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Sustainable Seas for All - a consultation on Scotland''s first marine bill included proposals for a marine planning system. It is envisaged that this planning system will have three tiers. One of the proposed tiers will be at the international level involving co-operation with other countries across administrative boundaries. This includes planning of our seas at a regional seas scale in co-operation with neighbouring countries.

The Scottish and UK governments, along with other devolved administrations, plan to work together to develop a UK Marine Policy Statement which will set out high-level marine objectives for our seas.

Integrating responsibility for fisheries policy and management alongside other marine management responsibilities within a single organisation will mean that Marine Scotland can bring to bear the necessary range of experience, expertise and policy interests. Consequently, it will be better placed itself to make and to offer consolidated advice to ministers so that they can make, informed and, where appropriate, balanced judgements and decisions about how best to manage our marine assets and resources. Amongst other things, this should help reassure fishing and other interests that appropriate, sustainable decisions have been taken.

Marine Scotland will lead on measures to achieve good environmental status in Scottish waters and we believe there are benefits in integrating within the same organisation lead responsibility relating to policy, science and delivery arrangements for marine nature conservation across Scotland''s seas. That will allow informed and, where appropriate, balanced decisions to be taken on marine nature conservation alongside other issues.

Marine Scotland will continue to consider advice from Scottish Natural Heritage and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee on marine nature conservation issues, as appropriate.

Marine Scotland will take an overarching responsibility for marine management, including through the development of a marine planning framework and national marine plan, and allowing the development of local/regional plans. These will reflect strategic priorities, including in relation to the development of marine renewable energy sources.

Integrating the range of policy, planning, science and other functions within Marine Scotland means that it can bring to bear the necessary range of experience, expertise and policy interests and promote achievement of our key strategic aims in an informed and authoritative way. As part of Scottish Government, it will also be well placed to work with policy colleagues elsewhere in the Scottish Government, its agencies and local government. This sort of integrated approach would be more difficult under a non-departmental public body.

Legislation is not required to establish Marine Scotland. The Marine Bill will create new functions for Scottish ministers, which Marine Scotland will deliver on their behalf.

Marine conservation will be a key priority for Marine Scotland and conservation priorities and objectives will be articulated through the National Marine Plan.

As part of the Scottish Government, Marine Scotland will take direction, where appropriate, from Scottish ministers and will be responsible directly to them for its activities and decisions. There will be appropriate safeguards in relation to transparency of appeals, enforcement and science.

No responses to the Sustainable Seas for All consultation have been amended in person since the consultation closed.

No. These issues fall to be considered currently by the Scottish Government or its agencies, or are new functions we believe are appropriate for Marine Scotland. Integrating responsibility for them within a single organisation will mean that it can bring to bear the necessary range of experience and expertise and make informed and, where appropriate, balanced judgements and decisions about issues.

We will also be introducing appropriate safeguards to ensure robust and transparent arrangements “ for example, a Science Advisory Board to assure the quality and independence of science and appeals mechanisms with an independent element. Enforcement arrangements will involve an appropriate degree of separation and accountability arrangements to ensure they are robust and defensible.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21890 on 23 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.