Chamber and committees

Information on the relative contributionof different factors, such as energy efficiency, to reductions in emissions fromthe manufacturing and construction sector is not held centrally.

However, as indicated in Greenhouse Gas Inventories for England,Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland 1990-2004,published by the National Environmental Technology Centre and available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 42395), emissions frommanufacturing industry and construction have declined over the period by 41%, mainlydue to the closure of the Ravenscraig Steel Plant.

Estimation methodologies are includedin Appendix 1 of Greenhouse Gas Inventories for England, Scotland,Wales and Northern Ireland published by the National EnvironmentalTechnology Centre. The latest available data, for the period 1990-2004, was publishedin 2006 and is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number42395).

Since 1990, improvements to data collection and estimation techniqueshave resulted in revisions to the data and methods used to estimate emissions. Whereappropriate, revisions are made to historic data which means that it is not appropriateto make comparisons with previous inventory reports without taking account of changesto data and estimation techniques.

We would aim to bring forwardproposals for consultation at the earliest opportunity if review of the Regulationsestablishes the need for any change in the way that they apply to port and harbourauthority responsibilities.

Changing Our Ways; Scotland’s Climate Change Programme, publishedon 30 March 2006, commits the Executive to report annually to the ScottishCabinet in the first instance, and to then submit a report to Parliament. In linewith that commitment, the first annual report is due to be submitted to Cabinetby the end of March 2007 and, thereafter, to Parliament.

Changing Our Ways; Scotland’s Climate Change Programme, publishedon 30 March 2006, commits the Executive to report annually to the ScottishCabinet in the first instance, and to then submit a report to Parliament. In linewith that commitment, the first annual report is due to be submitted to Cabinetby the end of March 2007 and, thereafter, to Parliament.

The Scottish Executive is committedto ensuring that Scottish legislation gives full effect to the provisions of theEU Habitats Directive. Relevant legislative provisions are kept under review ona continuous basis, taking into account relevant case law or court judgments. TheConservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations2007, currently passing through this Parliament, is an outcome of that process andwill make a number of changes to the Conservation Regulations in order to meet therequirements of the European Court of Justice rulings on cases C-6/04 and C-131/05.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-30453 on 15 January 2007. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The Scottish Executive set upthe Scottish Seals Forum in 2002 to bring stakeholders together to exchange informationand develop a co-ordinated approach to the management of Scottish seal populations.This forum provides the appropriate focal point for representations concerning theConservation of Seals Act 1970. I understand that it is currently anticipated thatthe forum is likely to discuss the issue at its next meeting in spring 2007.

Where laboratory analysis confirmsthe presence of exotic disease such as foot-and-mouth disease or avianinfluenza, EU legislation requires the culling of susceptible animals on infectedpremises and on dangerous contacts.

The Executive and State VeterinaryService work closely with the veterinary profession and the continuing developmentof disease control policy takes into account both the views expressed within theveterinary profession and the evolving science base.

Current research projects supportedby the Executive, include evaluation or trials of the general effectiveness of severalAcoustic Deterrent Devices (ADDs) against seals and the deployment of ADDs withinrivers in order to deter seals from a specific area of river and as a barrier toupstream movement of seals.