Thursday 12 January 2012 SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE Enterprise and Environment Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of land is now committed for the development of renewables by (a) community groups and (b) power companies. (S4W-04665) Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not held centrally. However, the Scottish Government has commissioned the production of a database of community and locally owned renewables projects, and findings will be available in the near future. Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Executive what areas of land have been leased to power companies for developing renewables projects. (S4W-04666) Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not held centrally. Dave Thompson (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to protect red squirrels. (S4W-04710) Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government works with Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), non- governmental organisations (NGO’s) and landowners to protect red squirrels in Scotland. The Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) provides funding for red squirrel conservation such as habitat management and grey squirrel control. The value of the five year SRDP contracts, which run from 2009 to 2014, is expected to exceed £1.5 million. SNH are contributing £675,000 to the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSSR) and Red Squirrels in South Scotland (RSSS) projects. The SSRS project includes raising awareness and encouraging appropriate habitat management in Grampian, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs and Tayside. The RSSS is focused on the containment of the squirrel pox virus through the control of grey squirrels in the south of Scotland. A second area of current conservation action is to promote forest management for red squirrels. Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) have identified red squirrel stronghold areas and are working with forest managers to make red squirrel conservation a high priority in these forests. Finance Marco Biagi (Edinburgh Central) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce further information on the allocation of Barnett consequentials arising from the UK Government’s Autumn Statement. (S4W-04615) John Swinney: The Scottish Government is considering how it will apply Barnett consequentials arising from the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. Further information will be provided to Parliament in due course. Marco Biagi (Edinburgh Central) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it subjects its invitations to tender to pre-issue checks to ensure that no unnecessary barriers have been created to small and medium-sized enterprises. (S4W-04616) Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is committed to enhancing the economy by reducing the barriers to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) bidding for public sector work. Good procurement must strike a balance between delivering savings, quality and buying sustainably. Based on this, all procurement strategies take account of local and SME interests, and are framed in such a way as to support SME and supply chain opportunities wherever possible e.g. by splitting national requirements into specialist or geographical lots and supporting SME consortia. In the case of our national Professional Services Frameworks for Interim/Temporary Management and Business Management Consultancy, contracts were awarded to 15 consortia, and 15 SMEs were appointed to the frameworks, including 14 based in Scotland. Through the Supplier Engagement Working Group (which brings together the buyer and supplier communities to find solutions to particular procurement issues) we are actively working with smaller suppliers to simplify the process of bidding for public contracts. The Public Contracts Scotland advertising portal provides a free, single access point to public sector contract opportunities. Since the launch in July 2008, 74% of contracts advertised on the portal have been awarded to SMEs. The Scottish Government will also reduce the burden of tendering by introducing a national database for pre-qualification information. This will help standardise procedures and minimise duplication of effort for business. A draft standardised pre-qualification questionnaire (sPQQ) is being developed in conjunction with representatives from the private sector. Governance and Communities Jamie Hepburn (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Executive what flexibility is available to local authorities in interpreting planning law and associated guidance. (S4W-04622) Derek Mackay: Interpretation of planning law, and associated guidance, is the responsibility of the relevant planning authority. It is for the authority to satisfy itself that its interpretation and application of planning law is correct in any individual case. Jamie Hepburn (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on mobile telecommunications masts being erected in the vicinity of schools. (S4W-04623) Derek Mackay: Decisions on whether or not to grant planning permission for the erection of mobile phone masts are a matter for the planning authority in the first instance. Scottish Government planning policy on telecommunications infrastructure is contained in the Scottish Planning Policy (SPP). The SPP sets out the key issues to be addressed when planning authorities consider applications for mobile phone masts (paragraphs 248 to 254). A copy of the SPP is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 50437) or can be read at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/publications/2010/02/03132605/0. In relation to the health risks from radiofrequency radiation emitted by mobile phone base stations the Scottish Government is not aware of any compelling evidence to challenge the continuing validity of the conclusion of the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones (IEGMP) in their publication in 2000 on Mobile Phones and Health that there is no general risk to the health of people living nearby. The Scottish Government planning policy as set out in SPP reflects this position. Jamie Hepburn (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on jurisdictions internationally that prohibit the erection of mobile telecommunications masts in the vicinity of schools. (S4W-04624) Jamie Hepburn (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on jurisdictions internationally that have certain prohibitions on the erection of mobile telecommunications masts. (S4W-04625) Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government does not hold such information. John Wilson (Central Scotland) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the households that are entitled to replacement (a) boilers or (b) central heating systems under the warm homes initiative are yet to have these installed. (S4W-04626) Alex Neil: The Scottish Government's current initiative to provide replacement boilers and/or central heating systems is stage 4 of the Energy Assistance Package (EAP). Scottish Gas have advised that the overall number of customers awaiting an installation (central heating system, boiler or insulation only) fell below 4,000 in December 2011. This is the lowest reported since December 2009. There have been issues with EAP stage 4 delivery and problems caused by an IT systems failure at Scottish Gas in 2011. This has not only impacted on service delivery to EAP stage 4 customers but also on the reporting of accurate management information to the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government is not in a position to publish or release more detailed information on EAP stage 4 until there is a successful outcome to audit of management information. John Wilson (Central Scotland) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the households that are entitled to replacement (a) boilers or (b) central heating systems under the warm homes initiative have not had these installed as, because of asbestos-related issues, the contractor has declined to proceed with the installation and what its position is on this. (S4W-04627) Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04626 on 12 January 2012. 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. Under the terms of stage 4 of the Energy Assistance Package, it is the customer’s responsibility to ensure that asbestos is removed and to arrange and pay for its removal. The customer is provided with advice by Scottish Gas on how to arrange for this. John Wilson (Central Scotland) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Executive which contractors have been approved to install replacement (a) boilers and (b) central heating systems under the warm homes initiative. (S4W-04629) Alex Neil: The Scottish Government's current initiative to provide replacement boilers and/or central heating systems is stage 4 of the Energy Assistance Package (EAP). Scottish Gas have appointed the following contractors to provide replacement boilers and/or central heating systems under stage 4 of EAP: AC Gold Alba Gas BRB BSS/BIS City Technical Services UK Complete Heat Scotland Dalex systems Devine Dyno Rod Eaga Scotland Ltd EMC First Trade Fyrebrite Gas Services Direct (GSD) Gascall