Chamber and committees

The audit of mobile phone base stations set up in response to the recommendations of the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones (the Stewart Group) is being carried out by the Radiocommunications Agency (RA).The RA, when conducting its initial audit of mobile telephone base stations on school sites, did not automatically calculate the amalgam of cumulative emissions at peak times. The audit was designed to measure accurately all emissions received at the measurement location at the time when the audit was undertaken.Nonetheless, the RA was alert to the possibility that at the time of each audit not all channels from any particular base station would, necessarily, be transmitting. Consequently the RA decided to carry out more detailed measurements where the measurements taken were found to be higher than 1/100th of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines. However, these additional measurements did not prove necessary as during the course of the many thousands of measurements made during the 101 audits, the highest measurement recorded was 1/279th of the ICNIRP guidelines. Typically measurement levels were found to be many thousands of times below the ICNIRP guidelines.

Article 3 of the European Convention on the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage (Revision) recently signed by the UK Government seeks to ensure that archaeological excavations and prospecting are undertaken in a scientific manner by qualified, specially authorised persons. The most recent summary of the Government's view was that expressed in reply to a House of Commons Parliamentary Question on 13 July by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport:"In broad terms, current measures in place in the UK already meet the Convention's requirements. The Government does not believe that additional legislation, requiring a licensing system, is necessary to fulfil Article 3. Much archaeological work is already controlled through existing mechanisms. There may be scope for developing a voluntary Code of Conduct for those who wish to undertake archaeological work outside the existing systems of control."I believe that there will continue to be an important role for voluntary historical and archaeological associations in Scotland.

This proposal forms part of a much wider set of proposals to amend and update the procedures for the authorisation and control of both human and veterinary medicines in the EU. In its present form this particular proposal could prevent agricultural merchants supplying medicines intended for administration to food-producing animals. Veterinary medicines legislation is not devolved. But my officials are liasing closely with DEFRA colleagues to try to modify the proposals to allow a more flexible approach to be adopted to product distribution.

Halcrow Crouch, the agents acting for the applicant, Shanks Waste Services confirmed to Argyll and Bute Council in a letter dated 1 December 2000 that neighbour notifications and plans had been issued to all the residents at Duncholgan. They were not required to do so as the Travelling People's site lies outwith the statutory notifiable distance.

The question of alternative sites is a matter for the developer before an application is submitted to the planning authority. The Scottish Ministers would not take this into account in their consideration of a planning application notified to them by a local authority. I understand that Argyll and Bute Council does not consider that the Lingerton landfill site satisfies the regulatory requirements and this prompted the planning application for improvements. Once these are completed, the operator will require to apply to SEPA for a Permit under the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations 2000.

The Trusts are funded by Fishery Boards and fishing proprietors and their revenues will be determined in future as they are now by decisions made by those who provide the funding. The proposals in the draft Bill do not alter that.

The draft Land Reform (Scotland) Bill was published in a consultation paper in February 2001. This consultation document was available free to members of the public and also published on the internet. A period of 18 weeks from the publication date was allowed for submission of responses. Officials also met with representatives of the Association of Scottish Salmon Fisheries Boards and the Scottish Anglers National Association on 28 June to hear their views on the draft Bill proposals.

We consider the consultation exercise which we have recently completed and which included responses from Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Highland Council as well as landowners and crofting interests is a more effective mechanism for eliciting views on the impacts of our proposals.

Tourism businesses received substantial aid from the £13.5 million package of emergency relief announced on 28 March. We hope to make an announcement shortly about a strategy for addressing the medium and longer term effects of foot-and-mouth disease on tourism.

The decision by the Argyll & Bute and Highland Councils to set up disinfectant points in their areas was taken despite advice from the Scottish Executive that such measures were unlikely to prove effective in disease control terms. The Executive, therefore, has no plans to reimburse the councils for the costs incurred.