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Marine Scotland’s Fish Health Inspectorate undertake inspections under the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Act 2007 relating to parasites and related control measures. The aquaculture industry in Scotland uses monitoring protocols detailed in the National Strategy for sea lice control. A protocol for assessing the sea lice loads on wild sea trout is being developed by the Scottish Fisheries Co-ordination Centre.

Research on sea lice induced mortality of wild salmonids is currently on the Scottish Government’s research programme that is being undertaken by Marine Scotland Science.

We agree. We want to ensure Scotland continues to lead the world in sea lice management.

The Scottish Government has contracted local fishery trusts to assess the sea lice loads on wild sea trout at sites that are at a range of distances from active salmon farms. The intention is to provide information on areas with and without fish farms.

<>The Scottish Government is aware of a recent pilot study by AgriMarine in Canada and will continue to monitor developments with interest. Marine closed containment does not come without its challenges as shown in recent press relating to this study, which can be found at http://www.fishfarmingxpert.com/index.php?page_id=76&article_id=94657.

The technology is still in the experimental phase and will need to be proven to be both practical and economically viable if it is to be adopted widely by industry.

This issue was included as part of the recent consultation on an Aquaculture and Fisheries Bill. The 1,400 responses received are now being analysed and we will bring forward proposals for a bill in due course.

The Scottish Spending Review 2011 detailed significant government funding for measures that will make a direct contribution to reducing emissions, including:

Over £300 million spend on energy over the next three years, including over
£200 million on renewables.

An overall budget of £328 million for Supporting Sustainability, including investment of more than £200 million via the Scottish Government’s fuel poverty and domestic energy efficiency programmes. This will further leverage investment from energy companies to fulfil their legal obligations.

Reducing the impact of transport with further targeted improvements totalling nearly £100 million.

Using the Scottish Futures Fund to provide support for emissions reduction measures with £50 million for Warmer Homes over the course of this Parliament

Expanding Scotland’s woodland – building to a planting rate of 10,000 hectares per year, with a budget of over £48 million for this purpose, supplemented by European funding.

Investing over £70 million in our Zero Waste Scotland programme to help Scottish families and businesses unlock savings and reduce their emissions by cutting waste.

We will seek to secure additional money for climate change purposes whenever there are opportunities to do so, such as the additional £13 million for sustainable transport from the budget consequentials announced on 8 February 2012.

Funding for measures that will reduce Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions will come from all sectors. This is not just about central government money but also action throughout the wider public sector, investment from the private sector and steps taken by households and individuals.

The Scottish Spending Review 2011 is available online. Copies have also been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 53222).

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/10/04153155/0.

Emissions reduction measures typically require further consultation and development in partnership with stakeholders before implementation will be possible. It is often only at this stage that precise delivery responsibilities can be resolved.

The financial costs of the measures that will be set out in the second report on proposals and policies for meeting the statutory emissions targets will fall across government, business and consumers. In light of the fact that the report will focus on the period 2023 to 2027, it is probable that many of the measures will contain flexibility regarding precisely how they might be delivered and by whom. Because of this, it will not always be possible to give the precise distribution of costs until decisions are taken on specific approaches to delivery in every case.

The Scottish Government will continue to work to ensure that, in so far as is reasonably practicable, information about the funding of measures intended to help the achievement of greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets is available to assist scrutiny of the second report on proposals and policies and future draft budgets.

The preparation of the second report on proposals and policies to meet statutory emissions reduction targets is overseen by the Scottish Government’s Emissions Reduction Programme Board chaired by the Director-General Enterprise, Environment and Digital. Membership comprises directors from the key areas within the Scottish Government involved with delivering emissions reductions:

Director for Energy

Director for Environment and Forestry

Director for Housing, Regeneration and Commonwealth Games

Director for Business

Director for Agriculture, Food and Rural Payments

Chief Executive Transport Scotland.

Co-ordination of the work on the second report is carried out on a day to day basis by a team of four staff within the Scottish Government’s Directorate for Energy and Climate Change. In addition, policy and analytical staff from across the Scottish Government are contributing, as part of their wider responsibilities, to the development of content with regard to specific areas of emissions reduction.

The second report on proposals and policies (RPP2) was a substantive agenda item at Emissions Reduction Programme Board meetings in January and March 2012. In addition, RPP2 development was the focus of a special session for members of the Emissions Reduction Programme Board in February 2012.

There has been ongoing development of RPP2 following these meetings. Notes of these meetings will be published on the Scottish Government website in due course.