Chamber and committees

As set out in my response to question S5W-13949 and the Statement I delivered to Parliament on 23 January 2017, my approval of these proposals is conditional on: NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde maintaining and developing community based paediatric services, thereby maximising local provision where clinically appropriate; and on the Health Board working directly with families from the Paisley area on specific treatment plans. These plans must be in place before any service changes are made, and will ensure that there is a full understanding of what services and support will be available to local families and from where.

The current public consultation on regulation of animal sanctuaries recognises that rehoming activities involve organisations or individuals operating without premises to keep animals, as well as those with fixed premises. The consultation outlines a possible approach to regulation based on the numbers of animals being rehomed by individuals or organisations as well as the number of animals being kept. Detailed regulations will be prepared based on the results of this consultation. The consultation may be found at https://consult.gov.scot/animal-welfare/animal-sanctuaries-and-rehoming-activities.

The volume of fly-tipped material on farmland isn’t held centrally. Information in the Criminal Proceedings in Scotland database does not identify the type of land where fly-tipping has occurred.

Assessments have been carried out as follows.

Ecosystem disruption

To assess the potential disruption to the ecosystem by beavers, Scottish Natural Heritage assessed the potential interaction between beavers and ecosystems on Tayside and Knapdale and habitat which may be occupied by beavers in the future. This is reported in Chapters 3.4.1 to 3.4.10 of the Beaver in Scotland report published in June 2015 and available at the following link http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/publications/research/Beavers%20in%20Scotland%20-%20Final%20-%2010%20June%202015.pdf.

This assessment was further updated through the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), published by the Scottish Government on 12 December 2017, which is available at this link http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2017/12/7354. This assessed the likely impacts to protected habitats and species from the two current beaver populations as well as an element of range expansion.

These assessments looked at the potential for positive and negative effects, including whether and how mitigation could be used to avoid or minimise the potential for disruption to the ecological function of key habitats and their species.

Spread of disease among native species

SNH assessed the likely implications to public and animal health associated with the beaver populations at Knapdale and Tayside and considered any implications for wider expansion across Scotland. This is reported in Chapter 4.6 pages 142 -146 of the Beavers in Scotland report and in the SEA.

Flooding and adverse watercourse condition risk, and infrastructure damage as a result of the recent establishment of beaver populations

Chapter 4 of the Beaver in Scotland report assesses the likely flooding and adverse watercourse condition risk and infrastructure damage. Thisincludes a summary of experience prior to 2015 of beaver and impacts on forestry, agriculture and infrastructure/general land use. Chapter 3.4.2 and 3.4.3 assessed potential for changes to water chemistry. The SEA and the Tayside Beaver Study Group final report (2015) updated this and included findings of recent cases where beavers had been cited as having an impact on material assets, flooding and arable farmland.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has a dedicated web page and advisory service in place to give landowners advice and it also has a contract with a beaver expert who provides free advice on mitigation measures. In the last 12 months, SNH has offered specialist support 7 times which included the beaver expert visiting the landowners in question. Of these 7 cases, 3 were on farmland and none were for forestry, although a number were concerned about felling of mature trees on land beside lochs or rivers and 4 were associated with waterways, including 1 where the concern was associated with the impact on a fishery.

The Scottish Government will provide funding towards demonstration mitigation projects and SNH is actively seeking suggestions for demonstration sites from members of the Scottish Beaver Forum. So far, there is only one demonstration project on land near Alyth piloting solutions to erosion of soft banks. Funding for this is available from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). Funding for adaptive management such as wetland creation/enhancement or woodland creation is also available through Scottish Rural Development programme or SEPA funding.

A survey of the Tay and Earn undertaken in 2012 estimated that there were 38-39 groups of beavers present in the Tay catchment area, equating to approximately 146 individual beavers. This survey has been repeated in 2017, the results of which it is expected will be available early in 2018.

The survey methods used in the 2017 survey were the same as in 2012 to allow comparison. The 2017 survey was not a comprehensive survey of the entire catchment as this would have been prohibitively expensive. Rather, it relied on extending the search beyond the locations identified in 2012 and also surveying additional areas where beavers had been reported since 2012. Just prior to the 2017 survey, SNH requested records of beaver presence from land managers to further inform the survey area.

I announced on 24 November 2016 that the Scottish Government was minded that the beaver populations in Knapdale in Argyll and in the Tay and Earn catchments could remain, and that their range can expand naturally. The Cabinet Secretary also stated that any further unauthorised releases or escapes of beavers would not be tolerated.

The precise response to any unauthorised release would be considered on a case-by-case basis, but it is expected that in most circumstances the Scottish Government would seek to remove the beavers in question.

Police Scotland would also be asked to investigate whether an offence had been committed under s14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act. The release of beavers into the wild without the necessary licence from Scottish Natural Heritage is an offence, punishable by up to 2 years imprisonment and an unlimited fine.

The Scottish Government supports action to deter people from flytipping, regardless of whether it is on public or privately-owned land. SEPA and local authorities have powers to fine people who are caught flytipping, with a minimum fixed penalty of £200 up to a maximum fine of £40,000 if prosecuted.

Through Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS), we launched FlyMapper in March 2015 – a new system to record, manage and report flytipping, making it easier to catch offenders and to deal with illegal dumping sites. So, far 27 Local Authorities have registered.

Private land owners, who often include farmers, are responsible for the removal of waste from their land. The guidance ‘Flytipping in Scotland: A Guide To Prevention and Enforcement’ is designed to support local authority and SEPA waste enforcement officers. The guidance recognises that the owners of flytipped land are often the victims of crime. It encourages local authorities and/or SEPA to investigate flytipping on public and private land and to offer assistance, which could include advice to prevent the problem in the future.

The Scottish Government met with representatives of the Electronic Collar Manufacturers Association (ECMA) on 25 June 2015 and 27 October 2016. On 10 December 2015 ECMA representatives attended a Scottish Government stakeholder meeting involving trainers and animal welfare organisations.

Over the next 3 years the following works will be undertaken on the Erskine Bridge, subject to budget provision and competing priorities:

• Installation of central reserve manholes to improve the safety and accessibility of the bridge deck box girder.

• Replacement of the life expired south abutment bridge bearings.

• Completion of the inspection and painting of the main cables.

• Completion of planned re-tensioning of main cables.

• Commence the repainting of bridge superstructure and main towers.

• Miscellaneous isolated deck surfacing repairs, as required

• Potential dehumidification system installation to the main cables.

• Main tower top inspections and other routine maintenance.

Over the next 3 years the traffic management associated with the above works required is as follows:

• The above planned maintenance works shall be undertaken during overnight, off-peak and weekend lane closures.

• There will be no planned peak-time lane closures.

• Emergency services will be permitted through any planned closures.

• Where possible works will be combined under any planned closures.

• The south abutment bearing replacement work will require the complete closure of the bridge overnight over 3 weekends commencing in February 2018.

• Full consultation will take place with stakeholders prior to any works being undertaken.

• Where work cannot be undertaken overnight for safety reasons work will be undertaken utilising weekend lane closures or off-peak lane closures. No peak-time closures are planned thus avoiding serious disruption to commuter traffic.