- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 17 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the statutory consultees whom the developer of an offshore wave energy power station founded on the seabed has to consult before construction of the station can commence and when such consultation should take place.
Answer
As a matter of best practice, we advise developers to speak with the relevant planning authority, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency before submitting an application under section 36 of the 1989 Electricity Act. These are the statutory consultees defined by the Act, although the views of other interested bodies are also sought. Experience with previous renewable energy projects shows that most developers undertake extensive discussions and briefings for local residents prior to submitting their actual applications.Developers seeking to construct an offshore station of any description will also require a site lease, and should approach the Crown Estate to discuss this.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 17 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken or has any plans to undertake a review of the regulations and consents governing the construction of wave energy power stations on the Scottish coast or in Scottish territorial waters, with a view to streamlining the process and making it more open and accountable.
Answer
We published a consultation paper in February this year seeking views on our proposals to streamline the consents procedures for offshore wind or water driven generating stations in Scottish waters. Our intention is to rationalise and simplify the existing process, whilst ensuring that such schemes remain subject to rigorous technical and environmental scrutiny. The consultation closed in March, and we are currently considering the responses received.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 17 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all the regulatory authorities involved in the design and construction of an offshore wave energy power station and the regulations which each authority is responsible for applying.
Answer
The design and construction of any power station are matters for the developer, subject to the necessary consents being obtained. Statutory consultees, such as Scottish Natural Heritage or the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, may agree to such projects subject to certain conditions being contained within the final consents.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 17 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all regulatory authorities involved in the design and construction of a floating offshore wave energy power station moored to the seabed and the regulations which each authority is responsible for applying.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15423.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 17 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all regulatory authorities involved in the design and construction of an offshore wave energy power station founded on the seabed and the regulations which each authority is responsible for applying.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15423.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 16 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available for small businesses who want to improve their energy efficiency and what the take-up of any available funds has been from 1999 to date.
Answer
The Scottish Executive's Scottish Energy Efficiency Office (SEEO) operates the Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme, providing free consultancy advice to businesses and other organisations to encourage more efficient use of energy. Funding in the current year is £1.7 million and one particular aim of SEEO is to encourage take-up by small businesses. The introduction of the climate change levy, which has raised business energy costs, is designed to work in this direction and from this year an additional £2 million a year is to be made available from the levy for additional energy efficiency programmes delivered jointly with the Carbon Trust.SEEO also funds the Energy Saving Trust's Scottish programme, which is largely aimed at domestic energy use, but which offers interest free loans to small businesses for investment in energy efficiency through a scheme called Loan Action Scotland.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 15 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what receipts were given to Her Majesty's Treasury via the UK Consolidated Fund in respect of fines imposed by Scottish courts and police, for each year since 1997.
Answer
The total of fines income, which was collected by the Scottish Court Service in the sheriff courts and subsequently, paid over to the Consolidated Fund for the financial years 1996-97 to 1999-2000 is as follows:
Financial Year | Value sent to Exchequer (£000) |
| 1996-97 | 10,708 |
| 1997-98 | 12,353 |
| 1998-99 | 11,598 |
| 1999-2000 | 10,471 |
The total of court-imposed fines (including back-duty), registered fines, compensation orders, police and procurator fiscal conditional offers of fixed penalties
1 and police fixed penalty notices collected by district courts in Scotland and subsequently paid to the Exchequer for the financial years 1997-98 to 1999-2000 is as follows:
Financial Year | Value sent to Exchequer (£000) |
| 1997-982 | 9,144 |
| 1998-993 | 9,502 |
| 1999-004 | 8,363 |
Notes:1. Procurator Fiscal penalties account for only a relatively small proportion of the total amount.2. Missing data for North Lanarkshire.3. Missing data for North Lanarkshire and Stirling.4. Missing data for North Lanarkshire and Stirling.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 11 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to transfer to local authorities the functions relating to planning which are currently carried out by the Crown Estate Commission.
Answer
The primary legislation needed to implement this change will be introduced as soon as an appropriate opportunity arises in the legislative programme. Any legislative proposals will need to take account of the outcome of the Executive's current aquaculture review which is expected to report around the end of this year.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 10 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve the energy efficiency of new commercial and shopping developments.
Answer
I intend to bring forward legislation in autumn this year that will improve the energy efficiency of new buildings. Currently subject to EC scrutiny, the draft legislation, The Building Standards Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2001, will introduce more onerous thermal insulation standards within Part J (Conservation of fuel and power) of the Technical Standards for compliance with the Building Standards (Scotland) Regulations 1990.Energy efficiency improvements will cover the building fabric of new buildings, air conditioning, mechanical ventilation and lighting.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 10 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what policies and incentives are in place to encourage the development of community combined heat and power plants.
Answer
The Executive, like the UK Government, is strongly committed to the development of CHP. Advice and financial support is available for the development and installation of residential CHP. This assistance is available from the Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme and the Energy Saving Trust, whose activities in Scotland are funded by our Scottish Energy Efficiency Office.In addition, the UK Government has just announced a UK-wide "Community Energy" programme. This £50 million programme will support the installation of more community heating schemes over the next two years, and the Scottish Energy Efficiency Office will be working to ensure that Scottish projects will benefit.
