Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has appointed Professor Campbell Gemmell, Professor of Environment Research, Policy, Regulation and Governance at the University of Glasgow, to lead an independent examination of the issues and evidence surrounding underground coal gasification.

Professor Gemmell is currently working closely with stakeholders and communities while undertaking this independent examination of the issues and evidence. The review is expected to report its findings later in summer 2016

At present, the UK remains a member state of the European Union. The Scottish Government has been clear in its belief that European Union membership delivers many social, economic and cultural benefits for individuals, business and communities across Scotland. The Scottish Government’s priority is to protect Scotland’s interests and we are considering all possible options to ensure Scotland’s continuing relationship with Europe. There are no plans to revoke or amend domestic legislation giving effect to the requirements of the EU Birds and Habitats Directives in Scotland as a result of the outcome of the EU referendum.

The nutrient management plan requirement was introduced in order to ensure that common agricultural policy (CAP) greening rules in Scotland include at least one measure to help mitigate agriculture’s contribution to climate change, by encouraging efficient use of inorganic nitrogen fertilisers. It was introduced in 2016 under the ‘greening equivalence’ rules, which allow member states some flexibility to tailor EU greening requirements to national priorities.

Ensuring the efficient use of nitrogen-based fertilisers is an important part of the shift in farming practices needed for Scotland to meet its world-leading climate change targets. When too much nitrogen-based fertiliser is applied to soils, it creates a nitrogen excess which is either passed into the atmosphere in the form of nitrous oxide (a highly potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 298 times greater than that of carbon dioxide over 100 year life span) or into watercourses via runoff and leaching from the soil as nitrates.

The Scottish Greenhouse Gas Emissions 2014 report shows that agriculture and the related land use sector is Scotland’s main contributor to emissions of nitrous oxide. It indicates that of the 3.3 MtCO2e of nitrous oxide that Scotland emitted, 89% of this (2.7 MtCO2e) came from agriculture and related land use. These emissions are largely produced by agricultural practices on soils, and to a lesser extent by animal manures.

The nutrient management plan greening requirement is a light-touch measure designed to encourage efficient use of nitrogen-based fertilisers by requiring farmers in receipt of CAP direct payments to estimate the quantity of inorganic nitrogen fertiliser and lime they intend to apply on permanent grassland fields (excluding fields which also contain rough grazing or arable land) each year. This aims to drive behaviour change by encouraging farmers to consider whether they are using fertilisers efficiently.

Accompanying guidance also encourages farmers to test the pH of their soil. If the soil pH is too low, applying lime can help to improve the efficiency with which grass takes up the nitrogen applied in fertiliser. This, in turn, has the potential to improve the productivity of the grass sward and to reduce nitrous oxide emissions. The EU Regulation does not provide the scope to make soil pH testing a mandatory part of the requirement, since it requires greening rules to apply every year, whereas a more appropriate frequency for soil pH testing is every five to six years. However, the benefits of soil pH testing are promoted in guidance.

Further to the answer to question S4W-27214, 1,463 people had obtained an identification number by 1 July 2016.

The review into snaring will be undertaken by Scottish Natural Heritage who will provide a report to Scottish Ministers by 31 December 2016.

Scottish Ministers will then lay a report of the review before the Scottish Parliament, as set out in Section 11F of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Further to the answer to question S4W-27213, 2,542 people had attended the training by 1 July 2016.

There is no requirement at present for a snaring operator to de-register their snaring identification number when the person who is granted the number a) ceases employment in snaring, b) retires, or c) dies.

The snaring review, due to be completed by the end of 2016, will review the changes made through the Wildlife and Environment Act 2011 and the Snares (Scotland) Order 2010, including the snaring operator registration process.

The Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 confers similar powers on Police Scotland and local authorities regarding enforcement. Local authorities, however, have specific responsibilities for licensing of pet shops, dog breeders and dealers, and enforcement of animal welfare during transport and on farms.

<>The current application is to review the operational conditions around peat extraction, not for the principle of peat extraction. The application is for Midlothian Council to determine in the first instance. The Scottish Government has sought updates from Midlothian Council on the status of the case. The Scottish Government has not discussed the case with Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) but has received information on SNH’s position with regard to the proposals.

The use of peat as a source horticultural compost is a global issue requiring action at the international level as peat sourced for horticultural use comes from a number of different countries. The Scottish Government has offered its support to the market-led initiatives to reduce the demand and use of peat in horticulture.

The National Peatland Group, set up by the Scottish Government and Scottish Natural Heritage to deliver the plan, has identified phasing out the horticultural use of peat as a priority in it work programme.

Scottish Planning Policy confirms that planning authorities should use their development plans to protect areas of peatland and only allow commercial extraction in very limited circumstances.