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There is money available to applicants through the Scottish Rural Development Programme to control a number of invasive non-native species including Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed, Himalayan balsam, Rhododendron ponticum and grey squirrels. Further details of this funding can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Rural/SRDP/RuralPriorities.

Money has also been made available through the Scottish Natural Heritage Species Action Framework for clear targeted action against six invasive non-native species (American mink, grey squirrel (with regard to red squirrel conservation), North American signal crayfish, New Zealand pygmyweed, Rhododendron ponticum and its hybrids, and Sargassum muticum (wireweed)).

There is no information held centrally on how many jobs this funding directly supports.

The Scottish Government is providing one-off grant funding to support research into the feasibility of control methods for North American signal crayfish in large water bodies.

The Scottish Natural Heritage Species Action Framework sets out a framework for clear targeted action against six invasive non-native species (American mink, grey squirrel (with regard to red squirrel conservation), North American signal crayfish, New Zealand pygmyweed, Rhododendron ponticum and its hybrids, and Sargassum muticum (wireweed)).

The Invasive Non-Native Species Framework Strategy for Great Britain provides a framework focusing on prevention, early detection, and mitigation measures (where appropriate). Prevention is given the highest priority as it is recognised this is the most effective, cheapest and least environmentally damaging intervention.

The Scottish Government sits on the GB Rapid Response Working Group which is drafting a protocol to establish a clear process for implementing rapid responses against invasive non-native species in Great Britain.

This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0618-01.htm

Control of commercial peat extraction lies with local authorities who will hold current information on extent, site location, and after use.

In 2003, Scottish Natural Heritage commissioned a review of commercial peat extraction in Scotland which listed sites, areas, planning conditions and relation to nearby protected sites (special area of conservation or sites of special scientific interest which intersect or lie within one km). The report collated information from 28 local authorities (out of 36). It is an unpublished document and has not been updated. At that time, 72 peat extraction consent sites were recorded in Scotland (20 active, 16 expired, three pending, the remaining 33 awaiting confirmation). After-use for sites was varied and include wetland creation, forestry and agriculture.

Trade data on the volume of peat sold by Scottish producers is also collected annually by the Office for National Statistics and the latest data available for 2007 is given in the following table:

Mineral Extraction in Great Britain 2007: Peat Extractors'' Sales by End-Use and Area of Origin

Area of Origin	Horticultural Use	Other Use	Total
	(Thousand Cubic Metres)
South of Scotland	51	-	51
West Central Scotland	*	*	107
East Central Scotland	68	1	69
North East Scotland	-	1	1
Highlands	-	*	*
Orkney	1	-	1
Shetland	*	1	*
Scotland	221	10	231
Great Britain	875	10	885

Notes:

*Withheld to avoid disclosure.

-Nil or less than 500 tonnes.

The UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory includes estimates of greenhouse gas emissions due to commercial peat extraction. These relate to peat extracted for horticultural use, which is the main reason for commercial extraction in Scotland. Annual emissions due to peat extracted in Scotland were estimated to be between 69 and 151 gigagrammes (Gg) CO₂  (2003-07).

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) are also funding research to quantify the greenhouse gas emissions (carbon footprint) associated with the extraction production, processing, transport and use of peat and will report this in summer 2009.

The methodology used in compiling the UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory complies with the requirements of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and will therefore continue to show emissions associated with peat extraction. A disaggregated version is also produced which shows specific emissions data for Scotland. Emissions and removals data will be taken from this for reporting the net Scottish emissions account in connection with the targets in the Climate Change (Scotland) Bill.

Scottish Natural Heritage has only identified one such site, that being the Slamannan Plateau special protection area.

The Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc) regulations 1994 (as amended) make provision for the review of existing decisions and consents in relation to their potential to affect European sites.

Scottish Natural Heritage and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, on behalf of Scottish ministers, monitor the condition of all protected sites in Scotland. This monitoring would provide an early indication of any adverse affects on sites, should they arise and ministers would look to Scottish Natural Heritage to advise on the courses of action available in order to ensure that we continue to fulfil our obligations under the relevant European directives or to deliver national priorities. For devolved activities in Scotland it is the responsibility of Scottish ministers to determine whether compensatory measures are required under the habitats directive.

The Scottish Government is committed to promoting the use of bus services in Scotland and over the last 10 years there has been an increase in bus patronage of 14%. We are taking forward a number of initiatives with local government partners and bus operators to enable this growth to continue.

Scottish Government funding for bus services is considerable, amounting to over £220 million of direct support in 2007-08 including concessionary fares and Bus Service Operators Grant. Latest figures show that from the record levels of funding local authorities receive from the Scottish Government they have spent £51 million supporting local bus services. This substantial outlay is intended to help the industry drive down fare costs, encourage more routes and enable more older and disabled people to use these important services. Latest data shows that Scotland provides £23 / 77% per head of population more subsidy than in England (excluding London, which is not deregulated).

We have recently appointed a Senior Bus Development Advisor in a seconded post with the specific remit to help local transport authorities deliver the policy improvements set out in our Bus Action Plan. These include promoting Quality Partnerships (QPs) and Punctuality Improvement Partnerships (PIPs). We have published guidance for local authorities on a range of issues to assist them in improving bus networks in their areas thereby encouraging people to use buses. This includes guidance on PIPs and promoting Bus Route Development Grant schemes. We expect to publish guidance on QPs and a Park and Ride Framework later in the year.

The Energy Saving Trust are currently finalising a pilot through one of the Energy Saving Scotland advice centres to integrate water advice with the existing advice on energy efficiency, microgeneration and low carbon personal transport. This project, which is part of a wider scheme operating in Edinburgh, Cardiff and London, is the first of its kind in the EU and it is being co-funded by the Scottish Government, EU LIFE+ programme and the Department for Energy and Climate Change. The intention is that during the course of the pilot, information and tools will be developed to enable water efficiency advice to be rolled our across the Energy Saving Scotland advice network.

Scottish Water was awarded £1 million of funding through the Central Energy Efficiency Fund to implement energy saving improvements to their plant, processes and buildings. Scottish Water has made good use of this revolving loan fund and continues to develop innovative project to achieve additional carbon savings.

In addition, the Energy Saving Trust manages the Energy Saving Scotland Small Business Loans on behalf of the Scottish Government. Water efficiency projects which also resulted in carbon savings are eligible for support through this programme providing the application met the energy saving and other criteria associated with the scheme.

The Energy Saving Trust are currently finalising a pilot through one of the Energy Saving Scotland advice centres to integrate water advice with the existing advice on energy efficiency, microgeneration and low carbon personal transport. This project, which is part of a wider scheme operating in Edinburgh, Cardiff and London, is the first of its kind in the EU and it is being co-funded by the Scottish Government, EU LIFE+ programme and the Department for Energy and Climate Change. The intention is that during the course of the pilot, information and tools will be developed to enable water efficiency advice to be rolled our across the Energy Saving Scotland advice network.

Scottish Water was awarded £1 million of funding through the Central Energy Efficiency Fund to implement energy saving improvements to their plant, processes and buildings. Scottish Water has made good use of this revolving loan fund and continues to develop innovative project to achieve additional carbon savings.

In addition, the Energy Saving Trust manages the Energy Saving Scotland Small Business Loans on behalf of the Scottish Government. Water efficiency projects which also resulted in carbon savings are eligible for support through this programme providing the application met the energy saving and other criteria associated with the scheme.

Water saving measures for the purpose of reducing carbon emissions will be considered in the development of the Scottish Energy Efficiency Action Plan.