Chamber and committees

In its ‘Making Connections-Year 1’ business plan, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) indicates a planned reduction across the organisation of 1,460 days for its Managing Nature Reserves Activity, which includes the management of its 30 nature reserves with the National Nature Reserve accolade. SNH continues to prioritise the use of its resources in line with its Corporate Plan and business plans.

‘De-listed’ is not a formal event recorded by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). Instead, the information in the following table is based on the dates of statutory de-declaration when SNH formally withdrew the National Nature Reserve accolade.

As set out in the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Legal Continuity) (Scotland) Bill, the Scottish Government will publish a consultation later this year on how regard is to be had to the guiding principles on the environment by Scottish Ministers in: (i) developing policies (including proposals for legislation), and (ii) determining how to exercise any of their functions; and by any other Scottish public authority in determining how to exercise any of its functions.

Building on the findings from the recent report by the Roundtable on Environment and Climate Change (published 1 June 2018), and in line with the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Legal Continuity) (Scotland) Bill, the Scottish Government will consult later this year on proposals to ensure that there continues to be effective and appropriate governance relating to the environment following the withdrawal of the UK from the EU.

The Scottish Government welcomes the devolution of the powers to issue and manage onshore oil and gas licences to Scotland in February 2018.

The powers transferred to Scotland through sections 47 to 49 of the Scotland Act 2016, and related subordinate legislation, provide Scottish Ministers with a wide range of powers over the administration of onshore oil and gas licences.

The Scottish Government is aware of the pending expiry of PEDL 162. It would be inappropriate to comment in respect of the future of the licence at this stage.

The Scottish Government is satisfied that Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is imposing restrictions on General Licences in accordance with the ‘Framework for Implementing Restrictions’ which was published in 2014. This Framework requires SNH to be satisfied that on the balance of probabilities an offence or offences have been committed on relevant land by those responsible for the management of that land or by specific individuals.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) relies on evidence of offences in relation to wild birds being provided by Police Scotland. Where there is no evidence of an offence having been committed, the criteria within the existing framework for implementing General Licence restrictions are not met.

SNH is planning to review the framework to consider whether evidence from satellite tags can be taken into account when considering whether to impose a restriction. SNH will consult with PAWS partners and others as part of its review.

The primary purpose of imposing restrictions on the use of General Licences is to more effectively regulate the activities of land managers where Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has reason to have lost trust or confidence in the way those activities are carried out. Decisions are based on robust evidence provided by Police Scotland.

There are no plans for the Partnership Against Wildlife Crime Scotland (PAWS) Executive Group to review this approach. However, SNH is planning to review the framework for implementing General Licence restrictions to consider whether evidence from satellite tags can be taken into account when considering whether to impose a restriction. SNH will consult with PAWS partners and others as part of its review.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) continues to develop its thinking on ecological connectivity, including the role of existing networks such as the Natura 2000 network of protected areas. This is a coordinated EU-wide network of sites for vulnerable, rare or threatened species and habitats. In addition, a range of other existing activity is contributing to ecological connectivity, including sites designated for nature conservation under Scottish legislation, landscape-scale conservation work and agri-environment support.

SNH is leading and coordinating the delivery of Scotland’s Biodiversity - A Route Map to 2020, which includes a number of projects which contribute to ecological connectivity.

SNH is also developing an ecological connectivity indicator as part of the Ecosystem Health Indicator suite (see https://www.environment.gov.scot/our-environment/state-of-the-environment/ecosystem-health-indicators/function-indicators/indicator-8-connectivity/ ). Connectivity Ecosystem Health Indicators for four key habitats (woodland, heathland, grassland and fen/marsh/swamp) have been published thus far. These indicators measure ‘functional connectivity’: how well species can move from one habitat patch to another. The indicator is based on the Habitat Map of Scotland, which uses the European Nature Information System (EUNIS) system of classifying habitats.