Seòmar agus comataidhean

I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

Communities Scotland hasagreed Performance Standards with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities andthe Scottish Federation of Housing Associations which set common standards for allsocial landlords. Working on behalf of Scottish ministers, our aim is to protectthe interests of all tenants to make sure they receive a good standard of service,no matter where their landlord operates. But in regulating and inspecting any housingassociation we are proportionate and take account of the local circumstances andcontext of each individual organisation.

I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

We have advised all RegisteredSocial Landlords (RSL) that we would be prepared to provide Homestake funding througha wholly owned non-charitable subsidiary of the RSL if any charitable RSL has concernsabout the impact on its charitable status. The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulatorhas raised the issue of charitable status and Homestake with Communities Scotlandand we have agreed to meet to discuss this.

As I indicated to the Parliamentpreviously, I am keen that the Parliament should have conservation powers for themarine environment from 12 to 200 nautical miles. I am aware of the Advisory Groupon Marine and Coastal Strategy recommendation on this matter and, as I indicatedin the answer to question S3W-126 on 5 June 2007, I am currently considering theAdvisory Group report together with the related Environmental and Rural DevelopmentCommittee report on the marine environment, and I will be responding to both setsof recommendations in due course.All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

The Office of the Scottish CharityRegulator has raised the issue of charitable status and Homestake with CommunitiesScotland and we have agreed to meet to discuss this. We have advised all RegisteredSocial Landlords (RSL) that we would be prepared to provide Homestake funding througha wholly owned non-charitable subsidiary of the RSL if any charitable RSL has concernsabout the impact on its charitable status.

I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

The Private Sector Housing Grant(PSHG) allocation to Shetland Islands Council for 2007-08 is £938,000.

There are currently no plansto increase the PSHG budget for the current year. Decisions on PSHG beyond 2007-08 will depend on the outcomeof the Spending Review process later this year.

When the Scottish Fisheries ProtectionAgency (SFPA) became aware of the presence of the Greenpeace vessel Arctic Sunrisein Scottish Waters on  14 May 2007, officials of that agency contacted the PrincipleEnforcement Officer of the Marine and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to make him awareof the situation and ensure that any information obtained by SFPA on matters whichmight affect safety at sea in relation to any protest action by Greenpeace couldbe routed to the correct contact point within MCA.

We are currently reviewing arrangementsfor considering the locations of public bodies, in light of the experience of previousrelocation policy, the findings of the previous Finance and Audit Committees of the Scottish Parliament and our wider commitment to review the cluttered landscapeof public bodies. The Small Units Initiative will form part of this broader considerationand an announcement will be made when it is appropriate.

Provided scheme conditions aremet, 100% of agri-environment agreements which are current will be funded duringthis financial year. This also applies to the next financial year.

I am currently considering thefuture arrangements for reaching decisions on the locations of public bodies, inlight of the experience of previous relocation policy, the findings of the previousFinance and Audit Committees of the Scottish Parliament and our wider commitmentto review the cluttered landscape of public bodies. An announcement will be madewhen appropriate.

We are currently consideringfuture support for the improvement of crofters cattle in the light of the recentchange to state aid guidelines. The European Commission proposal to increase thede-minimis limit on agricultural support from 1 January 2008,if accepted by member states, might prove useful. We aim to make an announcementabout the future of this support by end August, in good time to allow crofters toplan for 2008.