Chamber and committees

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) currently require all contractors to use non-lead ammunition for goose management when shooting over Ramsar sites, including land beyond that required by the Environmental Protection (Restrictions on Use of Lead Shot) (Scotland) Regulation 2004, and expect that by 2021 all shotgun ammunition purchased by SNH for use in goose management schemes will be non-lead based.

Where SNH issue licenses to shoot deer on public land the use of non-lead ammunition will be required to shoot all but roe deer by 2021. For roe deer, non-lead alternatives will be required by 2024.

In terms of deer shot by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) staff or Deer Culling contractors, it is expected that lead ammunition will be phased out by the end of 2022. A small proportion (approx. 9%) of the deer shot on land managed by FLS is carried out under other arrangements such as leasing and in these circumstances non-lead ammunition will be required by 2023.

The Scottish Government has welcomed a statement from UK field sports bodies on the phasing out of lead shot alongside recommendations made by the independent Deer Working Group and the Grouse Moor Management Review Group. We will publish our formal response to both reports in due course.

The testing of gamebirds for the presence of metals such as lead is carried out by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) as part of the National Residues Surveillance Programme in accordance with The Animal and Animal Products (Examination for Residues and Maximum Residue Limits) (England and Scotland) Regulations 2015. VMD publish annual figures on gov.uk. Since 2015 one sample exceeded the Maximum Residue Limit for lead, although this was not in Scotland.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is currently undertaking a desk-based study to assess the potential impact on the wider environment of the use of flubendazole in medicated grit. This includes an assessment of the effects on soil dwelling organisms, aquatic organisms and the indirect effect on predatory animals (from the consumption of contaminated prey). As part of this study, SEPA is considering appropriate monitoring approaches for the substance should the desk-based study recommend that investigative monitoring is required.

There is limited data available on the excretion of flubendazole, the active ingredient in medicated grit, by grouse. However, a 2006 study on Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use by the European Medicines Agency Committee involving a wide range of species, including chicken and game birds, found that more than 50% of the consumed drug was excreted. Furthermore, this trend has also been observed in studies involving human excretion of flubendazole.

Since the adoption of a new Bikeability Scotland strategy in 2018, increased funding and flexibility has been available to local authorities to support every child to have access to on-road cycle training. During 2019-20, we invested more than £1 million to support the programme in 31 local authorities, with delivery in 52% of all schools tailored to meet local needs. This includes funding experienced instructors to lead sessions in schools, increased access to bikes, support for volunteers and additional coordination capacity.

Cycling Scotland have adapted their delivery model during the coronavirus crisis to support local authorities to deliver training for the children of key workers and others. This includes funding to deliver training outside of normal school hours and at non-school locations such as childcare hubs and after-school centres. For the new academic session, in response to Covid19, further support is available to local authorities to increase access to Bikeability. Following successful pilots in Midlothian and Western Isles, intensive courses will also be offered to support schools to manage timetabling in the new session. Cycling Scotland is supporting further expansion of Bikeability with schools in East Ayrshire and Argyll and Bute introducing sessions soon.

The Scottish Government is committed, at the earliest appropriate opportunity, to publishing the decarbonisation action plan for Scotland’s railways.

This will include an assessment on the use of battery and hydrogen technology powered trains as well as electrification to meet the 2035 traction decarbonisation target.

In relation to phase 1 in the Scottish Government’s ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19): framework for decision making – Scotland’s route map through and out of the crisis’, people are permitted to travel short distances for outdoor leisure and exercise but advised to stay within a short distance of their local community (broadly within 5 miles) and travel by walk, wheel and cycle where possible. This part of the route map does not apply to travelling to undertake permitted categories of work or volunteering.

Under phase 1, non-essential outdoor workplaces with physical distancing can resume once relevant guidance is agreed. Guidance on safe working has been published in support of restarting outdoor forestry and a range of environmental management activities, including peatland restoration, wildlife and nature reserve management, and ecological surveys and research. The information and advice contained in this guidance can be used to protect workers and volunteers carrying out monitoring fieldwork such as that undertaken by the Scottish Raptor Study Group. Organisations are required to undertake risk assessments to ensure that they are compliant with the guidance.

A response to the report by the independent Deer Working Group will be published in due course.

Cycling Scotland delivers Bikeability, the national cycle training programme for schoolchildren, using Transport Scotland grant funding. Despite the restrictions imposed by lockdown, Cycling Scotland were able to work with schools in nine local authorities to support the continuation of the Bikeability programme in childcare hubs for the children of key workers. As major restrictions begin to ease, Bikeability will be made available to every school in participating authorities that requests it in academic year 20-21. All Bikeability Scotland training resources have been made available to all local authorities as digital downloads and resources are available for parents and carers, including training videos, games and activities. Cycling Scotland have also prepared guidance for tutors and instructors on the safe delivery of training while Coronavirus restrictions remain in place.

Through the Spaces for People programme, administered by Sustrans, we have made up to £30 million available for local authorities to build temporary walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure to enable physical distancing. With the capacity of public transport severely restricted, active travel is a good option for every day short journeys such as the school run and this fund can be used by local authorities to enable safer travel to and from schools.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has been working with the Scottish Government to consider the recommendations made by the Deer Working Group and, without prejudice to the government’s response to the report, will be taking forward some of the recommendations where these are aligned to current SNH deer management activity. This will include, for example, work on deer vehicle collision risk and mitigation.