Chamber and committees

Scottish National Heritage (SNH) advises the Scottish Government and acts as a government agent in the delivery of conservation designations, i.e. national nature reserves, local nature reserves, long distance routes, national parks, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas and the national scenic area.

Planning conditions generally require bird monitoring and the data submitted to the planning authority to inform any mitigation required. The forthcoming bat guidance from SNH will also require bat monitoring on certain sites, and monitoring is underway at several sites in South Scotland. Impacts on other species and habitats are picked up from monitoring reports produced by the applicant; site condition monitoring conducted by SNH; and ad hoc monitoring of species populations by other organisations. Results from monitoring are used to inform site specific management, and to inform the assessment of future applications.

SNH recently published a survey of three species of rare and threatened bat species in Scotland to inform decisions on the location of future wind farms. This helps to inform the assessment of new applications.

The Scottish Government and SNH support the Scottish Wind Farm Bird Steering Group which encourages cooperation between NGOs, industry and Government on both monitoring and research. A workshop involving all sectors is planned for the Spring specifically to review methods of post-construction monitoring with a view to developing a method which supports both accurate reporting and informed decisions. Several research reports have already been published and inform our approach to assessing new applications.

Marine Scotland Science are undertaking research work on impacts on fish and water quality from wind farms developments.

SNH are regularly updating and reviewing their guidance in light of research undertaken. For example, their micro wind turbine guidance is based on research on impacts on bats by Stirling University. and the avoidance rates for birds are adjusted as new evidence emerges.

There have been 2 repowering proposals in Scotland to date, one completed in Orkney on a wind farm that had been operational for less than 10 years, and one in progress in Argyll that will include a significant extension. The timing of future repowering is a decision for the developers concerned and may, or may not coincide with the expiry of current permissions.

We anticipate that the number of applications to repower wind farms will increase significantly beyond 2020, but we cannot predict how many applications will come in or when because this is a decision for the applicants to take.

The Scottish Government have started working with Scottish National Heritage and other agencies through the Interagency Group on Renewables to consider how we can better coordinate habitat restoration. We are developing proposals for a regional approach to habitat management which will increase the benefits from habitat management, reduce the costs to developers and deliver a more targeted approach. The Scottish Government and SNH aim to progress this approach in 2018-19.

The recently published Onshore Wind Policy Statement promotes a coordinated approach amongst developers of new wind farms or repowering proposals to make more efficient use of land and supporting infrastructure. The goal is to minimise impacts on the environment and residents, while obtaining the greatest amount of renewable generation. We are keen to work with Scottish National Heritage and other bodies to develop this approach.

The Scottish Government does not accept there has been a delay in granting beavers protected species status. A process is being followed as was set out in the decision of 22 November 2016. That decision stated that Scottish Ministers were minded that the beaver populations in Knapdale in Argyll and in the Tay and Earn catchments could remain in Scotland. The decision was subject to satisfactory completion of a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA). The intention remains that beavers in Scotland will be given protection under the law as a European Protected Species as soon as is practicable after completion of the Assessment processes. The HRA has been satisfactorily completed. The SEA is currently subject to public consultation.

The Scottish Government is not aware of any welfare implications during the process for granting the European beaver protected status. Scottish Natural Heritage has published advice on welfare issues arising from the management of beavers. If evidence emerges that beaver welfare is being ignored in specific areas, the Scottish Government will consider the use of Nature Conservation Orders (NCO) made under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004. NCOs can be used to prohibit specified actions, such as shooting beavers. Failing to comply with an NCO is a criminal offence.

The Scottish Government appointed four external agriculture champions in January 2017 to provide advice and recommendations on a future agriculture strategy for Scotland. The Champions recently published an interim discussion document which identified six strategic themes, all underpinned by the concept of Public Value. One of those themes, Enhancing Scotland’s Natural Capital, highlights the need to make optimal use of our natural capital, for economic as well as environmental reasons if we are to ensure a long-term sustainable future for Scotland's farming industry. The champions will analyse responses to their discussion document and publish a final report in spring. It will not be possible however to plan a long-term policy without knowing what kind of budget will be available to us, and we will continue to press UK Government for clarity on this as a matter of urgency

The position on advice will be one of the issues looked at when we are deciding the shape of the new policy.

I refer the member to the answer to questions S5W-13047 and S5W-13048 on 11 December 2017. 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

Scottish Natural Heritage has been advised of four dead beavers in the wild since May 2016. It appeared that one was killed on a railway line, one was killed on a road, and one was presumed to be drowned. The decomposed remains of a young animal were also found, with no apparent cause of death. No autopsies were carried out on these animals.

At this late stage in the life time of the scheme, it is unlikely that it will be worth amending the Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) to incorporate beaver management payments. The Scottish Government will consider whether beaver management that benefits the public interest should be part of any scheme that replaces the SRDP.

Clause 1 of the draft Animal Welfare (Sentencing and the Recognition of Sentience) Bill is intended to require Ministers of the Crown to have regard to the welfare needs of animals as sentient beings when formulating and implementing government policy. This would include matters applying to Scotland, to the extent that they are reserved.

The Scottish Government is considering the extension of this duty to have regard to the welfare needs of animals as sentient beings when formulating and implementing policy to Scottish Ministers as regards matters devolved to the Scottish Government.

Clause 2 of the Bill relates to penalties for animal welfare offences in England and Wales only.