Chamber and committees

This is a matter for the Trustees of the Scottish Transport Group pension schemes.

The Review Group set up last year under Jackie Baillie's chairmanship has made good progress. It is hoped that the group will report its conclusions by the end of the calendar year.

The Commission has recently published interim measures on the adventitious presence of genetically modified seed in non-genetically-modified seed. I have arranged for copies of the Commission measures to be available in SPICe.

The key elements of the interim measures are:

• testing will apply to seeds of beet, maize, rapeseed, soya bean, cotton and tomatoes for processing, where GM presence is suspected. Member States are free to test other species.

• a zero threshold will apply to GM material which is not covered by an EU authorisation under Part C of Directive 90/220/EEC.
• a 0.5% threshold will apply to GM material which is covered by an EU authorisation under Part C of Directive 90/220/EEC.
• the measures apply to seeds which have been produced in the Community and to seeds from third countries.

These measures will operate until the Commission's legislative proposals to amend the various seeds marketing directives are promulgated. This is likely to take some time as the matter is a complex one involving the need to establish an appropriate methodology and testing arrangements. It is also necessary to take account of the implications for exporting countries and of the need to have a regime that is capable of enforcement. We have an assurance from Commissioner Byrne that he will act without undue delay and as soon as the Commission's legislative proposals are available we shall put these out for public consultation.

The position in Scotland is not directly comparable to that of the rest of the UK because of differences in farm structure and in the agri-environment schemes themselves. The financial limits for Scottish agri-environment schemes ensure that large farms do not consume a disproportionate share of finite resources to the detriment of smaller farms and crofts which could nonetheless demonstrate a conservation benefit.

I am convening a group to determine how the central heating initiative will be implemented. It will include representatives of the power companies and relevant charities. The first meeting is scheduled for later this month.

All Scottish sites planted with GM contaminated oilseed rape have been inspected to confirm effective destruction of the crop. In all but six crops the measures taken have been completely effective. For those crops where the destruction was not fully achieved, additional measures have been taken and the result of this action will be subject to further monitoring.

Communication between the Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food generally operates satisfactorily and in accordance with the appropriate Concordats. Where any problems have arisen, these have been resolved in the course of day-to-day contact between officials or at meetings between Ministers and between senior officials which, since devolution, take place at regular intervals.

The central heating initiative for pensioners announced on 18 September will take 90% of beneficiaries out of fuel poverty, including those in the private rented sector. The Warm Deal will continue to provide home insulation for other low-income households in that sector.

We recognise that an element of cross-pollination could occur between related organic and GM crops, but this is no more likely than cross-pollination between related organic and conventional crops. The organic sector cannot operate in isolation from other agricultural practices or the wider environment.

The environmental implications of the GM farm scale evaluation programme are fully considered by our expert advisory bodies before consent is granted. These bodies are satisfied that there are no safety or scientific reasons why this programme should have an adverse effect on organic farming. Additionally, the separation distance which is imposed around trial sites should ensure that any cross pollination with organic crops which does take place will be negligible and should not affect the organic status of these crops.

The Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department contributes substantially to the cost of conservation advice for farmers applying to join agri-environment schemes. It also provides grant-in-aid to the Scottish Agricultural College to provide public good advice on conservation and biodiversity, and to operate a telephone advice service for farmers wishing to convert to organic production methods.

In addition, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) provides funding for provision of conservation advice to farmers by the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group Scotland. The Department and SNH are currently considering whether changes are required in the delivery mechanisms for conservation advice in the light of a review on which consultation was carried out in 1999.