Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-001195 on 20 July 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

<>The current application is to review the operational conditions around peat extraction, not for the principle of peat extraction. The application is for Midlothian Council to determine in the first instance. The Scottish Government has sought updates from Midlothian Council on the status of the case. The Scottish Government has not discussed the case with Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) but has received information on SNH’s position with regard to the proposals.

The Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 confers similar powers on Police Scotland and local authorities regarding enforcement. Local authorities, however, have specific responsibilities for licensing of pet shops, dog breeders and dealers, and enforcement of animal welfare during transport and on farms.

The use of peat as a source horticultural compost is a global issue requiring action at the international level as peat sourced for horticultural use comes from a number of different countries. The Scottish Government has offered its support to the market-led initiatives to reduce the demand and use of peat in horticulture.

The National Peatland Group, set up by the Scottish Government and Scottish Natural Heritage to deliver the plan, has identified phasing out the horticultural use of peat as a priority in it work programme.

Scottish Planning Policy confirms that planning authorities should use their development plans to protect areas of peatland and only allow commercial extraction in very limited circumstances.

Decisions on peat extraction are made by individual planning authorities and the number of extant but not fully exploited consents for peat extraction is not held centrally. No estimate of the total carbon emissions or loss of carbon sequestration potential from all existing consents has been undertaken.

However, peat extraction is counted in the Scottish Greenhouse Gas Emissions 2014 data. Whilst this includes peat extraction beyond that used for horticulture, the contribution of peat extraction to Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions was 0.1 MtCO2e; 0.2% of total Scottish emissions in 2014.

<>Scottish Ministers have a general power to intervene by calling in an application for their own determination. In practice though, ministers will exercise this power very sparingly, recognising and respecting the important role of local authorities in making decisions on the future development of their areas.

At this time it is not ministers’ intention to call in this application.

There is no requirement at present for a snaring operator to de-register their snaring identification number when the person who is granted the number a) ceases employment in snaring, b) retires, or c) dies.

The snaring review, due to be completed by the end of 2016, will review the changes made through the Wildlife and Environment Act 2011 and the Snares (Scotland) Order 2010, including the snaring operator registration process.

Further to the answer to question S4W-27214, 1,463 people had obtained an identification number by 1 July 2016.

Further to the answer to question S4W-27213, 2,542 people had attended the training by 1 July 2016.

The review into snaring will be undertaken by Scottish Natural Heritage who will provide a report to Scottish Ministers by 31 December 2016.

Scottish Ministers will then lay a report of the review before the Scottish Parliament, as set out in Section 11F of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.