Chamber and committees

The cumulative effect of greenhouse gas emissions is recognised by the emissions reduction framework in the Climate Change (Scotland) Bill.

By setting batches of annual targets based on expert advice there will always be between 12 and 17 years for which Scotland''s total permissible cumulative emissions are defined. For example, by October 2011, ministers must have set statutory annual targets up to 2027. That will fix almost half of the total emissions reduction trajectory to 2050.

In retaining the sensible flexibility necessary to respond to the many uncertainties which lie ahead in the four decades to 2050, the Bill contains the safeguard that the Scottish ministers must always seek expert advice before setting any batches of annual targets. The Bill also requires that the Scottish ministers must have regard to a number of target-setting criteria, the first of which is expert advice on climate change.

No. The waiving of SEPA''s charges for registering septic tanks has already been extended by two months to 31 May 2009, in response to a significant increase in septic tank registrations at the end of March, when the overall waiver of SEPA''s charges for most new permits ended. I believe a further extension of the waiver would be confusing to the public, and is unnecessary, as SEPA does not intend actively to pursue unregistered septic tanks.

Schedule 4 birds which are not kept in Scotland require an exemption from registration whilst taking part in events in Scotland. The Scottish Government is intending to bring forward legislation which will remove the need for such exemptions.

Breeders of hawks in England and Wales currently only pay for permits required for the purposes of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) whereas breeders in Scotland currently also have to pay for registration as required by Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act. The Scottish Government intends to bring forward amendments to Scottish legislation which would place Scottish breeders in the same position as those in England and Wales.

Specific funding is not being made available for this purpose, but record levels of funding have been invested in local government over 2008-11. The commitment to deliver access to a teacher for every pre-school age child is contained within the concordat between the Scottish Government and COSLA. As part of the concordat, the Scottish Government significantly reduced the level of ring-fencing around funding streams. It is for local authorities to allocate their resources on the basis of their local needs and priorities, taking into account their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.

No specific funding was allocated to Dumfries and Galloway Council for 2009-10 for pre-school education as such, as funding has been included within the overall local government finance settlement. It is the responsibility of each local authority, in conjunction with their Community Planning Partners, to allocate the funding on the basis of their local needs and priorities, taking into account their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.

It is intended that the changes to the regulation of snaring in Scotland should be laid before Parliament before summer recess. Changes requiring primary legislation will be dealt with separately.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24372 on 9 June 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-24372 on 9 June 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.

As my colleague, Fiona Hyslop, told Parliament on 30 April 2009, we are bringing forward proposals for a new body, the Scottish Children''s Hearings Tribunal, which will be responsible for all functions associated with the Children''s Panel, including recruitment, selection and training of panel members.

The Tribunal will be led by a President who will have the power to work with volunteers to exercise its key functions and have the power to put in place structures, which may be known as area support teams, which reflect local issues in all of Scotland''s communities.

We will make more details available by the end of June when we publish our draft Bill to reform the Children''s Hearings system.