Committee News Release

CRR/2003

Wednesday 25 June 2003

ROBIN RIGG WIND FARM BILL FACES FINAL PARLIAMENTARY HURDLE

The Parliament will tomorrow debate the Final Stage of a Private Bill which if approved will allow the Promoters of the Bill (Offshore Energy Resources Limited and Solway Offshore Limited) to interfere with the navigation and fishing rights in the Solway Firth.

John Home Robertson MSP, a member of the Private Bill Committee that scrutinised the Bill during its Parliamentary passage in the last session, and who will tomorrow open the debate on the Bill, said:

“The Committee set up by the last Parliament considered this proposal carefully and took evidence from a wide range of supporters and objectors to the Bill at sessions in Dumfries, Kirkcudbright and Edinburgh.

“We have made amendments to the Bill to minimise the impact of the windfarm on navigation in the Solway Firth and to ensure that the structures will be removed when the windfarm is decommissioned.”

Background

The Robin Rigg Offshore Wind Farm (Navigation and Fishing) (Scotland) Bill was introduced in the Parliament on 27 June 2002.

The only purpose of the Bill is to interfere with navigation and fishing rights. The Bill does not seek to give the Promoters powers to construct the wind farm nor to generate electricity. These powers are sought under separate consents.

Like public bills, private bills fall at dissolution (i.e. the end of the four year parliamentary session). However, Parliament’s rules allow Private Bills to be reintroduced and for the Bill to recommence at the start of the last stage not yet completed. Therefore, this Bill begins at ‘ Final Stage’.

Parliamentary Procedure
There are three stages for a Private Bill. These are:

The Preliminary Stage of the Bill - The Committee in their report rejected one objection and agreed to hear three others at Consideration Stage. A debate in Parliament was held on 9 January 2003 when the Bill’s general principles and that it should proceed as a Private Bill were agreed.

The second stage, the Consideration Stage is in two parts. During the first part, the Committee takes evidence from the Promoter and from Objectors. This part may be concluded with the Committee submitting a report to the Parliament on its recommendations regarding the Bill and any objections received. The second part of this Stage involves the Committee considering any amendments to the Bill.

The Committee met four times at Consideration Stage. They published their report covering the three objections on 14 March 2003.

The Final Stage involves the whole of Parliament debating and considering any further amendments and deciding whether to pass the Bill or not.

There were five members of the Robin Rigg Offshore Wind Farm (Navigation and Fishing)(Scotland) Bill Committee which met to consider the Bill during the first session:

Tom McCabe – Convener

Colin Campbell – Deputy Convener

John Home Robertson

Jamie McGrigor

Mike Rumbles.

Tom McCabe has since become a Junior Minister and Colin Campbell retired at dissolution.

For further information the media contact is:

Sally Coyne: 0131 348 6269
email: sally.coyne@scottish.parliament.uk

For specific committee information contact:
David Cullum, Clerk to the Committee: Tel 0131 348 5951
email: david.cullum@scottish.parliament.uk

For public information enquiries, contact: 0131 34 85000

For general enquiries, contact: 0845 278 1999 (local call rate)
email: sp.info@scottish.parliament.uk
Visit our website at: www.scottish.parliament.uk