Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-9948.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-9946.

Seven Scottish local authorities are currently undertaking Stage 3 reviews and assessment of air quality as required by the Air Quality Strategy. Two local authorities (Edinburgh and Falkirk) met the June 2000 deadline for submitting their Stage 3 reports. It is anticipated that between five to seven Scottish local authorities will declare Air Quality Management Areas.

The Executive seeks to ensure that there are affordable air and sea links to Scotland's island communities including the Northern Isles. I am also announcing today that the preferred bidder for the Northern Isles Passenger Ferry subsidy contract from 2002 is NorthLink Orkney & Shetland Ferries, a joint venture of Caledonian MacBrayne and the Royal Bank of Scotland.

The National Public Transport Timetable is being developed in Scotland through a public and private partnership arrangement between local authorities and transport operators. The Scottish Executive is committed to contributing up to £1 million towards the capital and setting up costs of the new system. All parties are working together in partnership towards implementation of the new system by the 31 December deadline.

The Executive is currently considering whether it can improve on the assistance provided to many low income households through the link between water and sewerage charges and council tax bands. I expect to publish a consultation paper on this shortly.

The UK Working Group on Peat Extraction and Related Matters (in which the Scottish Executive and Scottish Natural Heritage participate) published a report on peatland issues in November last year. Among a number of recommendations were the need to look further at means of achieving reductions in the use of peat by the amateur gardener (the main end-user group) and professional grower and increasing sales of peat alternatives. Further research has been done on the opportunities and constraints for the increased use of peat alternatives and it is intended that the results will be disseminated later this year.

The Scottish Airports and Air Services Study has now been completed and it is intended that its findings will be published later this year along with a formal consultation paper on issues arising from all the regional air service studies.

Yes. The requirements of Good Farming Practice, which will apply across the whole of any farm, croft or common grazing entered into the Rural Stewardship Scheme, will ensure that peat bogs are maintained in their current condition. In addition, payments are available under the Scheme for management of lowland raised bogs, for moorland which can include such sites and for implementing a special conservation management plan on small units such as crofts which could include peat bogs.

Raised bogs in Scotland are protected in a number of ways, through planning guidance, forestry guidance and through ownership or management by conservation bodies, but the most comprehensive protection is through statutory site designation. There are at present 69 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) notified in Scotland for their raised bog interest. The sites listed below are also candidate Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) under the EC Habitats Directive or proposed for SAC status and currently undergoing public consultation. The Habitats Directive identifies active raised bog as a priority habitat for conservation, and raised bog which is degraded but still capable of natural regeneration as also requiring site designation. The candidate and proposed SACs in Scotland for these interests are:

Active raised bogs

Bankhead Moss, Beith	*Flanders Moss
*Black Loch Moss	*Methven Moss
*Blawhorn Moss	*Moine Mhor
*Braehead Moss	*North Shotts Moss
*Carsegowan Moss	Red Moss
*Coalburn Moss	*Reidside Moss
*Cockinhead Moss	*Shelforkie
*Cranley Moss	*Solway Mosses
Dogden (Greenlaw Moor)	*Threepwood Moss
Dun Moss and Forest of Alyth Mires	*Turclossie Moss
*Dykeneuk Moss	*Waukenwae Moss

The sites marked * are also proposed under the "degraded raised bogs still capable of natural regeneration" category, in addition to Muir of Dinnet. The extent of Scottish candidate and proposed SAC for raised bog is 5,045 hectares.

The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 implement the Habitats Directive in Scotland, England and Wales, and place a statutory duty on planning and other public authorities not to permit developments or operations that would be damaging to the features protected within a SAC unless there are imperative reasons of overriding public interest.

Raised Bog is also a priority habitat under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan and a costed Action Plan for the long term safeguard and management of the habitat has been published. In addition to this national plan, raised bog has been identified as a priority by several local authorities in their Local Biodiversity Action Plans.