- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 29 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive when the eradication of hedgehogs from the Uists and Benbecula is expected to be completed.
Answer
These are matters which are withinthe operational responsibility of Scottish Natural Heritage. I have therefore askedthe Chief Executive of Scottish Natural Heritage to write to you and for a copyof his reply to be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib.number 39287).
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 29 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how much public money has been spent on the Uist Wader Project in (a) total and (b) each year since 2000.
Answer
These are matters which arewithin the operational responsibility of Scottish Natural Heritage. I havetherefore asked the Chief Executive of Scottish Natural Heritage to write toyou and for a copy of his reply to be placed in the Scottish ParliamentInformation Centre (Bib. number 39287).
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 29 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Uist Wader Project plans to kill hedgehogs in autumn 2006 and, if so, by what methods and in what locations.
Answer
These are matters which are withinthe operational responsibility of Scottish Natural Heritage. I have therefore askedthe Chief Executive of Scottish Natural Heritage to write to you and for a copyof his reply to be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib.number 39287).
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 29 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many hedgehogs have been killed under the Uist Wader Project in (a) total and (b) each year since 2000, broken down by island.
Answer
These are matters which arewithin the operational responsibility of Scottish Natural Heritage. I havetherefore asked the Chief Executive of Scottish Natural Heritage to write toyou and for a copy of his reply to be placed in the Scottish ParliamentInformation Centre (Bib. number 39287).
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 9 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether an environmental impact assessment (EIA) has been produced in respect of proposed commercial oil spill contingency plans for ship-to-ship transfer of oil in the Firth of Forth and whether any such EIA has been undertaken voluntarily or under statute.
Answer
I am aware that the Maritimeand Coastguard Agency included the member in the list of consultees sent detailsof the consultation exercise which commenced on 16 February. The member will thereforebe aware that an environmental impact assessment (EIA) is one of the documents formingpart of the consultation. The status of such an assessment as part of the oil spillplanning process is a matter for Her Majesty’s Government but I understand thatan EIA is not a formal requirement of the relevant legislation, which is the MerchantShipping (Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation Convention) Regulations1998.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 9 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what the role of Scottish ministers is in respect of the public consultation on the oil spill contingency plan for commercial ship-to-ship transfer of oil in the Firth of Forth.
Answer
The Scottish Executive will respondto the consultation having taken advice from Scottish Natural Heritage on the potentialenvironmental implications of the oil spill contingency plan, in particular thepotential impacts on Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservationdesignated by Scottish ministers under the Conservation (Natural Habitats etc) Regulations1994 and bearing in mind our obligations in respect of European Protected Species.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 9 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether consideration of European Protected Species must be included as part of an oil spill contingency plan approval process.
Answer
The approval of oil spill contingencyplans is a matter for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) acting on behalfof the Secretary of State for Transport.
As a competent authority underthe EU Habitats Directive the MCA must have regard to the requirements of the Directivewhere appropriate in the exercise of their functions. It is understood that as partof the consultation process on ship-to-ship transfer in the Firth of Forth the MCAwill give due consideration to nature conservation issues.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 9 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is the authority from whom a licence must be sought for works in respect of the proposed commercial ship-to-ship crude oil transfer in the Firth of Forth which will affect European Protected Species under the Habitats Directive.
Answer
The Scottish Executive does notissue licences specifically for ship-to-ship transfer of crude oil.
If it were to be establishedthat the proposed commercial ship-to-ship transfer of crude oil were likely to disturba European Protected Species, or damage or destroy its breeding site or restingplace, whether or not the species is present in these places, a licence would berequired from the licensing authority under regulation 44 of the Conservation (NaturalHabitats & c.) Regulations 1994. In that case, the licensing authority wouldbe the Scottish Executive. The advice I have sought from Scottish Natural Heritagein respect of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s consultation on the relevantoil spill contingency plan will enable decisions to be taken about whether a licencemight be necessary and I do not want to prejudge the outcome of that consideration.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 9 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a licence for ship-to-ship crude oil transfer affecting European Protected Species under the Habitats Directive applies to the species and their shelters and breeding places, whether or not the species are present in these places.
Answer
I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-23473 on 9 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 9 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive why advice has been sought from Scottish Natural Heritage in respect of the oil spill contingency plan for commercial ship-to-ship transfer of oil in the Firth of Forth and for what purpose.
Answer
The role of Scottish NaturalHeritage (SNH) includes the provision of advice to the Scottish Executive on naturalheritage matters and issues likely to affect the environment of Scotland. I haveconsequently asked SNH for advice in respect of the oil spill contingency plan tohelp inform any response the Scottish Executive may make to the recently announcedpublic consultation.
