Question reference: S6W-24082
- Date lodged: 19 December 2023
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Current status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 17 January 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-07053 by Mairi McAllan on 18 March 2022, whether it will provide an update on its policy regarding unexploded ordnance disposal at sea.
Answer
The current licensing regime already encourages developers to use unexploded ordnance clearance methods which will produce the least underwater noise. The UK Government's Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs is in the process of updating the existing Joint Interim Position Statement on UXO clearance which sets out an expectation that low noise methods will be prioritised by developers. The current statement is co-signed by the Scottish Government, other UK regulators, and Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies. Following updated advice to be received from NatureScot, we will determine whether Scotland will remain a co-signatory to any updated position statement, or produce our own unilateral statement.
Protecting Scotland's marine environment is of paramount importance to the Scottish Government. We are moving towards low order techniques being the default method for unexploded ordnance removal in Scottish waters, unless there are extenuating circumstances in which low order cannot be used.