Chamber and committees

Local authorities, any part of whose area adjoins the sea, are coast protection authorities under the Coast Protection Act 1949 which provides wide powers to protect any land in their areas from coastal erosion. The Scottish Government is providing record levels of funding to local government in Scotland with £23 billion allocated over the period 2008-10. The vast majority of the funding, including funding on coast protection, will be provided by means of a block grant. The former ring-fenced capital funding for coast protection is now included within the general capital grant. It is each local authority''s responsibility to allocate the financial resources available to it on the basis of local needs and priorities having fulfilled statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities. These include the Scottish Government''s key strategic objectives.

There are no regulations which specifically cover the welfare of wild animals in travelling circuses. However, section 24 of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 requires the person responsible for animals, including circus animals, to take reasonable steps to ensure that the needs of the animals are met.

These needs include:

(a) its need for a suitable environment,

(b) its need for a suitable diet,

(c) its need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns,

(d) any need it has to be housed with, or apart from, other animals and

(e) its need to be protected from suffering, injury and disease.

Legislation which will reduce the number of species listed on Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act is expected to come into force on 21 September 2009.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24834 on 25 June 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.

Six pilot Inshore Fisheries Groups (IFGs) were established between January and March this year in the south-east, Clyde, Outer Hebrides, north-west, Moray Firth and small isles and Mull. There will be an early review of the pilot IFGs at the end of this year.

The Solway Firth is one the new areas under consideration for a further roll out of IFGs next year, following the review. We would not expect to incorporate the Solway in the Clyde IFG.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24834 on 25 June 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.

A review of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 was undertaken last year and we have no plans to conduct a further review.

Breeders will be required to pay the registration fee for species listed on Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act until the amendments to current legislation come into force on 21 September 2009.

The recently published renewed strategic framework for Scottish aquaculture, A Fresh Start, has as an outcome for one of its working groups that the aquaculture industry will use the most appropriate equipment or facilities for containment at freshwater sites. The working group will consider the best published evidence and consider whether further research is required before coming to its conclusion on the best means to achieve this outcome.

The recently published renewed strategic framework for Scottish aquaculture, A Fresh Start, has as an outcome for one of its working groups that the aquaculture industry will use the most appropriate equipment or facilities for containment at freshwater sites. The working group will consider the best published evidence and consider whether further research is required before coming to its conclusion on the best means to achieve this outcome.