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An assessment of high natural dispersion area (HNDA) status was made based on recommendations from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) on a comprehensive study undertaken by North of Scotland Water, which included analysis of morphology, hydrology and specific hydraulic conditions in Lerwick Harbour, and on SEPA's monitoring of discharges into Lerwick Harbour. This review was required under the terms of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which seeks to protect the environment from adverse effects of such discharges.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32925 today. 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/webapp/search_wa.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32925 today. 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/webapp/search_wa.

I last met representatives of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation on 23 December, to discuss the outcomes from last December's Council of Ministers. Discussions between the Executive and industry continue.

There are only four common reasons for refusing applications under the central heating programme from owner-occupiers and private renters. Because the applicant already has full or partial central heating. Because the applicant has not lived at the address for at least one year, in which case they are advised to re-apply after a full year's residence. Because the applicant is a local authority or housing association tenant, in which case they are told to apply to their landlord. Because the applicant is aged under 60, in which case they are advised to re-apply when they, or their spouse, if any, is 60. Eaga do not regularly collect statistics on the number of applications which are rejected for one or more of these reasons.

The average length of time between the events described is currently 170 days. This figure is an all-Scotland average. A breakdown by postcode area is not available.

The control of illegal trade in wildlife imported into the UK is implemented and enforced by the UK Government through the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1997 which set down the police powers, offences and penalties for breaches of the legislation.The Scottish Executive appreciates the concerns expressed by the WWF and the Trade Records Analysis of Flora and Fauna in Commerce (TRAFFIC) in highlighting potential weaknesses in the efforts of Government and its agencies in their efforts to combat illegal trade in wildlife. The Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on all aspects of wildlife crime through its membership of the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW), which includes key Departments of the UK Government, the Police and other enforcement agencies.The Executive's commitment to tackling the illegal international wildlife trade is clearly demonstrated through its funding in April this year of a two-year secondment of an intelligence officer to the UK's National Wildlife Crime Unit, based at the National Criminal Intelligence Service in London.The specific issues relating to the level of illegal smuggling of wildlife through Scottish ports referred to in the WWF report will be raised by the Executive's representative on the PAW Steering Group when it next meets in January 2003.

There are no immediate plans to take such action. The WWF report has only just been received and we will be giving consideration to its findings and recommendations in due course.

The Scottish Executive has no specific devolved functions which would require or justify an assessment of the impact of any specific elements of the operational costs of laying power or telecommunications cables, such as Crown Estate rentals and royalties. The Executive would, nevertheless, consider any evidence that clearly demonstrated that strategies to promote renewable energy or telecommunications were jeopardised unreasonably by such costs.

The appointment and monitoring of partners to deliver Scottish Waters investment program is an operational matter for Scottish Water. The Water Industry Commissioner will monitor the performance of Scottish Water against these targets.