Chamber and committees

Marine Scotland, in partnership with statutory nature conservation advisers, will continue to monitor biodiversity in Scotland''s inshore waters through existing and new strategies, involving wider science institutes and other partner organisations.

Marine Scotland Science has close working relationships with the fishing industry established under the former Scottish Government agency, Fisheries Research Services. Regular meetings are held with fishermen''s representative organisations including the Scottish Fishermen''s Federation to discuss matters of mutual interest. This includes regular meetings on scientific advice and the Scottish Industry Science Partnership. These arrangements will continue within Marine Scotland.

The Financial Memorandum accompanying the Marine (Scotland) Bill sets out the financial and staffing implications of the proposals to create Scottish Marine Regions. We envisage that Scottish Marine Regions would not necessarily employ staff directly.

We believe there are significant benefits overall in the creation of Marine Scotland.

We recognise and have acknowledged, nonetheless, the need for reassurance about transparency and independence in relation to science and enforcement issues. As we have made clear in announcing and setting out our plans for Marine Scotland, we propose measures to address these issues “ including through the likes of the planned Science Advisory Board and by ensuring appropriate operating arrangements and responsibilities.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22585 on 8 May 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The Scottish Government has as its overall purpose to focus government and public services on creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth. This will deliver the principles of sustainable development.

A key focus of proposals under the marine planning system is to ensure that Scotland''s marine and coastal environment is clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse to meet the long term needs of people, nature and marine industries. Scottish ministers intend that there will be a national marine plan for Scotland which will set out policies and priorities for the sustainable use, development, management and protection of Scotland''s seas and that Scotland will contribute to a UK Marine Policy Statement. The marine planning framework will make provision to set objectives which would be founded on the guiding principles of sustainable development.

Scottish ministers intend that there should be a close and harmonious relationship between Marine Scotland and the proposed Scottish Marine Regions. The Marine (Scotland) Bill sets out proposals for the designation of Scottish Marine regions and the delegation of functions.

The Marine Strategy Forum is to be established to help ensure that Marine Scotland, its delivery partners and stakeholders work together on an integrated basis towards our overall purpose and our vision for our marine and coastal environments. More detailed arrangements are being worked up for the forum, which we aim to establish by July 2009.

There is wide support for the establishment of Marine Scotland because of the improved marine management arrangements it will deliver. Establishing Marine Scotland on 1 April means it can begin to integrate existing functions and resources of the constituent bodies, and prepare for new functions once the Marine Bill is enacted. It also has the benefit of ending uncertainty for the staff involved, and others. 2009-10 will be a transitional year in which the work will be done to establish how best to fulfil Marine Scotland''s future remit and functions, as opposed to the remits of its predecessor constituent bodies, and the exact numbers of staff that will be required to do so. At this stage, therefore, it is not possible to be definitive in relation to the question asked but the following information represents the current position and provides an indication of possible future arrangements.

Science and compliance within Marine Scotland each involve, currently, a total of around 280 staff, covering the range of their functions. In the case of compliance, this includes the Sea Fisheries Inspectorate, marine staff and headquarters operations and enforcement staff. Science functions include research, general science, technical support and engineering. There are currently around 130 other Marine Scotland staff dealing with a range of policy, delivery and related functions.

The extent and allocation of resources devoted to particular activities in future will be subject to review as Marine Scotland develops and integrates existing and new functions, and in light of priorities, resource availability and other matters. That includes decisions on resources for marine planning, arrangements for which depend amongst other things on parliamentary consideration of the Marine Bill.

We are also considering better streamlined marine licensing arrangements, including scope for a co-ordinating role for Marine Scotland. Future arrangements and resources related to that have yet to be decided.

Marine Scotland''s budget is based on the resources for Marine and Fisheries announced in the Scottish Budget Spending Review 2007 and subsequent Budget Bills. Provision for this in 2009-10 is currently set at £77.9 million (net): details can be found at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/01/08095240/0.

Equivalent provision for 2010-11 was set by the 2007 Spending Review at £70.8 million (net). Details can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/11/13092240/0.

Marine Scotland''s provisional budget for 2009-10 is set out in its 2009 Strategy Statement, available at www.scotland.gov.uk/marinescotland2009strategystatement. This reflects gross expenditure provision related to Marine Scotland''s functions and excludes provision related to the former Marine Directorate''s Departmental Running Costs. The structure of the current Marine and Fisheries Budget and the sums available during 2009-10 will be revised at this year''s Autumn Budget Revision to take account of the establishment of Marine Scotland on 1 April 2009.