Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Scottish Government has not previously been made aware of concerns relating to these specific schools. Dumfries and Galloway Council has confirmed that they are aware of the issue and have put in place a temporary measure to support connectivity.

Protection for peatlands is included under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) (Forestry) 2017 regulations, where peat soils over 50cm are classed as sensitive areas and all proposals for planting require assessment.

The UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) provides guidance on tree planting on peatlands. Planting is not permitted on any peat over 50 cm in depth or where planting on peat soils would compromise adjacent habitats.

Further guidance is available at: https://forestry.gov.scot/publications/forests-and-the-environment/protecting-and-managing-soil-in-forests .

This is a matter for Dumfries and Galloway Council. I am aware that temporary heaters were relocated to Canonbie Primary School due to an issue with the school's boiler.

Dumfries and Galloway Council has stated that the boiler is working again. The Council has advised that replacement of the boiler will be considered for next financial year outwith the heating period when impact on the school will be minimised.

The Scottish Government is aware of the community concerns regarding forestry planting at Cormilligan farm and the impact on local roads.

During the development of the planting proposal the potential impact on local roads resulting from future timber harvests in Cormilligan and nearby forests was carefully considered. Adjustments were made to future harvesting plans up to around 2060, to avoid peaks of activity and ensure that the demand on local roads was acceptable. This approach was agreed with the Highways Authority, Dumfries and Galloway Council, and the planting proposal was approved in July 2019.

Landowners seeking permission for forestry planting must conduct surveys to identify any habitats or species that are present on site and take them into account as they design planting schemes. Projects must ensure that important habitats and species are protected and impacts are minimised.

Before granting permission Scottish Forestry carefully assesses all planting proposals to ensure they comply with environmental legislation and the UK Forestry Standard. Where schemes do not comply they must be modified or may be refused consent.

I refer the member to the answer to the question S5W-25873 on 29 October 2019. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

The Scottish Government’s New Entrants to Farming Programme includes numerous activities to aid potential and aspiring new entrants to the agricultural industry. These activities ensure people have access to the skills and knowledge to act upon any opportunities that arise.

The Scottish Government published guidance in 2013 covering woodland creation on agricultural land, which recommends that larger scale tree planting should not generally be on prime or non-prime agricultural land (i.e. grades 1 – 4.2).

A new application process for assessing all forestry planting projects was introduced in April 2018. This is administered by Scottish Forestry, an agency of the Scottish Government.

All applications are assessed by technical forestry experts in Scottish Forestry to confirm that there are no significant adverse environmental impacts and that proposals are consistent with sustainable forestry management practices in Scotland, as defined by the UK Forestry Standard. The process involves two stages of engaging with interested stakeholders, local authorities and statutory bodies followed by a 28 day public consultation. If applications do not meet the required standards they must be amended or can be rejected.

Agricultural land values are influenced by many factors including supply and demand, expected levels of EU funding, as well as how productive and accessible the land is. The agricultural land market is regularly covered by private sector rural commentators and market reports, as a result it has not been necessary to use public funds for assessments in this area.