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The non-native species provisions within the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 have yet to be commenced and, consequently, no species control orders have been made. Once the provisions are commenced they would empower Scottish Natural Heritage to make a Species Control Order for the purpose of controlling invasive plants or animals. Where any operations required by the Order are not carried out, Scottish Natural Heritage would have the power to carry out the required operations and suitable powers of entry are provided in the legislation.

We have previously made clear to the European Commission details of the Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) pilot to the Western Isles, Coll and Tiree. The European Commission noted our position and did not raise objections or ask for any further clarification. Consequently, it is considered that there is no further need for contact with the European Commission on this issue.

The beaver is a former native species which, in Scotland, is now out of its native range.

Beavers can have negative, as well as positive, impacts on the environment and their unlicensed release is currently an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and will remain an offence once the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 is fully commenced.

An announcement will be made shortly.

Scottish Water International Business Development makes its own judgements on the suitability of visiting and operating in particular countries and does so with reference to the published advice available from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office concerning the advisability of travel to each country and other published advice of the UK and Scottish Governments concerning business links with each country.

Scottish Water International Business Development will provide advisory services - it has no plans to make financial investments in overseas assets.

The governance framework the Scottish Government has put in place with Scottish Water requires the organisation to produce an annual business plan that sets out the overarching business strategy for Scottish Water and its subsidiaries including how it shall exercise its non-core functions through its subsidiaries or otherwise. The governance framework can be found at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/917/0063038.pdf.

Scottish Water’s Business Plan for 2012-13 is expected to be received shortly.

The start up costs of Scottish Water's international activities are funded from the retained profits of other commercial activities of Scottish Water. All the income generated and costs incurred in Scottish Water's international activities will be consolidated in Scottish Water’s annual accounts which are laid before the Scottish Parliament each year.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-05302 on 8 February 2012. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The Healthy Start scheme is managed by the Department of Health on behalf of the UK Governments. The administrative costs of running the scheme are met by the Department of Health and are thought to be around £5 million per year. We do not contribute towards the cost of scheme delivery contracts, however we do meet the cost of vouchers redeemed by beneficiaries living in Scotland and we reimburse NHS boards for the cost of vitamins distributed. Based on the information received from the Department of Health, the cost of vouchers redeemed as at 18 December 2011 was £7,628,238.80, with a forecast spend of £10,275,118.32 as at March 2012. To date the total costs claimed by NHS boards for vitamins distributed is £27,208.80.