Chamber and committees

Scotland''s beautiful and varied coastline and its wide-range of attractions feature as one of the main activities participated in by visitors to Scotland. VisitScotland''s Visitor Experience Survey for 2008 reveals that 52% of UK visitors and 58% of Scots on holiday in Scotland said they had explored Scotland''s beaches and coastline, although only 4% of the latter said they had explored Scottish beaches and castles as the main purpose of their trip.

The new EC Marine Strategy Framework Directive and international examples from Canada, New Zealand and Australia were considered in the development of proposals for a Scottish Marine Bill. Sustainable Seas for All - a consultation on Scotland''s First Marine Bill invited views on the management and protection of coastal resources. The responses are currently being analysed. If there are specific examples of good practice the member would like me to be aware of, please write with the details.

Sustainable Seas for All - a consultation on Scotland''s first marine bill invited comment on proposals for a Scottish Marine Bill. Proposals include a new statutory marine planning system. It is proposed that Marine Scotland will develop a National Marine Plan for Scotland which will set out policies and priorities to promote sustainable economic growth and for the sustainable use, development and protection of Scotland''s marine and coastal resources. The plan will be integrated into the National Planning Framework for Scotland.

It is also proposed that marine plans will be developed at a local level by Scottish Marine Boards comprising representatives from the main stakeholder interests within Scottish Marine Regions. Scottish Marine Boards and Marine Scotland will also be responsible for integrated coastal zone management (ICZM), a process intended to facilitate an integrated approach to the management and protection of resources at the land/sea interface.

Responses to Sustainable Seas for All - a consultation on Scotland''s first marine bill are currently being considered.

Currently landings of tope from Scottish vessels are at a very low level. Therefore the Scottish Government believes that management of tope is best considered in the wider context of the management of all elasmobranch stocks. We shall be reviewing our approach to the management of these stocks during 2009.

The Scottish Government supports the view that there should be no directed fisheries on spurdog and is working with the Commission to devise practicable management measures for 2009 which will prevent such directed fisheries without promoting discarding of unavoidable bycatches.

The Scottish Government recognises the important natural features of Loch Sunart and Loch Etive. In order to protect this important natural resource both Loch Sunart and Loch Etive are already subject to varying levels of protection. Loch Sunart has been designated as a marine special area of conservation under the EC Habitats Directive for reef and otters. Additionally both sites are Scottish Natural Heritage marine consultation areas which means that they are considered sensitive areas.

Proposals for a new type of marine protected area were included in the Marine Bill consultation document Sustainable Seas for All along with proposals for a new system of marine planning and improvements to licensing. The consultation has now closed and the Scottish Government is currently analysing responses.

It is our intention to issue a consultation paper on proposals to replace the Pet Animals Act 1951. This was planned for late this year, but has been delayed due to other work. We now anticipate that the consultation paper will be issued next year.

Under the Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC), bathing waters officially designated by Scottish ministers are monitored during the bathing season (1 June to 15 September) by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) for possible contamination by faecal bacteria. Such contamination is from either sewage or agricultural sources.

Ministers require that SEPA, as regulator, take appropriate action to protect and improve water quality including the quality of bathing waters. To this effect, SEPA have developed Pollution Reduction Plans for each of the 80 bathing waters, which identify potential threats to compliance, and the necessary measures to address this at the individual sites. These can be found on SEPA''s website at www.sepa.org.uk/data/bathingwaters/index.htm.

Scottish Water is investing some £2.5 billion to deliver the improvements directed by ministers for the period 2006-10. These improvements are being funded by customers and some £800 million of lending from the Scottish Government. This investment will deliver improvements to the water environment, as well as to drinking water quality and customer services.

The details of the improvements required may be viewed on the government''s website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/1057/0022201.pdf. Reports on the progress being made by Scottish Water to deliver these improvements are also available on the website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/waterindustryscot/qs3 .

To help tackle the threat from diffuse agricultural pollution, ministers have provided SEPA with an additional £1.6 million over the current spending review period (2008-11). This is in addition to their core budget, which funds monitoring and investigative work. Ministers have also agreed an additional £800,000 over the same period to fund an expansion of SEPA''s variable messaging signage which provides beachgoers with warnings when their health might be at risk from bathing in polluted water.

Farmers will also have access to the government''s Scotland Rural Development Programme to help fund measures, some of which will benefit bathing water quality.

The following designated bathing waters failed to meet the minimum microbiological standards under the EC Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC):

(a) 2003 - Brighouse Bay (Dumfries and Galloway), Ettrick Bay (Argyll and Bute), Rockcliffe (Dumfries and Galloway) (3 out of 60)

(b) 2004 - Carrick (Dumfries and Galloway), Ettrick Bay (Argyll and Bute), Irvine (North Ayrshire), Southerness (Dumfries and Galloway) (4 out of 60)

(c) 2005 - Eyemouth (Scottish Borders), Nairn (East) (Highland), Stonehaven (Aberdeenshire) (3 out of 60)

(d) 2006 - All bathing waters complied

(e) 2007 - Ayr (South Beach) (South Ayrshire), Ettrick Bay (Argyll and Bute), Eyemouth (Scottish Borders), Irvine (North Ayrshire), Girvan (South Ayrshire), Prestwick (South Ayrshire), Sandyhills (Dumfries and Galloway) (7 out of 61)

(f) 2008 - Aberdeen (Aberdeen City), Cruden Bay (Aberdeenshire), Ettrick Bay (Argyll and Bute), Portobello (Central) (City of Edinburgh), Rosehearty (Aberdeenshire), Saltcoats/Ardrossan (North Ayrshire), Sandyhills (Dumfries and Galloway) (7 out of 80).

Scottish Water, along with all other public sector bodies in Scotland, is subject to the Scottish Government''s policy on public sector pay. Following discussions with ministers and officials, Scottish Water has agreed with the government the parameters of its pay remit in accordance with the maximum allowed in the policy.