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Legislation is not required to establish Marine Scotland. The Marine Bill will create new functions for Scottish ministers, which Marine Scotland will deliver on their behalf.

Marine conservation will be a key priority for Marine Scotland and conservation priorities and objectives will be articulated through the National Marine Plan.

As part of the Scottish Government, Marine Scotland will take direction, where appropriate, from Scottish ministers and will be responsible directly to them for its activities and decisions. There will be appropriate safeguards in relation to transparency of appeals, enforcement and science.

No responses to the Sustainable Seas for All consultation have been amended in person since the consultation closed.

No. These issues fall to be considered currently by the Scottish Government or its agencies, or are new functions we believe are appropriate for Marine Scotland. Integrating responsibility for them within a single organisation will mean that it can bring to bear the necessary range of experience and expertise and make informed and, where appropriate, balanced judgements and decisions about issues.

We will also be introducing appropriate safeguards to ensure robust and transparent arrangements “ for example, a Science Advisory Board to assure the quality and independence of science and appeals mechanisms with an independent element. Enforcement arrangements will involve an appropriate degree of separation and accountability arrangements to ensure they are robust and defensible.

The Scottish Government is responsible, on behalf of Scottish ministers, for the administration of fishing vessel licences in Scotland and Marine Scotland will be part of the Scottish Government. There is therefore effectively no substantive change in the planned responsibilities under Marine Scotland compared with the current position.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21890 on 23 March 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Following careful consideration, I announced on 9 February 2009 that Marine Scotland will be part of the Scottish Government.

Marine Scotland will develop and implement Scottish ministers'' policies on marine issues in Scottish seas. SNH is the Scottish Government''s statutory nature conservation adviser and its functions include provision of advice to ministers on the development and implementation of policies for, or affecting, the natural heritage of Scotland, including Scottish territorial waters. The Scottish Government has a duty under the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994 to have regard to any representations made by SNH on proposals for developments that are likely to have a significant effect on Natura 2000 sites in Scotland. We intend to retain SNH''s role as statutory adviser on nature conservation issues in territorial waters.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21890 on 23 March 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.