Chamber and committees

Under the Bathing Water (Scotland) Regulations 2008, Scottish Ministers designate bathing waters where they expect a large number of people to bathe, having regard to past trends and infrastructure and facilities provided, or other measures taken to promote bathing. Scottish Ministers have historically asked for information on past usage trends (user surveys and photographs), evidence of relevant infrastructure and facilities and evidence of support from local authorities and land owners in order to consider whether a large number of bathers is expected at a surface water area. Recent proposals have also been voluntarily accompanied by local consultations as an indication of local support.

SEPA’s bathing water guidance has recently been updated to require landowner and local authority letters of support, evidence of local consultation and either aerial or drone footage to be provided alongside a bathing water application. This formalises the process which has been routinely followed by groups submitting proposals, and provides further clarity on the information needed to support Scottish Minister’s decisions under the Regulations.

The stark warning from the World Meteorological Organisation that global temperatures will temporarily breach 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming during the next five years means that we will experience increased intensity and frequency of heatwaves, flooding, wildfires, supply chain disruption and storm events here in Scotland. This underlines why it is more important than ever that we take lasting action to secure a net zero and climate resilient future in a way that is fair and just for everyone.

We are making progress on reducing our domestic emissions through delivery of our updated Climate Change Plan. The latest data show our emissions are down by over 50% since the 1990 baseline, over halfway to net zero. The hardest part of the journey is ahead of us, as we need to halve our emissions again by 2030, and we can only achieve this through collaboration. The Scottish Government is currently in the process of developing our next draft Climate Change Plan on emissions reduction, alongside three sectoral Just Transition Plans, on Transport, Buildings and Construction, and Land Use and Agriculture. We will also be taking account of consultation responses to revise the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan to deliver a just transition to net zero in the energy sector.

Alongside this, we are continuing to deliver over 170 policies and proposals in the current Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme, the Scottish Government is also now developing the next programme. Public consultation is anticipated for the start of 2024 with the aim of publishing a final statutory programme in Autumn 2024. While progress is being made, we acknowledge that more needs to be done.

Scotland cannot act with credibility here at home if we are blind to the fact that the impacts of climate change and a transition to net zero are not felt equally – that those who have done the least to contribute to the climate crisis are impacted first and worse by it. Developed countries like Scotland have a moral responsibility to support developing countries to help secure a global transition in a way that is fair and just. Through the Climate Justice Fund, Scottish Government will meet this responsibility through continuing to lead international advocacy for climate justice and action on loss and damage.

The Scottish Government works with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and stakeholders to protect the natural environment and wildlife from water shortages. Our River Basin Management Plan identifies areas in Scotland already impacted by abstractions and sets out objectives to improve those watercourses.

Over the last 12 months SEPA have continued to implement Scotland’s national water scarcity plan which sets out how water resources will be managed prior to and during periods of prolonged dry weather. SEPA has also produced regular water scarcity reports during the summer months.

SEPA and the Scottish Government continues to work closely with stakeholders to assist businesses in their planning for managing future seasonal water shortages. This includes launching a communications campaign on 2 May to raise awareness, and work over the past 12 months alongside the Farm Advisory Service to ensure businesses have the information they need to prepare for water scarcity.

Scottish Water has reduced leakage from its public water supply system, and is also providing advice and guidance to business and domestic water users. For agricultural businesses, the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme has offered support for establishing irrigation lagoons to improve water storage.

SEPA determine how resources are allocated to meeting their statutory obligations through an Annual Operating Plan published each year in agreement with the Scottish Government.

Over the last 12 months SEPA have continued to implement Scotland’s national water scarcity plan which sets out how water resources will be managed prior to and during periods of prolonged dry weather. SEPA also produced regular water scarcity reports during the summer months.

SEPA and the Scottish Government are working closely with stakeholders to assist businesses in their planning for managing future seasonal water shortages. This includes launching a communications campaign on 2 May to raise awareness and work over the past 12 months alongside the Farm Advisory Service to ensure businesses have the information they need to prepare for water scarcity.

The Scottish Government supports a wide range of research projects which investigate Scotland’s resilience to water scarcity. The Scottish Government’s Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division (RESAS) funds the Centre of Expertise on Water (CREW), the James Hutton Institute and Scotland’s Rural College to conduct both short and long-term research projects.

There are ongoing and future research projects included in the 2022 RESAS funded 5-year strategic research programme, aimed at improving our understanding of seasonal water scarcity in Scotland and how we can change behaviours to build resilience to water scarcity. Many of these projects are at an early stage and the findings have not yet been published.

In addition, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), Drinking Water Quality Regulator (DWQR), and Scottish Water carry out their own complementary research into Scotland’s resilience to seasonal water scarcity.

The Scottish Government is working with key business sectors, Scottish Water, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), and other stakeholders to make sure water is used efficiently.

We continue to invest in the public network, reducing leakage and increasing water efficiency which helps conserve water in the environment, and we are working to develop technologies and other approaches to enhance resilience during extended periods of water scarcity.

SEPA, applies controls on water usage through abstraction licences. It also works with stakeholders to better communicate the impacts of water scarcity, and encourage water users to develop contingency plans to minimise their impact on the environment, and make their business more resilient.

Work with Scottish Water’s non-domestic customers has been ongoing. Scottish Water encourages its customers to use water efficiently and businesses are metered, and Licensed Providers are encouraged to provide water efficiency advice to their customers so that water is saved and bills are reduced.

Leakage has reduced continually year on year since 2006. In its regulatory determination for the 2015-21 period, the water industry commission for Scotland (WICS) set a target for Scottish Water to achieve the Economic Level of Leakage (ELL) (500 Megalitres per day) by 2019-20. Scottish Water achieved this target four years early and is continuing to reduce leakage further.

In relation to the allocation of funding for the national parks and local authorities, I refer the member to S6W-09126 on 29 June 2022, in response to Mark Ruskell MSP. In reference to (b), the distribution methodology for the 2022-23 ‘Edinburgh Process’ below was approved through the formal financial governance process including political sign-off from Scottish Ministers and COSLA political Leaders:

• 50% on ‘area of natural greenspace’ (as defined by PAN 65 and calculated by reporting on the State of Scottish Greenspace); and
• 50% on the composite green indicator defined by NatureScot (including local nature reserves, area of reserves) and used in the annual redetermination on Biodiversity and Ranger Services.

In addition, Local Authorities and National Parks were eligible to participate in partnerships that applied to the competitive element of NRF in 2022-23.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Monitoring is conducted via returns which local authorities and the National Parks are required to complete, following the end of each financial year, setting out how Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) money has been used.

Discussions between the Scottish Government and COSLA took place in April 2023 regarding the allocation of funding through the Edinburgh Process strand of the Nature Restoration Fund.