Chamber and committees

It is our intention that the Children''s Hearings (Scotland) Bill will propose a permanent scheme to manage the provision of state-funded legal representation in Children''s Hearings.

There are currently no plans to increase the fees for state-funded legal representatives at Children''s Hearings.

The fees for legal representatives at Children''s Hearings were set at the introduction of the scheme in 2002. These have not been reviewed or increased since that time.

No specific Scottish Government funding available to groups for the purchase of inshore rescue equipment. However, Scottish Government has spent £262,000 over the past six years on water related equipment, including rescue boats, to enhance the response from Fire and Rescue Services to flooding.

Fire and Rescue Services also receive a Fire (LA) capital allocation of £20.2 million allocated amongst each of the eight FRS for 2009-10 to maintain or improve their operational capability. Decisions on the allocation of this funding are properly a matter for individual Fire and Rescue Services.

My colleague, Fergus Ewing, recently initiated a Review of Scotland''s Water Capabilities which will examine the resources and capabilities of the range of agencies involved in water rescue events and the operational and legal basis to their involvement. Funding considerations will be an underpinning aspect of the review.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23834 on 27 May 2009. All answers on 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23834 on 27 May 2009. All answers on 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.

Regular monitoring of all known nest sites both within the town centre and the surrounding areas, such as the Georgetown and Lochside areas, will be undertaken throughout the trial period and immediately after the trial has ended. The data collected on numbers and locations of nest sites will be compared with data for previous years as part of the analysis to determine the effectiveness of the trial and any effects on gull nest sites elsewhere in the Dumfries area.

The application CAR/L/103362 made by Dumfries and Galloway Council under the Controlled Activities Regulations (2005) was advertised by Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) as required by the Regulations. The application, together with the responses and SEPA''s Notice of Refusal, is contained in the Public Register held by SEPA at their Edinburgh Office, Clearwater House, Heriot Watt Research Park, Avenue North, Riccarton, Edinburgh EH14 4AP, tel: 0131 449 7296.

I can confirm the Scottish Government intends to amend Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act to reduce the number of bird species that require to be registered. We will retain seven birds of prey on the Schedule, (golden eagle, goshawk, honey buzzard, marsh harrier, white-tailed eagle, Montagu''s harrier and osprey), and we will also retain the peregrine falcon and merlin where they are not otherwise subject to CITES regulations (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). We aim to bring forward the Order amending the Schedule within the next few months.

The legislation under the Wildlife and Countryside Act will continue to apply to all species currently listed under Schedule 4 of that act until an amending Order is brought forward for consideration by Parliament. There are no plans to make any Order amending Schedule 4 retrospective in effect.