Chamber and committees

Local authorities are entitled to seek reimbursement of expenditure reasonably incurred in making grants under section 47 of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 and in connection with their administration of the private water supplies grant scheme.

Section 47 reimbursement claims submitted to the Scottish ministers are as follows:

2006-07	£360,000
2007-08	£872,000
2008-09	£1,963,000

 

The Scottish Government takes account of all relevant scientific information before coming to a view about the requirements for regulation or management of any species.

The UK Alien Species Technical Advisory Group established to inform the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) has classified Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) as a high-impact species in relation to their impact on native habitats and biota. If high impact species are established in a water body, this would prevent the water body being classified as high-status for the purpose of the Directive.

The Scottish Government together with the other GB administrations has requested the Risk Analysis Panel of the GB Non-Native Invasive Species Programme to undertake an analysis to assess the level of risk posed by the species, the outcome of which will inform any further consideration by the UK Water Framework Directive Alien Species Technical Advisory Group of its recommendations.

The Scottish Government has had no direct input into the European Commission''s review of the National Emissions Ceilings Directive 2001/81/EC. However, we have been working closely with the UK Government on the provision of supporting information which will inform the development of the UK''s future negotiating line.

Once a proposal is published by the Commission the Scottish Government will look closely at what it might mean for Scotland. Scottish stakeholders'' views on the proposal will be considered and we will work with the UK Government to try to persuade them to represent Scottish interests in the UK''s negotiating lines.

The State of Contaminated Land Report was published in May 2009 and is available at http://www.sepa.org.uk/land/land_publications.aspx.

Electronic signage with daily information has been trialled and is being extended as resources have been made available. Sites for the programme of electronic signage were chosen on the basis of: the number of poor water quality results at the site, the ability of each location (and catchment) to be predictable by mathematical models, the numbers of people using the bathing water, and geographic spread.

All remaining (non-signage) bathing waters which currently look to be most at risk of not meeting the future EU bathing water standards in 2012 will be the priority ordered by user numbers. Ten to 15 sites are expected to be in this category.

Significant rainfall, causing diffuse agricultural pollution to be washed from the land.

Of the season''s 20 samples, one was poor because of mechanical failure at a nearby sewage pumping station, and a second poor result was due to a mix of diffuse agricultural and urban pollution, following heavy rain.

A combination of diffuse agricultural pollution and sewage-related pollution is suspected. Microbial source tracking samples have been collected for analysis.

Significant rainfall, causing diffuse agricultural pollution to be washed from the land.