The Scottish Government is aware of criticisms of the 1980s Enterprise Zone model which highlighted displacement of economic activity and jobs from elsewhere in the country to the enterprise zones and also the limited economic benefits delivered by capital based incentives focused on buildings development.

We are currently considering how best to introduce four Enterprise Areas in Scotland to maximise their economic impact and attractiveness for investment. The government is working closely with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to identify potential sites for inclusion in these Enterprise Areas and will assess sites against a rigorous set of criteria. By focusing on supporting the development of productive capacity in growth sectors and by adopting a rigorous approach to the identification of Enterprise Area sites, we will be able to maximise the scope for additional economic impact and minimise the potential for displacement.

Environmental and planning issues, including the potential for environmental impacts, are included in the criteria developed to evaluate the potential Enterprise Area sites. These criteria include the potential for effects on Sites of Special Scientific Interest and “Natura” sites. This evaluation is currently underway.

The Scottish Government is considering the requirements for environmental assessment of the potential Enterprise Areas, under the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. Consideration is also being given to the requirement for Habitats Regulations Appraisal. This work is currently underway.

Environmental and planning issues, including the potential for environmental impacts, are included in the criteria developed to evaluate the potential Enterprise Area sites. These criteria include the potential for effects on Sites of Special Scientific Interest and “Natura” sites. This evaluation is currently underway.

The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 requires that the Scottish Ministers report whether the annual targets set for each year in the period 2010-50 have been met. The first of these reports, in respect of the 2010 target, will be published in 2012 once the necessary emissions data becomes available.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. I will ask the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland to write to you.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. I will ask the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland to write to you.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. I will ask the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland to write to you.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. I will ask the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland to write to you.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-02925 on 24 October 2011. Local housing strategies require local action on fuel poverty to be addressed and these are reviewed by Scottish Government. The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 places duties on public bodies relating to climate change. These duties require that a public body must, in exercising its functions, act in the way best calculated to contribute to delivery of the act’s emission reduction targets. This provides a robust framework to monitor the effectiveness of local action on climate change.

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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.