Mark Ballard (Lothians) (Green): To ask the
Scottish Executive how much funding is being made available to local
authorities to ensure that they are able to develop the core path network,
as set out in the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. (S2O-610)
The Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural
Development (Allan Wilson):
The local authority settlement includes £6.5 million for 2003-04, £7.4
million for 2004-05 and £8.1 million for 2005-06 to enable local authorities
to prepare for and to implement the new access legislation, including
planning a system of core paths.
Mark Ballard: The
consultants' report indicated that, if communities are to get what they
expect out of the land reform legislation, a figure nearer £340 million over
10 years will be required.
How does the Executive intend to close that gap to ensure that—as Jack
McConnell said this morning—speedy progress is made in that area?
Allan Wilson: Mark
Ballard has certainly identified a fairly significant funding gap. I think
that he perhaps misunderstood my original response. The sums of money that I
explained are available are for planning a system of core paths. When we
come to establish the core path network, we will have to consider the
financial requirement for that.
The core path network will not be the only means by which we will provide
wider access to the countryside. Many other funders are involved in
providing that, including Scottish Natural Heritage. The core path network
is an important means of providing access for people of differing abilities,
but it is only one means by which we will provide wider access.
Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab):
Will the minister indicate when Parliament might be able to see the final
version of the access code that is so vital to the operation of the
important Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003? Does he agree that it is
important that the access code reflects the Parliament's intentions and that
we get to debate the access code before it is finally agreed in its correct
form? Does he further agree that it is important that issues that have yet
to be resolved, such as passage around farmyards, are finally and properly
resolved?
Allan Wilson: I
agree with those points. It is important that the access code is subject to
the fullest consultation. It is only recently that SNH has completed its
consultation. The matter will then come to ministers for approval and from
there to Parliament for its approval. I expect that some of the issues about
disputes over access rights to which the member refers will be covered in
the local authority access forums that will be set up and will be designed
to facilitate dispute resolution.
Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP):
I welcome the £22 million over three years that the minister has indicated
will be available. I take it that the money applies to the consultation and
the publishing of maps and so forth. Will the minister tell us how many
miles of core paths the money will provide and what proportion will be
existing rights of way? What further funding will be available thereafter to
develop new paths?
Members: Ask the
mayor of Sligo.
Allan Wilson: No,
but I will get on the case right away. We will get out the maps and the
cartographers to check just how many more core paths will be introduced.
I repeat the serious point that the core path network is but one means of
ensuring wider and more responsible access to our countryside. We expect
that in due course the entire countryside—excluding Sligo—will be opened up
to wider access. I know that Stewart Stevenson will support those aims.
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