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The estimate is based on analysis by the UK Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform of the potential expansion in centralised renewable electricity generation, renewable microgeneration, and in domestic biofuel feedstock and refinery activities necessary to meet the EU renewable energy transport targets.

Our Renewables Action Plan, to be published in the summer, will include an analysis of the economic benefits and supply chain opportunities associated with expanding renewable energy capacity across Scotland.

In addition, we anticipate that both the Energy Technology Partnership and the Scottish European Green Energy Centre will create further energy research and development opportunities in Scotland.

The information requested is not held centrally.

The Scottish Government considers that Scotland''s enormous potential renewable energy resource, its energy infrastructure and skills, opportunities in sectors like carbon capture and storage, combined with the scale of our ambitions for the energy sector mean that we can go higher than the estimate for 16,000 green energy jobs over the next decade.

Our Renewables Action Plan, to be published in the summer, will include an analysis of economic development opportunities and future potential for growth across the renewables sector, and identify how we can facilitate the creation of jobs by the private sector.

Yes. A Scottish sustainable procurement action plan to support the public sector''s move to more sustainable behaviour is currently in development. The EU Energy Services Directive and forthcoming Cleaner and More Efficient Vehicles Directive will require public authorities and certain public transport providers to take into account energy efficiency and environmental impacts when purchasing road transport vehicles.

In addition, we are currently investigating ways of making the Bus Service Operators Grant scheme more environmentally focused by encouraging operator investment in cleaner and more efficient vehicles. We will consult with stakeholders in due course as proposals are developed.

Maintaining economic activity in remote areas and maintaining capacity to produce food are public goods that deliver social, economic and environmental benefits.

Scottish ministers have met with representatives of Rothschild bank on two occasions to receive advice on forestry matters.

Enjoyment of wildlife and landscape generally conform to standard definitions of public goods. For example, appreciation of scenery is freely available to all and the pleasure from the study of wildlife can be shared by all. However, there are also gains from land use which are not public goods and in some instances controls to avoid disturbance of wildlife or sensitive environments may be desirable or necessary in the wider public interest.

The standard definition in economic theory of a public good being non-rival and non-excludable provides a set of hypothetical criteria against which market failure can be assessed, and is one of five economic rationales for government intervention. Governments often have to take a more pragmatic approach when assessing the rationale for government intervention against these hypothetical criteria and in that sense are not tied to precise definitions. Beyond economic theory, the term public good is used more broadly to refer to a range of social, economic and environmental benefits.

This information is not held centrally.

The responses were published on the Scottish Government website in August 2008. A summary of the responses to the consultation on PD rights for domestic micro-generation equipment were published on Monday 9 February 2009. They can be viewed on the government website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/publications/2008/08/28101947/0.