Research related to floodingis contained within and publicised through the Environment Group Research Programme,full details are available on the Executive website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Research/17824/10205.Currently the University of Dundee, Department of Geography is engaged through this programmein a research project on Exploring the Social Impacts of Flood Risk and Floodingin Scotland.

In addition the Executive supportsthe UK wide Flooding Risk Management Research Consortium, which employs manyuniversity-based researchers and has the specific objective of developing and trainingthe next generation of flood risk management professionals through their involvementin and exposure to the consortium’s research.

The Executive has also establisheda Flood Risk Management Service, which is provided by Scotland Northern IrelandForum for Environment Research (SNIFFER). The website http://www.sniffer.org.uk/rise/ containsfull details and has a research programme that involves the Executive, local authorities,Scottish Water, SEPA, Scottish Environment Link and others as appropriate.

The Flooding Issues AdvisoryCommittee (FIAC) provides a forum for a wide-range of stakeholders to share experiencesand expertise on flood related issues. The work of FIAC, its Sub-Committees andfull membership can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Water/Flooding/16919/FIAC.In addition, Scottish PlanningPolicy (SPP) 7 states that each local authority should convene a Flood Liaison andAdvice Group (FLAG) or combine with other local authorities to do so, possibly ona catchment basis. The purpose of a FLAG is to act as a forum for the key publicand private interests to share knowledge and offer advice on flooding issues. Moreinformation on FLAGs, and organisations normally represented, can be found in PlanningAdvice Note (PAN) 69 at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/08/19805/41600.

The Societyof Chief Officers of Transportationin Scotland (SCOTS) Group on Flooding is another such forum whose remit is to share knowledge and experienceand to provide guidance to Scottish local authorities with regard to best practicein terms of issues related to flooding and water legislation. The Executive andmost Scottish local authorities are represented at this group.

Finally, the Conventionof Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) FloodingTask Group was established to consider the issues of flood prevention, flood incidentsand coast protection. The group liaised with other bodies such as the Scottish EnvironmentProtection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Water, the Association of British Insurers (ABI)and the Executive on flooding issues.

Information on the number ofproperties in Scotland at risk from flooding, and also broken down by localauthority area, can be found in table 4.3 of the Executive publication ClimateChange: Flooding Occurrences Review which is available at:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/kd01/lightgreen/ccfo-15.asp.

Based on national assumptions, the research estimated the total number of propertiesat risk to be 92.5% residential and 7.5% commercial.

The Scottish Environment ProtectionAgency (SEPA) is developing a second generation flood risk map for the whole ofScotland which will support Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 7 - Planning and Flooding- and assist local authorities avoid inappropriate new development in flood riskareas. Any maps being developed by insurance companies to inform their commercialdecisions are a matter for them.

This is an operational matterfor the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). I have asked Dr CampbellGemmell, Chief Executive of SEPA, to respond to the question direct.

This is an operational matterfor the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). I have asked Dr CampbellGemmell, Chief Executive of SEPA, to respond to the question direct.

VisitScotland is representedon, and contributes funding to, the Angling Development Tourism Group, which hasbeen instrumental in the development of the FishScotland website. VisitScotlandalso has a section on its own website dedicated to sea angling, along with two pagesabout the sport in its Fishing in Scotland brochure. In addition, VisitScotland contributes somefunding to the Country Sports Tourism Group, which is looking at a number of projectsto further develop angling of all kinds in Scotland.

Since 1 April 2004, grantto local authorities has been awarded at 80% of the estimated grant eligible expenditureto be incurred by local authorities on confirmed flood prevention schemes. Priorto 1 April 2004, the grant rate was 50%. Final invoices for each of theschemes funded since 2004 have yet to be submitted. Therefore, the estimated totalgrant eligible expenditure incurred on each scheme, the estimated grant eligibleexpenditure for consultancy services and estimated grant awarded since 1 April 2004 are tabulatedas follows for each authority.

Authority	Scheme	Estimated Total Grant	Estimated Total Expenditure	Estimated Expenditure for Consultancy Services
Moray Council	Lhanbryde	1,917,318	2,396,648	323,782
City of Edinburgh Council	Braid Burn	4,647,550	5,809,438	1,727,739
Perth and Kinross	Weem	525,797	657,247	55,373
	Earnbank	260,159	325,199.	37,354
	Milnathort	548,991	686,239	60,563
City of Glasgow	White Cart	3,305,750	4,132,188	1,894,451

 

The Scottish Executive is currentlyconsidering research and development (R&D) issues for the renewable energy sectorthrough the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland. A taskgroup with representatives from the Executive, industry and academia has been establishedto scope the existing R&D capability in Scotland along with the future R&Drequirements of the renewables industry in Scotland.

We have already contributed over£3 million to establish world leading research and testing facilities at the EuropeanMarine Energy Centre, allowing performance research to be undertaken by marine technologydevelopers.

ITI Energy has also committedup to £1.5 million to create an innovative low-cost hydrogen handling material thathas the potential to store and release hydrogen at room temperature. This cleanenergy project is a collaboration between a French company who have relocated toScotland, and several Scottish universities.

Since April 2003, the Executive’sSMART, SPUR and SCORE research and development support schemes have funded 11 projectsoffering almost £640,000 to businesses to help them develop renewable and cleanenergy technologies.

This information is not heldcentrally.