Chamber and committees

A working group of experts advised the last administration on which fuel types to include within the central heating programme, taking into account the efficiency of the systems and the costs of installing and running them.

The Scottish Government does not gather this information. The number of farmed salmon killed by seal predation can vary significantly from year to year. However, the Scottish Salmon Producers'' Organisation estimates that in excess of 500,000 salmon are predated annually by seals.

The Scottish Government is committed to the conservation of seal populations in Scotland''s marine environment.

The common seal survey of 2006 first revealed a significant reduction in common seal numbers in the Northern Isles (i.e. Orkney and Shetland) and in the Firth of Tay. There was no comparable reduction in common seal numbers in the Outer Hebrides or in the Moray Firth. The Scottish Government is awaiting the results of the common seal survey for 2007.

In March 2007, in light of our concerns about the decline in common seal numbers, Scottish ministers introduced seal conservation orders covering Shetland, Orkney and most of the east coast of Scotland to provide additional protection for common seals in the affected areas.

I understand that preliminary scientific analyses suggest it is unlikely that any single factor is responsible for the reduction in common seal numbers. The Scottish Government has instituted a major research programme to establish the proximate causes of the reduction in common seal numbers.

Surveys of grey seal numbers have not identified any declines in the national population. The Scottish Government is awaiting the results of the survey for 2007.

The Conservation of Seals Act 1970 already provides for close seasons during the breeding periods to protect mothers and pups.

Transport Scotland is responsible for overseeing the management and maintenance of the trunk road network. Winter maintenance on the A7 in Langholm, including the pavements in the High Street, is carried out by BEAR Scotland Ltd. The requirements for winter maintenance are set out in Schedule 7 Part 2 of their contract with the Scottish Ministers. The detailed operational requirements for winter maintenance on particular trunk routes is set out in BEAR''s annual winter maintenance plan for the south east unit. The contract and BEAR''s 2008-09 winter maintenance plan is available on or by link from the Transport Scotland website:

www.transportscotland.gov.uk.

Transport Scotland is responsible for overseeing the management and maintenance of the trunk road network. Winter maintenance on the A701 between Dumfries and the A74(M) at Beattock is carried out by Amey. The requirements for winter maintenance are set out in Schedule 7 Part 2 of their contract with the Scottish ministers. The detailed operational requirements for winter maintenance on particular trunk routes is set out in Amey''s annual winter maintenance plan. The contract and Amey''s 2008-09 winter maintenance plan is available on the Transport Scotland website www.transportscotland.gov.uk  Responsibility for winter maintenance on the A701 between the A74(M) and Moffat lies with Dumfries and Galloway Council.

Transport Scotland is responsible for overseeing the management and maintenance of the trunk road network. Winter maintenance on the A7 between the National Border and Langholm is carried out by BEAR Scotland Ltd. The requirements for winter maintenance are set out in Schedule 7 Part 2 of their contract with the Scottish ministers. The detailed operational requirements for winter maintenance on particular trunk routes is set out in BEAR''s annual winter maintenance plan for the south east unit. The contract and BEAR''s 2008-09 winter maintenance plan is available on or by link from the Transport Scotland website www.transportscotland.gov.uk Responsibility for winter maintenance on the A7 in England lies with Cumbria County Council.

Transport Scotland is responsible for overseeing the management and maintenance of the trunk road network. Winter maintenance on the A76 between Dumfries and Sanquhar is carried out by Amey. The requirements for winter maintenance are set out in Schedule 7 Part 2 of their contract with the Scottish ministers. The detailed operational requirements for winter maintenance on particular trunk routes is set out in Amey''s annual winter maintenance plan. The contract and Amey''s 2008-09 winter maintenance plan is available on the Transport Scotland website www.transportscotland.gov.uk.

For reasons of brevity and convenience. The use of the generic term recycling, defined to include recovery and re-use, implies neither a preference for recycling as defined in the Waste Framework Directive over recovery and re-use defined there, nor the contrary.

The Scottish Government''s consultation Sustainable Seas for All “ A consultation on Scotland''s first marine bill closed on 6 October 2008. It contains proposals for several possible changes to seal legislation, including a proposal for requiring reporting information on all shooting of seals.

The responses to this consultation are currently being analysed.