Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24965 on 8 July 2009. 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/Apps2/business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24965 on 8 July 2009. 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/Apps2/business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The Scottish Government intends to make ID tags on snares compulsory. It will be the responsibility of individual police forces to determine how to investigate any contraventions of the law.

I hope to be able to lay an order amending legislative provisions on snaring before the Scottish Parliament before the end of the summer recess.

The Scottish Government intends to make failure to check the action of a snare before setting the snare an offence. It is intended that this new offence will assist in prosecuting the offence of setting a snare which has a self-locking action by removing the defence that the person who set the snare was not aware that the snare had a self-locking action.

Provisions of the Destructive Imported Animals Act 1932 only apply to a species which is included in an order made under section 10 of the 1932 act. The present obligation to determine whether additional species could be subject to such an order requires lengthy consideration of documentary evidence to establish whether or not the species was established in the wild in Great Britain before 1882. The Scottish Government has included proposals to amend the operation of those provisions and has also indicated those species which it would propose should be subject to the controls available under the 1932 act in the recent consultation paper on a proposed Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill, which is available at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Wildlife-Habitats/WildNatEnvBill.

The term translocated species, used on page 37 of the Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill Consultation Document, refers to species whose presence beyond their natural range results from intentional or accidental human intervention and would not be applicable to species within their natural range which make use of man-made structures in preference to, or in addition to, natural features.

The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 will come fully into force on 1 September 2009. Under the act, it will be possible for representatives of voluntary organisations to apply for an occasional licence. The Licensing Board must refuse the application if it considers that granting it would be inconsistent with one or more of the licensing objectives, which include protecting children from harm and protecting and improving public health. Where alcohol is to be sold for consumption on the premises, and children or young persons are to be allowed entry, the licence must set out the terms on which such entry is allowed.

The Scottish Government''s Alcohol Framework for Action sets out our next steps in tackling alcohol misuse in Scotland. The framework includes both specific legislative measures designed to effect change in the short term and actions which focus on creating and building an environment that supports cultural change in the longer term.

The framework includes a commitment to continuing to work with partners to develop and promote workplace alcohol policies, noting that the workplace can be a key point of connection with individuals in the promotion of a healthier relationship with alcohol.

Employers wishing to re-employ apprentices whom they have made redundant may be able to claim support under the Adopt an Apprentice scheme. However, they would need to demonstrate that the circumstances which led to the redundancies have changed and that the jobs are now sustainable. The evidence provided will be considered by Skills Development Scotland on a case-by-case basis.

The financial incentive available through the Adopt an Apprentice scheme is available to employers who have recruited a redundant apprentice on or after the start date of 10 June 2009.