Chamber and committees

An evaluation of Digital Evidence Sharing Capability (DESC) has been commissioned and publication is expected in Autumn 2024.

Bathing water quality samples are taken by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) at each bathing water throughout the bathing season from 1 June to 15 September. Bathing water classifications are calculated at the end of each bathing water season and apply for the duration of the following season. They are calculated using data from the four previous years. There are three freshwater sites designated as Bathing Waters in Scotland: Luss Bay (Loch Lomond) and Dores (Loch Ness), both designated in 1999 and classified as sufficient and Loch Morlich, designated in 2008 and classified as excellent. A pre-season sample is also taken during the last fortnight in May.

Transport Scotland officials meet regularly with officials from Glasgow City Council, to discuss progress and learning around the impact of its Low Emission Zone (LEZ).

Statutory reports on LEZ performance and air quality monitoring are expected from Glasgow City Council in summer 2024 and will be published in due course.

The Scottish Government committed at CoP26 to protecting and effectively managing at least 30% of Scotland’s land, freshwaters and sea for nature by 2030 (known as the 30 by 30 target). Delivery of the 30 by 30 target is a cornerstone of the draft Scottish Biodiversity Strategy and Delivery Plan which aims to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2030 and substantially restore it by 2045.

The spatial element of 30 by 30 target has been achieved in the marine environment with 37% of Scottish seas within the Marine Protected Areas (MPA) network. The Scottish Government has committed to putting in place fisheries management measures for existing MPAs where these are not already in place for key coastal biodiversity locations outside of these sites.

On land, 18.2% of Scotland is currently within a protected area for nature. We are currently working with stakeholders to identify how we will close the gap in Scotland.

The Scottish Government consulted on a Report into the Effectiveness of Environmental Governance last year, as required by section 41 of the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021. The Report included consideration of issues relating to access to justice on environmental matters in Scotland. Section 41 required us to publish the report and launch the consultation within six months of ESS publishing their strategic plan, and in due course to publish recommendations in response to the consultation. The Scottish Government will complete the environmental governance review process as soon as practical.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-27262 on 17 May 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

Scotland has a current total reported potential pipeline of over 40 GW of offshore wind projects.

Our Offshore Wind Policy Statement (2020) set out the Scottish Government’s ambition for 8-11 GW of offshore wind in Scotland by 2030. This is currently being reviewed in light of the significant market ambition of around 28 GW across 20 projects demonstrated by the private sector via the ScotWind leasing round.

We remain committed to achieving the ambitions as set out in the 2020 Offshore Wind Policy Statement, and will invest up to £500m over the next five years to develop the infrastructure and supply chain critical to growing Scotland’s offshore wind sector.

The Scottish Government has already confirmed to Parliament – at the launch of our consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill in November 2023 – that decarbonising 1 million homes by 2030 is not achievable. This was based on a reassessment, in the face of the continuing cost of living crisis and higher energy prices, of what would be fair and feasible to achieve over the short term.

Our target for all buildings to be zero carbon by 2045 remains. Shifting more of the transition to clean heat into the early 2030s allows us to benefit from the technological innovation already taking place to build workforce capacity, consumer demand and economies of scale required.

The deadline for nominations from communities and organisations that would like their area to be considered for designation as a new National Park was 29 February 2024. Nominations were received from the Galloway, Lochaber, Loch Awe, Scottish Borders and Tay Forest. The nominations are currently being appraised against the criteria outlined in the published appraisal framework - New National Parks: nominations guidance and appraisal framework - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . This appraisal framework was finalised following public consultation.

Following the completion of this appraisal process and the submission of a report, Ministers will decide which of the nominations should be taken forward to the next stage. The National Park proposal(s) will be published and will set out the area which it is proposed should be designated as a National Park.

A statutory process will then commence, starting with a detailed exploration of the National Park proposal that will be led by a ‘reporter’. This process is estimated to take around 9 months and will involve extensive consultation and engagement with local communities, stakeholders, businesses, local authorities, community councils and relevant public bodies and interest groups in order to further develop, test and refine the National Park proposal in light of local views and circumstances.

The reporter’s report to Scottish Ministers will take into account any views on the National Park proposal that are expressed during the consultation. The report will be published and laid before Parliament.

Following the publication of this report, and subject to legal conditions being met, the Scottish Government will then lay a designation order before Parliament in order to establish the new National Park(s). This process will include a 12-week public consultation on the draft designation order. Following this period of consultation a final designation order would then be laid before parliament.

Forestry and Land Scotland do not create policy but follow Scottish Government Policy created by other Scottish Government agencies.

Forestry and Land Scotland a) encourage raptor and owl conservation and monitoring by following the principles within Scotland’s Biodiversity Strategy, Scotland’s Forestry Strategy and by complying with all relevant wildlife legislation.

Forestry and Land Scotland b) are engaged with a range of local community conservation programmes, including those supported by Scottish Raptor Study Group. In 2023, FLS launched its Communities Strategy which is an invitation for community groups to come forward with ideas for projects and activities including conservation work on Scotland's National Forests and Land managed by FLS.