Chamber and committees

There are no statutory restrictions on what time of year applications for planning permission can be submitted.

The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2008 set out minimum timescales of 14 and 21 days for responses to neighbour notification and other publicity on applications for planning permission.

It would be for the planning authority to consider any extension to those minimum time periods depending on the prevailing circumstances. In doing so, planning authorities need to bear in mind the need for efficient processing of applications for planning permission and the statutory timescales for dealing with such applications.

We would expect a reduction in car trips by making shorter journeys more attractive for cycling and walking as a result of the new route. In Sustrans’ figures for the National Cycle Network usage in Scotland in 2011, 27% of pedestrians and 33% of cyclists said that they could have used a car to make their trip instead of walking or cycling.

Monitoring of usage will be an ongoing exercise and Sustrans, Highland and Argyll and Bute Councils will report their findings following completion of the route and in line with local authority and National Cycle Network monitoring schedules.

The Scottish Government has not made any representations to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office about the Scottish Police College's training for the Maldives Police Service.

The delivery of training by the Scottish Police College is a matter for the Scottish Police Services Authority.

The evaluation of training delivered by the Scottish Police College is a matter for the Scottish Police Services Authority.

No concerns have been raised with the Scottish Government on the effectiveness of the training provided to the Maldives Police Service by the Scottish Police College.

The training contract between the Scottish Police College and the Maldives Police Service is a matter for the Scottish Police Services Authority.

Portion size of all foods is a key focus of our effort to help people maintain a healthy weight. Our stated aims on portion sizes are set out in the Preventing Overweight and Obesity Route Map:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/02/17140721/8

These are for the food industry to ensure that portion sizes better reflect consumers energy needs.

In addition the Scottish Government and Food Standards Agency in Scotland are currently working together on a voluntary framework for the food industry, setting out new actions to improve diet and combat overweight and obesity in Scotland. The proposed voluntary framework is expected to be published early in 2013.

The Food Implementation Group (FIG) was established to take forward actions with representative food industry bodies, on energy intake within the Preventing Overweight and Obesity Route Map.

The FIG has met eight times from 2010 to 2012. The last meeting was held on 7 June 2012. Minutes of all these meetings can be found at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/Healthy-Living/Food-Health/Food-Implemantation-Group.

In September 2012, FIG held a closed discussion which included a large number of food businesses, as well as representative food industry bodies.

Direct support for protein crop production was available under the previous common agricultural policy regime but was discontinued in 2005 as part of the move away from coupled support payments. Any historical entitlements were converted and now from part of the Single Farm Payment regime.

It is therefore now a commercial matter for the primary producer, and where appropriate, his business adviser to determine whether to grow animal feed crops, taking into account such factors as input and equipment costs, labour availability and the projected market return. We do however recognise the potential challenges that such decisions entail when there is such a high degree of volatility in animal feed prices on the global marketplace.