	877	164	483	165	548
Highland and Islands >	2,092	511	1,500	678	1,502	877	736	730	925	1,080
Perth and Argyll	649	688	1,341	1,241	618	1,336	721	1,230	306	1,307
South Scotland	400	2,057	1,975	3,320	624	2,963	839	1,865	372	2,403
Total	3,861	3,837	6,571	5,994	4,141	6,669	2,546	4,411	1,972	5,920

Notes:

NP = New Planting RS = Restocking.

*2009-10 figures are currently provisional.

Private Woodland Areas Approved for Felling (Hectares)

Conservancy	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
Central Scotland	195	179	609	256	520
Grampian	434	315	1,049	606	942
Highland and Islands	543	1,121	1,324	2,173	1,343
Perth and Argyll	806	1,377	1,457	1,228	1,818
South Scotland	2,404	4,355	4,844	4,672	3,728
Total	4,382	7,347	9,283	8,935	8,351

Note: (The felled areas above are estimates derived from approved felling licences and felled areas within approved forest plans)

National Forest Estate Planting Areas (Hectares)

2005-06		2006-07		2007-08		2008-09		2009-10*
NP	RS	NP	RS	NP	RS	NP	RS	NP	RS
134	4,382	0	5,397	26	4,991	760	4,407	633	2,973

Note: *2009-10 figures are currently provisional.

National Forest Estate Felling Areas (Hectares)

2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
6,900	6,400	6,500	5,400	6,300

 

We published our Rationale for Woodland Expansion early in 2009. It reaffirmed the Scottish Forestry Strategy''s vision for a 650,000 hectares increase in Scotland''s woodland area by the second half of the century. Our Climate Change Delivery Plan has subsequently recommended planting 10,000 hectares per year (to contribute to a 34% reduction in green-house gas emissions) or 15,000 hectares per year (for a 42% reduction). As regards tree numbers for planting, I indicated in the answer to questions S3W-32887 and S3W-32888 on 28 April 2010, that an average of 2,000 trees per hectare is a reasonable estimate. The geographic distribution of the new woodland will depend on ensuring that the right trees are planted in the right places; this is guided by consultation procedures and indicative forestry strategies (which in future are likely to be informed by the Land Use Strategy).

Forecasts of felling are generally presented in terms of volume (cubic metres) rather than in terms of area or number of trees. However, based on these forecast volumes, we estimate that the felled area could rise to about 20,000 hectares per annum during the course of the next five years. Nearly all these areas will be restocked in accordance with approved forest management plans. The number of trees felled will depend upon the average tree size, which is itself dependent on a wide range of factors.

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.

The first two tables show the areas of planting, and the areas approved for felling, in private woodlands in each of the last five years, broken down by Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) Conservancy regions.

The third and fourth tables show the areas of planting and felling carried out by FCS on the national forest estate in each of the last five years. A breakdown by Conservancy is not available as national forest estate statistics are not held in that format.

Information is not collected on the number of trees planted or felled each year, but an average of 2,000 trees per hectare can be used to estimate numbers of trees planted from total area planted. The number of trees felled depends upon a wide range of factors, including felled area, thinned area, stocking density and management objectives.

Private Woodland Planting Areas (Hectares)

Conservancy	2005-06		2006-07		2007-08		2008-09		2009-10*
	NP	RS	NP	RS	NP	RS	NP	RS	NP	RS
Central Scotland	363	137	774	130	1,069	616	86	103	204	582
Grampian	357	444	981	625	328	877	164	483	165	548
Highland and Islands	2,092	511	1,500	678	1,502	877	736	730	925	1,080
Perth and Argyll	649	688	1,341	1,241	618	1,336	721	1,230	306	1,307
South Scotland	400	2,057	1,975	3,320	624	2,963	839	1,865	372	2,403
Total	3,861	3,837	6,571	5,994	4,141	6,669	2,546	4,411	1,972	5,920

Notes:

NP = New Planting  RS = Restocking.

*2009-10 figures are currently provisional.

Private Woodland Areas Approved for Felling (Hectares)

Conservancy	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
Central Scotland	195	179	609	256	520
Grampian	434	315	1,049	606	942
Highland and Islands	543	1,121	1,324	2,173	1,343
Perth and Argyll	806	1,377	1,457	1,228	1,818
South Scotland	2,404	4,355	4,844	4,672	3,728
Total	4,382	7,347	9,283	8,935	8,351

Note: The felled areas above are estimates derived from approved felling licences and felled areas within approved forest plans.

National Forest Estate Planting Areas (Hectares)

2005-06		2006-07		2007-08		2008-09		2009-10*
NP	RS	NP	RS	NP	RS	NP	RS	NP	RS
134	4382	0	5397	26	4991	760	4407	633	2973

Note: *2009-10 figures are currently provisional.

National Forest Estate Felling Areas (Hectares)

2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
6,900	6,400	6,500	5,400	6,300

 

We published our Rationale for Woodland Expansion early in 2009. It reaffirmed the Scottish Forestry Strategy''s vision for a 650,000 hectares increase in Scotland''s woodland area by the second half of the century. Our Climate Change Delivery Plan has subsequently recommended planting 10,000 hectares per year (to contribute to a 34% reduction in green-house gas emissions) or 15,000 hectares per year (for a 42% reduction). As regards tree numbers for planting, I indicated in the answers to questions S3W-32887 and S3W-32888 on 28 April 2009, that an average of 2,000 trees per hectare is a reasonable estimate. The geographic distribution of the new woodland will depend on ensuring that the right trees are planted in the right places; this is guided by consultation procedures and indicative forestry strategies (which in future are likely to be informed by the Land Use Strategy).

Forecasts of felling are generally presented in terms of volume (cubic metres) rather than in terms of area or number of trees. However, based on these forecast volumes, we estimate that the felled area could rise to about 20,000 hectares per annum during the course of the next five years. Nearly all these areas will be restocked in accordance with approved forest management plans. The number of trees felled will depend upon the average tree size, which is itself dependent on a wide range of factors.

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.

Emissions from transport can be expected to decrease significantly but only in the medium-term. Our Climate Change Delivery Plan, published in June 2009, includes the Transformational Outcome of almost complete decarbonisation of road transport by 2050, with significant progress by 2030, through wholesale adoption of electric cars and vans. Delivery of the Transformational Outcome is essential to achievement of the emissions reduction targets in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

Committee on Climate Change modelling suggests that uptake rates for new vehicle technology required to meet a 42% emissions reduction by 2020 would be as follows: only 3% of new cars using conventional or advanced petrol and diesel engines, around 75% using stop-start, micro hybrid or hybrid engines, and over 20% plug-in hybrid or fully electric.

Our detailed proposals and policies will be published later this year.