Questions and answers

Question reference: S2W-17757

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 July 2005
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 28 July 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are available to provide communities in (a) rural and (b) urban areas with the right to buy (i) land and (ii) properties on a compulsory, or any other, basis.

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.

Question reference: S2W-17411

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 1 July 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what the status is of the UK Prime Ministers Strategy Units report, Net Benefits, in relation to Scotland and which recommendations in the report have been, or are to be, implemented in Scotland.

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.

Question reference: S2W-17410

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 29 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with the European Union regarding assistance for the fishing industry to alleviate, or offset, the rising costs of fuel.

Question reference: S2W-17409

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 29 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any representation on the working group set up by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs into fisheries quota management and, if so, what position it has taken with regard to the introduction of individual transferable quotas and what steps have been taken to consult the fishing industry prior to any recommendations being made by the working group.

SEERAD and the other three fisheries administrations are partners in the joint UK Quota Management Change Programme.

The use of the term individual transferable quotas (ITQ) can be confusing as there is no single model for how so-called ITQ systems operate. We want to improve quota management. No decisions have yet been taken on the specific changes needed. That will only happen after in-depth consideration of the options in consultation with stakeholders.

All stakeholders will have the opportunity to input into the Change Programme, and fisheries administrations are currently planning a number of mechanisms to achieve this. A Consultative Group is planned, which will comprise 14 stakeholder representatives – 12 of whom are drawn from the catching sector, including six Scottish representatives. This group will not be the only method of consulting stakeholders. It is anticipated that working groups will be established to discuss specific issues as the Change Programme progresses.

Question reference: S2W-17111

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 16 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any approaches to the European Union by the Irish Government in respect of proposals to change the penalties in respect of agricultural subsidies and, if so, whether it intends to support these proposals.

The Scottish Executive is not aware of any such approach having been made. Were any proposal tobe made we would of course wish to consider our position, in conjunction with otherparts of the UK.

The Scottish Executive is of course committed to ensuring that a penalty regime for the SingleFarm Payment is proportionate and fair and to learning from experience elsewherein the implementation of farm subsidies.

Question reference: S2W-16998

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 May 2005
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 10 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive how many training places for (a) speech and language therapists and (b) physiotherapists there are currently and have been in each of the last three years.

Information on the number of training places available in physiotherapy and speech and language therapy is set out in the following table:

	2002	2003	2004	2005*
Physiotherapy	191	192	196	187
Speech and Language Therapy	76	86	92	96

Notes: *Estimates.

Question reference: S2W-16965

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 May 2005
Current Status: Answered by Euan Robson on 10 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16376 by Euan Robson on 19 May 2005, whether it plans to carry out any studies on the effects on children of exposure to advertising and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Question reference: S2W-17000

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 May 2005
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 10 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average number of applicants is for each place available on (a) speech and language therapy, (b) orthotics and (c) physiotherapy courses.

Question reference: S2W-16999

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 May 2005
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 8 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times for speech and language therapy for (a) children and (b) adults are currently in each NHS board area and have been in each of the last three years.

Question reference: S2W-16670

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 May 2005
Current Status: Answered by Allan Wilson on 8 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact any decision by the UK Government to build new nuclear power stations in Scotland will have on the Scottish block grant.

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