Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-39350 on 28 February 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 (Commencement No. 5) Order 2011 was made on 18 January 2011. This order brings into force all the provisions relating to Scottish charitable incorporated organisations (SCIO) under Chapter 7 of the 2005 act. The order can be found at:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2011/20/made.

Sections 50, 52 and 64 of the 2005 act came into force on 21 January 2011 for the purpose of allowing Scottish Ministers to make regulations setting out further provision in relation to SCIOs. Sections 50 and 52 come into force for all other purposes on 1 April 2011. Sections 49, 51, 53 to 55, 62 and 63 also come into force on 1st April 2011. Sections 56 to 61 of the Act come into force on 1 January 2012.

The Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisations Regulations 2011, which are subject to negative procedure, were laid before the Parliament on 28 January 2011. The regulations can be found at:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2011/44/made.

The Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisations (Removal from Register and Dissolution) Regulations 2011 (ISBN 978-0-11-101211-16), which are subject to affirmative resolution, were laid in draft before the Parliament on 28 January 2011. The draft regulations can be found at:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/sdsi/2011/9780111012116.

The Air Discount Scheme (ADS) was introduced to facilitate an improved level of social inclusion for individuals resident in the scheme''s eligible areas. The mechanism “ Aid of a Social Character “ under which the scheme is notified to and approved by the European Commission is not designed to support economic activity. It is for the benefit of individuals and not organisations, whether in the public or private sector.

The Scottish Government''s support for air public service obligations (PSOs) is provided under separate EU legislation which recognises the importance of the relevant services for economic development and that, without assistance, it is unlikely that they would be commercially viable. Support through PSOs is applied to all passengers, regardless of reason for travel or place of residence. Our support for ferry services is applied through public service contracts and also applies irrespective of reason for travel and passenger residence.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-38929 on 2 February 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-38929 on 2 February 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-38929 on 2 February 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Scottish Government officials received a communication from the House of Commons Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) on 7 December 2010 inviting us to submit written evidence to their Inquiry. Later that month we submitted The Road Ahead for Scotland a copy of the final report of the Inquiry into Future Support for Agriculture in Scotland which had been published the previous month. The Scottish Government has not taken a detailed formal position on the report''s recommendations at this stage pending further analysis and discussion with stakeholders. Government officials also arranged for Brian Pack the Inquiry chairman to give oral evidence to the EFRA Committee on behalf of the Inquiry.

The EFRA Committee informed Scottish Government on 17 January 2011 that under its rules the Pack report has to be treated as background information rather than evidence because it is previously published material, and invited us to submit a statement written specifically for the Committee. That afternoon we confirmed to the Committee we would submit a written statement, which we did on 25 January.

On 19 January, The Scotsman newspaper contacted the Scottish Government seeking clarification of the Scottish Government''s engagement with the EFRA Committee and received the information detailed above. Despite this information on 20 January, The Scotsman published an article claiming incorrectly that Scotland will not have any formal representation in the EFRA Committee''s inquiry.

We understand the committee will take our statement as formal written evidence in addition to the background information in the Pack Inquiry report and the oral evidence from Mr Pack.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-38929 on 2 February 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The Scottish Government works in partnership with industry, academia and the public sector in the formulation of energy policy. This includes regular meetings of the Scottish Energy Advisory Board (SEAB) and a network of themed advisory groups, the membership of which includes significant technical and engineering expertise, and which takes expert advice on specific technical and engineering issues as required. The membership, dates and minutes of all meetings of the SEAB, and advisory groups including the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland are published on the Scottish Government''s at: 

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/resources/working-groups/energy-advisory-board/ 

The Scottish government also leads, or is a partner in a number of collaborative projects which provide access to the work of technical experts from academia and industry. These include an EU working group on North Sea grid connections; the Irish-Scottish links in energy study and the GP wind project, which aims to develop good practice with European partners in order to reconcile objectives on renewable energy with wider environmental objectives.

In addition, the Scottish Government commissions a range of technical and engineering consultants to carry out specific studies to help inform policy development. Recently, this has included an energy storage and management study, carried out by AEA Technology, which was published in November 2010.

Species reintroduction programmes in Scotland are carried out in accordance with best scientific practice and principles as set out in international guidelines, to limit the risk of unforeseen environmental damage and to address the concerns of a wide range of stakeholders. The Scottish Government supports efforts to re-establish beavers in Scotland through a properly constituted reintroduction project involving local consultation and with proper management and monitoring arrangements in place. In the case of the feral beaver populations, these conditions have not been met, and therefore risk undermining the longer term re-introduction project.