Chamber and committees

I refer the member to answerto question S3W-8552 on 25 January 2008. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the searchfacility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The Scottish ministers may onlymake a protection order upon application to them, and each application must be consideredon its merits. Currently, no applications are under consideration.

There are currently no plansto revoke any protection order. However, the operation of protection orders is underconstant review, and any protection order may be revoked or varied where appropriate.

When an area is granted a protectionorder it is on condition that wider public access is made available on terms andconditions that the Scottish ministers consider to be necessary. This access requiresto be maintained unless a different agreement is reached on conservation grounds.

We recognise the issue of decliningyouth participation within angling and we are working with the sector to informyoung people about fish and to introduce them to angling.

We share the vision that is containedwithin the draft Strategic Framework for Scottish Freshwater Fisheries that Scotland willhave sustainably managed freshwater fish and fisheries that provide significanteconomic and social benefits for its people.

Over the next three years wehave committed to make available £1.2 million towards management and developmentof freshwater fisheries.

There has been one protectionorder made under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act2003, namely, by the Assynt-Coigach Area Protection Variation Order 2006 (SI 2006/488).This applies to the catchment area of all rivers entering the sea on the west coastof Scotland between, in the north, a point south of the Unapool Burn and, in thesouth, a point south of the River Runnie, and all rivers which enter the sea onthe east coast of Scotland between, in the north, a point north of River Oykel and,in the south, a point south of the River Oykel, as described in The Assynt – CoigachArea Protection Order 2004 (SSI 2004/260) varied by the Assynt-Coigach Area ProtectionVariation Order 2006 (SI 2006/488).

The Scottish Government has undertakena consultation on a draft framework for freshwater fisheries developed in associationwith stakeholders. It proposes a national policy that seeks to protect biodiversityand our environment as well as enhancing the economic benefit for our rural economythat results from angling. The consultation period closed on 4 January 2008 andthe responses are being analysed. Thereafter the Freshwater Fisheries Steering Groupwhose members represent the main interests within the sector will prepare a finalversion that government can consider.

Yes. On average households inScotland across all income deciles and council tax bands will be better off witha council tax freeze.