Seòmar agus comataidhean

The delay is required in order to allow transitional arrangements to be put in place. Both the Scottish Law Commission and the Law Society of Scotland have suggested that commencement of the 2000 Act should be delayed for a period of at least two years to allow for these arrangements. It was always apparent that the provisions of the 2000 Act on feudal burdens might be affected by the proposed Title Conditions Bill. It would be unfair and undesirable to allow superiors to go to the expense and effort of identifying properties for which they could register notices to preserve burdens, when the position for feudal burdens might be amended by the Title Conditions Bill. We also undertook to reconsider certain aspects of the 2000 Act which were criticised during its passage. To implement Part 4 of the Act (on real burdens) now would ignore these legitimate concerns.It is possible at present for vassals to apply, under section 1 of the Conveyancing and Feudal Reform (Scotland) Act 1970, to seek an order from the Lands Tribunal for Scotland to vary or discharge a land obligation. The Tribunal will grant such an order if it is satisfied that the burden is unreasonable, inappropriate, unduly burdensome or impedes some reasonable use of the land.Scottish ministers remain wholly committed to the reform of the land tenure system in Scotland and any delay is restricted to that which is essential in order to ensure an orderly and sensible transition.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-19492.

Information on the number, names and locations of quarries in Scotland can be found in the British Geological Survey's Directory of Mines and Quarries 1998. A copy of this is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 17129). We are not able to predict the economic impacts of a tax measure on individual quarries, and assessing the broader impact on the quarrying industry is the responsibility of HM Treasury. The Executive will be monitoring closely the extent to which the environmental objectives of the tax are achieved.

The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including the Aggregates Tax. Responsibility for dealing with the European Commission on UK taxation matters lies with HM Treasury.

As indicated in the answer to question S1W-12490 on 29 January 2001, we will bring forward the commencement order in due course. The Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc. (Scotland) Act 2000 is the first part of our programme of property law reform, and we will assess the appropriate date for commencement when the next Bill in the programme - the Title Conditions Bill - has been enacted. The consultation exercise on the draft Title Conditions Bill concluded on 23 July, and the responses to consultation are being analysed with a view to introduction as soon as an opportunity arises in the legislative programme. Due to the transitional arrangements that will have to be made, it is unlikely that either piece of legislation will be fully in effect until two to three years have elapsed.

The financial impact of Aggregates Tax on local authorities will depend on their individual purchasing policies. The aim of the new tax is to promote a change of behaviour amongst purchasers by encouraging the use of recycled aggregates and other alternative materials in place of virgin quarried aggregates. It will have no impact on council tax. The non-domestic rate poundage is set by the Scottish Parliament, and there is no reason for this to change as a consequence of the Aggregates Tax.

The Labour Force Survey, run by the Office of National Statistics, shows that the number of people employed in the construction industry in Scotland (including employees, self-employed, and government trainees), is approximately 180,000. Forecasts compiled by independent sources estimate that construction employment in Scotland could grow by up to 10% over the next few years.

The table shows the budget and a breakdown of expenditure for Scottish Natural Heritage since 1997-98.

	1997-98 £ million	1998-99 £ million	1999-2000 £ million	2000-01 £ million
Running Costs	17.0	16.9	17.7	18.5
Capital Costs	1.3	1.4	1.6	2.1
Programme Costs	18.7	18.9	19.9	20.8
Total Budget	37.0	37.2	39.2	41.4

Running costs include all salary, superannuation and associated expenditure on buildings, travel, energy etc. A large proportion of the salary costs relate to people working directly for the benefit of the natural heritage.Capital costs include the purchase or improvement of assets, many of which directly support activities benefiting the natural heritage.Programme costs is direct expenditure enhancing and conserving the natural heritage via grants, site safeguard agreements and research contracts etc.

I understand that NOSWA received the final report on 4 October, analysed its content, and passed it to the member on 29 October, and to local community representatives.

The poisoning of wildfowl from lead deposited through shooting is widely accepted as a serious problem. The Scottish Executive was consulted in July of this year on the possible restriction on the use of lead shot and the responses are being analysed.A number of reports have been published giving international summaries of the problem. The answer to question S1W-3574 gave a comprehensive list of relevant reports but copies of all these documents are not held centrally by the Executive. A further key report, titled Lead Poisoning in Waterbirds. International Update Report 2000 was published this year by Wetlands International. A copy has been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 17127).