e-Bulletin no.12  25th Jan 2008

Short-cut to sections:-  Consultations | Publications | Scottish Government news releases | News releases | Recent parliamentary questions | Recent parliamentary answers | Other parliamentary activity | Events | Training  | Job vacancies

Consultations 

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Publications

Timetable for Implementation of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006:Updated: January 2008 (SG 14/01/08)
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/01/14103901/0

Review of Sheltered Housing in Scotland - Research Findings (SG 14/01/08)
A study of the supply and condition of sheltered housing; changes and barriers to change; costs and demand issues; residents' experiences; and the future housing aspirations of older people.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/01/11131844/0

Review of Sheltered Housing in Scotland - Research publication (SG 14/01/08)
A study of the supply and condition of sheltered housing; changes and barriers to change; costs and demand issues; residents' experiences; and the future housing aspirations of older people.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/01/11131906/0

Scotland's Budget Documents 2008-09: Budget (Scotland) Bill Supporting Document for the year ending 31 March 2009 (SG 17/01/08)
Budget Bill 2008-09
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/01/10155709/0

Housing Issues for Older People in Rural Areas (SG 21/01/08)
This think piece offers expert reflections on policy actions inferred from the evidence base on older people's housing and support needs in rural Scotland.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/01/17120038/0

Preparation of the Second National Planning Framework (NPF2): Participation Statement (Updated January 08) (SG 23/01/08)
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/01/22105653/0

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Scottish Government news releases

Step forward for green energy (SG 11/01/08)
Scotland's green energy sector has taken a step forward with the opening of a new biomass plant, Angus Biofuels, near Forfar, Angus. The new £1.2m plant employing 20 people will supply the growing biomass energy market with high-quality dry woodchips manufactured from clean roundwood, harvested from sustainable forests.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2008/01/11105405

Marine climate change on the increase (SG 16/01/08)
The Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership (MCCIP) report card 2007-08 highlights just how much climate change has affected the United Kingdom's marine environment and what the future impacts may be. Key findings from the report include: coastal erosion and flooding is expected to increase; the impacts of climate change on the commercial services provided by our seas will be significant. Sea-level rise, coastal flooding, storms and bigger waves will affect ports, shipping and built structures.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2008/01/14144816

Sustainable Seas Task Force (SG 23/01/08)
The Task Force that will bring forward plans for new, streamlined legislation to protect Scotland's marine and coastal environment has met for the first time. The aim of the new Scottish marine legislation is to ensure the sustainable management of our seas and coasts. It will also balance the competing interests for use and protection of our seas.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2008/01/23112255

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News releases

Protecting Scotland's rich heritage - no need for full review says the Minister (HEACS 21/01/08)
The Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture, Linda Fabiani MSP, has responded to three important reports from the Historic Environment Advisory Council for Scotland (HEACS) about how best to care for Scotland's rich heritage. While a number of the recommendations made by HEACS have been accepted, one key recommendation - the need for a major review of the legislation to protect Scotland's heritage - has been ruled out; with the preferred direction being to invest in improving the workings of the current system. Chair of HEACS Liz Burns said: "This response is disappointing. It differs from the situation in England where reform is underway, with the current system due to be replaced by a new Heritage Protection Act. Nonetheless, we welcome the Minister's intention to consider ongoing legislative changes as opportunities arise and hope that there will be a vigorous and proactive approach to taking this forward in the months ahead. There was strong support from the sector for HEACS view that the status quo is no longer an option, so a process which leads to change is necessary". The full text of the Minister's responses, and the HEACS reports, can be read at:
www.heacs.org.uk. 

Edinburgh World Heritage Announces New Director (EWH 24/01/08)
Edinburgh World Heritage has announced today the appointment of a new director, Adam Wilkinson. Adam will join EWH in April from the campaigning organisation SAVE Britain's Heritage, where he has been Secretary for the past seven years.
http://www.ewht.org.uk/New-Director.aspx

Voluntary Sector Demands End to Olympics Plunder (SCVO 15/01/08)
The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) has called for an end to the diversion of lottery money from good causes to the Olympics. In advance of the debate at Westminster about moving an additional £675m from good causes to the Olympic fund. This would bring the total diversion from good causes to over £2bn*.
Additional concerns have been raised about the ability to return the money to the lottery fund promised from the sale of the Olympic site after 2012.
http://www.scvo.org.uk/scvo/TFNPR/ViewTFNPR.aspx?pr=6772&from=Home&al=t

New agency will have key regeneration role (DCLG 11/01/08)
The Government has set out more details of the work of the Agency which will play a key role in delivering the 3m new homes by 2020 pledged by the Prime Minister - the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). The new Agency will, for the first time, bring together responsibility for land and for money to deliver new housing, community facilities and new infrastructure. The HCA will also work with local councils on some of England's 10 new eco towns.
http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/planningandbuilding/635078

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Recent parliamentary questions

Answers will appear in a subsequent Bulletin, with questions reproduced.

S3W-8610 Karen Gillon: To ask the Scottish Executive which third sector organisations will be funded directly by the Scottish Government and how much each organisation will receive in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11. (SP 18/01/08)

S3W-8621 Alison McInnes: To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has with regards to funding a second round of the Scottish Biomass Support Scheme. (SP 18/01/08)

S3W-8633 Patricia Ferguson: To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5757 by Linda Fabiani on 6 November 2007, when it will make an announcement on the outcome of the review of legislation covering heritage protection. (SP 18/01/08)

S3W-8643 Malcolm Chisholm: To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to protect archaeological artefacts, following the decision not to proceed with Part 4 of the draft Culture Bill. (SP 21/01/08)

S3W-8645 Malcolm Chisholm: To ask the Scottish Executive what legislative changes it believes are required to ensure that dealing in tainted cultural objects does not occur in Scotland. (SP 21/01/08)

S3W-8648 Malcolm Chisholm: To ask the Scottish Executive when it will introduce its Creative Scotland Bill to the Parliament. (SP 21/01/08)

S3W-8799 Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to provide additional resources to assist local authorities that have a significant number of planning applications for windfarm developments to process these applications timeously. (SP 24/01/08)

S3W-8842 Malcolm Chisholm: To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on returning cultural artefacts held in Scottish museums to their nation of origin. (SP 25/01/08)

S3W-8888 Elaine Murray: To ask the Scottish Executive how funding, previously allocated under the Cities Growth Fund, will be allocated in 2008-09, broken down by local authority and also expressed as a percentage of total funding for this purpose. (SP 25/01/08)

S3W-8904 Murdo Fraser: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the existing national planning guidance on renewable energy developments. (SP 25/01/08)

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Recent parliamentary answers

Q    S3W-7959 Johann Lamont (SP 18/12/07) To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to address the issue of trustee remuneration and the provision of trustee indemnity insurance under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005.
A    Answered by Fergus Ewing (22/01/08) The Scottish Executive is currently considering the most appropriate action in relation to the restrictions placed on the provision of trustee indemnity insurance under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005. I am clear that the restrictions placed on the provision of indemnity insurance were an unintended consequence of the legislation. I have discussed the issue with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and am sympathetic to the proportionate approach they have adopted in relation to the matter.

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Other parliamentary activity

Committee Meetings

ELLC Committee Meeting (SP 16/01/08) The Education and Lifelong Learning Committee has recently gathered information on the key issues affecting Scotland's built heritage. BEFS, along with Historic Scotland, the RCAHMS and the National Trust for Scotland gave evidence to the committee. Submissions and the official report can be viewed at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/ellc/meetings.htm

Motions

*S3M-1116 Jim Tolson: Affordable Housing Plans-That the Parliament supports the calls from the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce for the Scottish Government to establish firm plans on how it will raise housebuilding levels across Scotland; awaits the enactment of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 in full to help alleviate blockages in the development of affordable and sustainable housing; calls on the Scottish Government to ensure that there are sufficient skilled workers in Scotland to build affordable housing, given the competition for tradespeople with both the London Olympic Games and Glasgow Commonwealth Games on the horizon, and calls for local and national strategies to help to meet Scotland's affordable housing needs. (SP 11/01/08)

*S3M-1158 Jamie Hepburn: London Olympic Funding-That the Parliament congratulates Scottish National Party MPs in Westminster for voting against the decision to divert up to £184 million of Scottish lottery funding to the London Olympic Games; notes that not a single Scottish Labour MP voted against this decision; considers that those Scottish Labour MPs who voted for this decision have badly let down vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in their constituencies, many of which rely on lottery funding as lifeline support; believes that lottery money earmarked for Scotland should be spent in Scotland, and recognises the vast difference in planning, budgeting and use of resources between the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the London Olympics. (SP 17/01/08)

Petitions

PE1112 Petition by Robert Kay on behalf of Kilsyth International Carnival Society, calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to clarify the circumstances in which Scottish Ministers would not accept the decisions of a local planning inquiry and a public local inquiry, particularly in relation to housing developments on green belt land, such as that at Cavalry Park, Kilsyth. (SP 11/01/08)

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Events

AHSS National Conference 2008: Scotland's Castle Culture
In collaboration with the Scottish Centre for Conservation Studies, Edinburgh College of Art, 25-26th April 2008
This conference will for the first time examine the history and biography of the Scottish castle, from its arrival in the medieval period and subsequent rejection as an elite residence, through to its re-discovery and ultimate status as the emblematic building type of Scotland.  Speakers include: Geoffrey Stell, Dr Aonghus MacKechnie, Ian Gow, Prof David Walker, Diane Watters, Dr Allan Rutherford, Prof Charles McKean, Ian Fisher, Prof Michael Moss, John Gifford, Simon Green, Prof Bob Morris, Iain Anderson, Dr Ann McSween and Ian Begg. Tickets: £12 - £38.  
For more information contact the AHSS National Office on 0131 557 0019 or email: nationaloffice@ahss.org.uk

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Training

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Job vacancies

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Information in the Bulletin is extracted from a number of websites; including the Scottish Government (SG); the Scottish Parliament (SP); Architecture and Design Scotland (A+DS); Historic Scotland (HS); Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH); Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO); English Heritage (EH); Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE); Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG); Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS); Department of Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA); National Assembly for Wales (NAW); Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS); Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA). For further information, links are provided to the relevant documents. Back copies of the Bulletin are available approximately one month after publication on the BEFS website.

If you have any questions or comments on the above, or would like to submit information to be included, please get in touch with Jo Robertson jrobertson@befs.org.uk or call the BEFS Office on 0131 220 6241.