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The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) aims to control all impacts on the water environment with the aim of achieving good ecological status for water bodies by 2015. The directive introduced river basin management plans (RBMPs) to manage our water environment. These are required to set out the environmental pressures and what can be done to address them. This includes steps to restore and protect wetlands. Draft RBMPs for the Solway Tweed river basin districts have now been consulted on, and SEPA will publish both RBMPs in December 2009.

The draft RBMPs are available on the SEPA website at:

http://www.sepa.org.uk/water/river_basin_planning.aspx.

Complementary investment under the Home Insulation Scheme, which will be in addition to the £15 million allocated by the Scottish Government, will be delivered mainly from Carbon Emissions Reduction Target activity and owner contributions. The amount of investment contributed from these sources will depend on the uptake of measures under the first phase of the scheme which will cover at least 90,000 homes. Complementary investment will also be provided from local councils and other local partners in the selected areas. Complementary investment from some of the local councils selected for the first phase of the Home Insulation Scheme is subject to final confirmation and approval.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-25589 on 27 July 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-25589 on 27 July 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Local authorities have responsibility for the planning, development and delivery of carers'' respite services in their areas. In doing so, they are able to take account of the Guidance on Short Breaks (Respite) issued jointly by the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (CoSLA) in November 2008.

The commitment in the Concordat to make progress towards an additional 10,000 respite weeks by 2011 is Scotland-wide and no quotas have been set for individual local authorities. Information for 2008-09 is currently being audited and will be published for each local authority on the Audit Scotland Performance Information website. Moreover, CoSLA has asked local authorities for local targets for respite weeks in 2009-10 and in 2010-11.

Self-directed support (direct payments) statistics are collected from local authorities and published annually by the Scottish Government. Some information is collected on the type of self-directed support (direct payment) package including carers'' respite. In 2008, there were 434 packages of respite compared with 389 in 2007.

The Short Breaks Task Group and Carers'' Strategy Steering Group are taking forward consideration of issues around short breaks/respite for inclusion in The Carers'' Strategy for Scotland to be published in 2010.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21691 on 27 March 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The package presents a holistic approach to tackling fuel poverty by providing a range of people with a range of services at each stage including: income maximisation, energy efficiency advice and social tariff checks at stages 1 and 2, standard insulation measures at stage 3, and enhanced measures to improve the energy efficiency of the home at stage 4.

Stage 4 is designed to provide bespoke assistance to meet the individual household''s needs, and therefore a wide range of measures is considered which includes internal and external wall insulation, central heating and air source heat pumps. Draught proofing, tank and pipe lagging, loft and cavity insulation will always be provided where technically feasible; other measures will depend on impact on energy efficiency of the home, technical feasibility and individual preferences.

The range of measures available at stage 4 are outlined in the Home Energy Assistance Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2009 available here:

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/scotland/ssi2009/ssi_20090048_en_1.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-25584 on 27 July 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Stage 3 of the Energy Assistance Package provides installation of standard insulation measures to eligible households under the Carbon Emission Reduction Target programmes run by energy companies. This will include where appropriate, cavity wall and loft installation where the loft has no insulation or insulation below 60mm.

It is estimated that the cost of the development, implementation and marketing of the Home Insulation Scheme by the managing agent for the scheme, which will cover at least 90,000 households in its first phase, will be approximately £5.5 million. The Home Insulation Scheme (HIS) is expected to attract investment in energy efficiency measures by energy companies under their Carbon Emissions Reduction Target obligations. Other funding from HIS will be used to provide additional energy efficiency measures in the selected areas and to cover scheme evaluation. Funding may also be used to cover additional costs in rural and island areas and staffing costs. The breakdown of spend will depend on the uptake of measures under the scheme and final arrangements in respect of procurement.