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I agree with that point. Work is being done as part of the plan that I mentioned to look at how we can make it clear that environmental health is a career that a whole spectrum of people should consider entering.

Vincent, have you been involved in the development of that?

This is up to local authorities, and we do not want to fetter their discretion when it comes to deciding how to operate. Instead, what we do is provide guidance on the backdrop of the Environment Act 1995 and supplement that with funding. In response to ESS’s recommendations, we have agreed to update or clarify the guidance in a number of ways, and it is all to do with how local authorities produce their own air quality action plans and, I suppose, operate within the system itself. In short, we are providing support through funding and guidance, especially the most recently updated guidance in response to ESS.

I have a note of the funding, convener, and I will try to put my hands on it. If any of my colleagues wanted to say anything while I did so, I would be grateful.

Convener, I know that your question was about ring fencing, in particular. The two pots of money in question come via the block grant, which is not ring fenced, and the money is supplemented by grants, some of which Andrew Taylor has just alluded to.

Absolutely. When we talk about schools, there are two things that occur to me. The first is the regulations from, I think, 2003 that allow local authorities to give fixed-penalty notices to any driver whose engine is idling when they have refused a reasonable request to switch it off. I will come back to that. Secondly, there are existing powers to allow local authorities to work with schools to prevent vehicles from being present in front of them. There are good examples of that in Edinburgh and Angus councils.

On the FPNs, I again come back to the point that the rules and laws are there, and they empower local authorities. It would be incorrect to impose my views or the Government’s views on local authorities as to how they operate that. You mentioned the question of whether they have the resources to do it but, in some ways, the operation of fixed-penalty notices could be a revenue-raising opportunity. I encourage local authorities to utilise the powers that are there.

It is difficult to say. I do not think that I should espouse my view without understanding the position on vehicle idling in Perth and Kinross, to be honest. All I know is that—

I do not have anything in front of me that tells me how often it is happening or how problematic it is there. However, I know that the powers are there and, as I say, I encourage local authorities to use them.

On that last point, I want to be clear that, although we very much appreciate ESS’s recommendation and have considered it carefully, our view is that SEPA is the correct body to have that function and that the powers that are underpinned by the Environment Act 1995 already allow it to fulfil that role. I have pointed to the updated guidance, in which we have said, “Use this as a matter of course, not just where authorities are demonstrably failing and not just case by case.”

There is evidence of that happening. SEPA used some of the section 85 powers earlier this year, in issuing a warning letter to a local authority that had failed to submit its outstanding air quality annual progress reports, despite having been provided with extensions to do so. On receipt of the warning letter, a timescale for compliance was required, and that has now been met. That is a good example of how the powers are there and are being used. Where Government can, it will strengthen guidance to ensure that our expectations are clear about when and how often the powers are used.

Absolutely, and it is always right that, as we continue to develop the obligations on Government or on our agencies, we consider that. However, as I said, we have spoken directly with SEPA about its existing budget and its ability to manage the additional requirements within that, and it has given us an assurance that it is able to do so.