Chamber and committees

This is a reserved matter within the remit of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Longannet received £41 million in aid from the DTI under the UK Coal Operating Aid Scheme. Due to severe flooding which has ended production at Longannet, its operator Scottish Coal (Deep Mine) Co Ltd is now in provisional liquidation.

This is a reserved matter. We are aware that there have been frequent discussions between Scottish Coal and the Department of Trade and Industry on the future of the Longannet mine. Both the company and the Department of Trade and Industry have kept the Scottish Executive fully informed. Due to severe flooding which has ended production at Longannet, its operator Scottish Coal (Deep Mine) Co Ltd is now in provisional liquidation.

The advice of the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) is in the public domain and, as such, is routinely placed on their website. Following their meeting on 24 January 2002, at which the subject of the presence of transgenic material in native maize in Mexico was discussed, ACRE have submitted their advice on this matter to Government. Given the interest shown in this subject in Scotland, the Scottish Executive has placed the committee's advice on the GM section of our own website.

Subject to the approval of this Parliament, we will shortly be placing a new Renewables Obligation (Scotland) on all electricity suppliers. Our target is to raise the proportion of electricity supply accounted for by renewable sources to 18% by 2010.

The Scottish Executive strategy for dealing with the issue of rats in sewers includes:Each Scottish water authority has a local strategy which responds to the needs of their particular area - this practice will continue after the vesting of Scottish Water;A training strategy ensures that water authority staff are competent in the skills required to deal with rats in sewers;In spring 2001, The Scottish Executive oversaw the introduction of a voluntary joint agreement between COSLA and the Scottish Water Authorities - this set out a strategy to ensure closer collaboration between local authorities and water authorities re the control of rodents in sewers. This document is available in the Parliament's reference Centre (Bib. number) 19755.

Scottish water authorities ensure that measures to control rodents in sewers are effective, pragmatic and appropriate to local needs. The water authorities' employees liase with local authorities at a corporate and at a local level to respond to any reported outbreaks and generally a partnership approach is adopted where the resources of both organisations are mobilised to deal with the issue.In spring 2001 the Scottish Executive oversaw the introduction of a voluntary joint agreement between COSLA and the Scottish water authorities - this set out a strategy to ensure closer collaboration between local authorities and water authorities regarding the control of rodents in sewers. This document is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 19775).

The Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 provides local authorities with powers to take action in circumstances where the amenity of an area is affected by the presence of invasive plants such as, for example, Giant Hogweed and Japanese Knotweed. In natural heritage terms, leylandii (leyland cypress) is not regarded as posing a significant threat to the countryside.The problems associated with leylandii and other high trees and hedges, when grown in gardens are, however, generally well recognised. Local authorities are required, under powers derived from the Environmental Protection Act 1990, to investigate complaints about a statutory nuisance occurring on premises, including land. It is a matter for local authorities, in considering individual cases, to determine whether a particular high tree or hedge constitutes a statutory nuisance, and to decide what action should be taken. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-12936 on 31 January 2001 about the problems caused by high hedges in Scotland, in which the Deputy First Minister announced that the Executive had decided in principle that a statutory remedy of last resort was needed, involving complaints to the local authority and enforcement action in appropriate cases. However, it was not possible to give a commitment as to when legislation would be brought forward.

Monitoring to identify the exact number of rats in sewers is not undertaken by the Scottish Water Authorities. In the event of a reported rodent infestation outbreak a reactive approach is adopted as this ensures that responses are appropriate to local needs and are effective in the protection of public health.In spring 2001, the Scottish Executive oversaw the introduction of a voluntary joint agreement between COSLA and the Scottish Water Authorities. This agreement helps to ensure effective collaboration between local authorities and water authorities re. the control of rodents in sewers. This document is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 19755).

A key change in practices for dealing with rats in sewers has been the voluntary joint agreement between COSLA and the Scottish Water Authorities introduced in spring 2001. This was overseen by the Scottish Executive and it sets out a strategy to ensure closer collaboration between local authorities and water authorities regarding practices for the control of rodents in sewers. This agreement is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 19755).

Evidence of harm would be considered "credible" if that evidence had the support of the scientific advisers to ministers. Dependent upon the nature of the evidence highlighted, that advice could come from the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment, the Health & Safety Executive, the Food Standards Agency or Scottish Natural Heritage. If the conclusion of those advisers was that the evidence did indeed suggest that a particular GM release could harm human health or the environment, ministers have the power to halt that release.