Seòmar agus comataidhean

We are liaising with theOffice of the Deputy Prime Minister implementation group on how best toimplement the requirements of Article 7 of the directive. However, we alsorecognise the need to take account of distinctive Scottish circumstances.

We are liaising with theOffice of the Deputy Prime Minister implementation group on how best toimplement the requirements of Article 7 of the directive. However, we alsorecognise the need to take account of distinctive Scottish circumstances.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-3385 on 27 November 2003. 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/webapp/search_wa.

An estimate of the naturerequested has not been made by the Executive.

There are many uncertaintiesassociated with emissions from organic soils and the Executive is undertakingresearch to better understand the role of agricultural and other land uses ongreenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide, from Scotland’sorganic-rich soils. The Executive has commissionedresearch to consider development of a modelling framework to simulate carbonand nitrogen cycling in organic soils and to provide predictions of how theywill respond to land use change and climate change. The findings of this studywill contribute to understanding of greenhouse gas emissions from soils due toland use change.

I am pleased to confirm,along with the Secretary of State for the Environment and the EnvironmentMinisters for Northern Ireland and Wales, the appointment of the 12 remaining members to theCommittee on Radioactive Waste Management.

With the help of the chair,Katharine Bryan, we have selected what we believe is a dynamic and varied teamof people to review the long-term options for the management of high andintermediate level radioactive waste.

The appointees are:

Mary Allan,Ross-shire - Lecturer, School of Business, The North Highland College;

Professor David Ball, Norfolk -Professor of Risk Management, Middlesex University;

Fred Barker, West Yorkshire- nuclear policy analyst;

Dr Keith Baverstock, Finland -former Head of Radiation Protection Division, World Health Organisation;

Professor Andrew BlowersOBE, Bedfordshire - Professor of Social Sciences at the Open University, localcouncillor;

Professor Brian DrummondClark, Aberdeen - former Professor of Environmental Management andPlanning, Board Member of the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency;

Dr Wynne Davies,Buckinghamshire - Vice President, Group Health, Safety and Environment,Amersham plc;

Dr Mark Dutton, Cheshire -physicist and nuclear decommissioning expert, NNC;

Dr Gordon MacKerron, Brighton -economist and energy policy consultant, Associate Director, NERA;

Professor Lynda Warren,Powys - zoologist and Emeritus Professor of Environmental Law at the University of Wales;

Jennifer Watson, London -Commissioner, Women's National Commission and Chair; and

Pete Wilkinson, Suffolk - Director of WilkinsonEnvironmental Consultancy, former Chair of Greenpeace and co-founder of Friendsof the Earth (UK).

We are announcing today apackage of support totalling almost £3 million over the next two years forvoluntary organisations working with vulnerable and excluded children and youngpeople. This includes:

continuation until March2006 of support for the Lloyds TSB Partnership Drugs Initiative at the currentrate of £750,000 per year, and the continuing secondment of a Scottish Executive staff member to manage the project. This initiative is aimed atpromoting voluntary sector work with children and young people affected by drugmisuse, whether directly or because of their parents’ addiction.

£1.2 million over two years(2004-06) to commission Columba 1400 to take up to 300 care leavers a year ontotheir personal development programme. This will provide an opportunity for careleavers to tap into their own potential for leadership and self determination.It will build their confidence and capacity, helping them in the transition toindependent living.

One-off funding of £250,000 toa new foundation that will fund combined groups of voluntary organisations to providecontinuity of care and support to vulnerable young people. A Scottish Executive member of staff will also be seconded to assist the foundation.

It is not possible to identify specific amounts spent on peatland restoration through Scottish Executive agri-environment schemes.

Complete restoration of whole woodlands to peatland is not provided for in forestry grant schemes, but Forestry Commission Scotland’s Woodland Grant Scheme and the new Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme fund restoration work in relation to the management of forest edges, and smaller scale restoration of peatland habitats within forests.

Forestry Commission Scotlandis also undertaking peat bog restoration on national forest lands as part of a number of EU LIFE projects as shown in the following table:

Forestry Commission Scotland Net Expenditure Contributing to EU LIFE Projects on Peatland Restoration on National Forest Lands: 1999-2004

Year	Area (hectares)	Net Expenditure (£000) (Following EU Reimbursement)
1999-2000	none	-
2000-01	none	-
2001-02	25	11
2002-03	159	29
2003-04 (to date)	110	50
2000-04 (to date)	Longbridgemuir SSSI, Dumfriesshire	126

There is no definitiveestimate of Scottish peatland coverage but Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) hasproduced estimates for two of the three main types of peatland, namely blanketbog and raised bog.

Blanket Bog

SNH’s recently developedScottish blanket bog inventory estimates the total extent of blanket bog as1,927,000 ha. Some 55% of this is considered to be degraded to varying degreesas a result of past agricultural drainage, peat cutting, erosion etc.

Raised Bog

SNH have estimated thatthere are approximately 24,000 ha of raised bog at present, of which 14% isactively peat forming, 23% is degraded but capable of restoration and 63% is nolonger restorable.

Fens

Fens, the third habitat andthe lesser of the three types in terms of area, are the least known in terms ofdiversity, extent and condition. Scottish Natural Heritage has recently embarkedupon the development of a Fen Inventory to collate information held by itself,other agencies and voluntary organisations.

TheUK Blanket Bog Habitat Action Plan target is to restore 75% of the total extentof restorable blanket bog in the UK by 2015. Scotland’s contribution to this target is being monitoredthrough a series of interim targets, the first of which is to bring the totalarea of blanket bog in or near favourable condition to 340,000 hectares by2005. Progress towards these targets is monitored and overseen by ScottishNatural Heritage.

Scottish Natural Heritage iscurrently working to develop an agreed definition of “favourable condition”,and assess the condition of blanket bog within the Sites of Special Scientific Interestseries, and that exercise has not yet been completed. To help secure favourablecondition and restore areas of minor degradation, Scottish Natural Heritageoperates a number of management schemes and agreements as well as contributingto specific bog restoration projects.

he Executive recognises thatpeatland also offers the potential to assist delivery of its target for reducedcarbon emissions by 2050. The Scottish Executive supports the maintenance andrestoration of peatlands through its agri-environment schemes and throughScottish Natural Heritage (SNH). SNH’s Natural Care Schemes are targetedthrough the Caithness and Sutherland and Lewis Peatland Management Schemesas well as other management agreements with individual owners and occupiers ofpeat bogs.

Projects aimed atrestoration of blanket and raised bogs in Scotland have additionally benefited from substantial supportfrom the EC Life-Nature Programme. These initiatives have received Scottish Executive support and this will continue in future where appropriate.