Questions and answers

Question reference: S4O-00605

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with the Scottish Court Service in relation to plans to consult on the closure of courts.

Question reference: S4W-04653

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 12 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what buffer zones between quarries involved in blasting and occupied residential housing are operated by each planning authority.

Question reference: S4W-04649

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 12 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, under planning enforcement, an industrial operation may operate outwith its permitted hours.

If there are conditions or restrictions associated with a planning permission that an operation may only take place within or outwith certain hours, then operations which do not comply with these limitations may constitute a breach of planning control.

Decisions on whether there has been a breach of planning control and the action to remedy that breach are for the planning authority in the first instance.

Question reference: S4W-04652

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 12 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what minimum distance is to be allowed as a buffer zone between a quarry involved in hard rock blasting and occupied residential housing

Scottish Planning Policy states that authorities should not impose standard buffer zones between sites and settlements since distances will need to take account of the specific circumstances of individual proposals including size, duration, location, method of working, topography and the characteristics of the various environmental effects likely to arise and the mitigation that can be implemented.

Question reference: S4W-04650

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 12 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether an industrial operation may begin operation at 6 am instead of the 8 am start stated in its planning conditions.

Question reference: S4W-04655

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 12 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the neighbour notification scheme.

Question reference: S4W-04651

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 12 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what sanctions can be applied to an industrial operation that operates outwith the hours permitted under its planning conditions.

Enforcement of planning control is a matter for the planning authority in the first instance. There is a wide range of enforcement powers in planning legislation. These include issuing a notice requiring the submission of a retrospective planning application and requiring the cessation of operations or the demolition of buildings.

Planning authorities have discretion to determine what power, or combination of powers, to use in any particular situation.

Question reference: S4W-04654

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 12 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the neighbour notification scheme provides adequate public involvement in the decision-making process regarding large-scale developments such as quarries.

Neighbour notification is only one of the publicity and consultation requirements associated with planning applications and is intended for those in the immediate vicinity of a proposed development. Others include a statutory requirement for pre-application consultation for certain categories of development, publication of weekly lists of planning applications, consultation with community councils and advertisement in a local newspaper in certain circumstances.

Question reference: S4W-04325

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 16 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-03568 by John Swinney on 8 November 2011, how the Early Years and Early Intervention Change Fund will be divided across each (a) portfolio and (b) year of the current spending review period.

Question reference: S4W-04324

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 16 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects agreements to be reached between local authorities and NHS boards regarding their contributions to the Early Years and Early Intervention Change Fund.

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