Seòmar agus comataidhean

I am not talking about sewage sludge. The fact is that 92 per cent of ammonia comes from agriculture, so I am not talking about human sewage. I am talking about the inappropriate application and management of slurry wastes in a facility, resulting in increased ammonia.

Let us focus the discussion on where 92 per cent of the problem is in relation to ammonia. What actions do you take?

It depends on how you value and monitor it. If there is testing, such as soil testing, and evaluation of biodiversity—

I will come back briefly to Tom Oates.

Has there been any discussion with ESS in relation to the development of the regulations, or have SEPA and ESS been communicating directly with the Government and not with each other?

Okay. ESS is your regulator. It assesses whether you are enforcing regulations appropriately. It also advises on whether the law is appropriate, whether regulations need to be changed and whether regimes need to be amended, and on their compliance with EU law. That is my understanding. Is that your understanding?

Okay—thank you.

Do you have an example of that?

I have just one more question.

I thank you for responding on what is a difficult issue, given that there is a gap. In that case, is there anything that SEPA—with your limited resources, which I acknowledge—is able to do in this space by, say, promoting good practice with the farming sector? Would that be in any way effective in dealing with the kinds of issues that I have just raised with you?

It is a gap in relation to these regulations, is it not?

Okay, but you are a science-based organisation, so what does that tell you, as scientists, about ammonia levels? If ammonia levels are going up, would you see that as a failure of regulation?