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Research supporting review of energy standards within building regulations includes specific assessment of the cost and impact of change on remote or rural areas. This focusses on the comparative cost of delivering new homes off the mains gas grid. An example of research commissioned can be found at: http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0038/00386526.pdf .

An updated assessment of the impact of further change on remote, rural and island communities will be undertaken as part of the review of energy standards which commences shortly. We will seek views on this topic from developers as part of an initial ‘call for evidence’ on building to the current standards.

The Scottish Government worked with stakeholders as part of the Regulation of Energy Efficiency in Private Sector housing group between 2013 and 2015. The working group considered proposals for enforcement of a minimum standard of energy efficiency in both the private rented and owner occupier sectors.

Following this the Scottish government consulted last year on a minimum energy efficiency standard in the private rented sector properties and committed to seek the views of owner-occupiers on improving the energy efficiency of their homes, including the role of standards and the use of financial and fiscal incentives. The forthcoming routemap on Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme will include details of the next steps for each of the housing sectors.

To support the group’s recommendations, modelling of housing stock was commissioned including rural properties off gas grid. This work was published on 5 November 2015 and is available here http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/11/4536 .

As we develop Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP), we will identify areas where review of the current EPC process is needed to support action under the Programme.

Work on the review is already underway. We have commissioned research to collate and report on EPC comments and concerns raised within last year’s three SEEP consultations.

This research, which will conclude in April 2018, will help establish where further investigation or review is needed.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-15039 on 14 March 2018 . Our delivery projects aim is to ensure that everyone in fuel poverty gets support, no matter whether they live in urban or rural Scotland. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

Annual compliance scheme figures for 2016 show that there were 440 non-compliant sites. Of these, 36 had formal enforcement action as follows:

• 13 failing sites were issued with a Formal Warning Letter;
• 23 failing sites were issued with a Enforcement Notice.

All sites currently classed as non-compliant have a system of regulatory oversight in place from SEPA to ensure they meet compliance requirements and address the issues that required enforcement action.

The various legal regimes under which SEPA regulates different activities each set out specific provisions on when SEPA may revoke environmental authorisations. When deciding whether revocation of an environmental authorisation is appropriate, SEPA will consider its Enforcement Policy and Enforcement Guidance which can be found at https://www.sepa.org.uk/regulations/enforcement/ .

The Scottish Government does not collect details of how many litter abatement orders have been issued by local authorities.

a) Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) assessed the potential interaction and effects (positive or negative) between beavers and other mammal species, including red squirrels, when preparing its ‘Beavers in Scotland’ report submitted to the Scottish Government in June 2015: http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/publications/research/Beavers%20in%20Scotland%20-%20Final%20-%2010%20June%202015.pdf

SNH further assessed the likely impact of beavers on red squirrels as part of its preparation for the Strategic Environmental Assessment it has undertaken: ‘Beavers in Scotland Strategic Environmental Assessment Environmental Report’: http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0052/00528945.pdf

Red squirrels were not included in the Environmental Report as any impact on red squirrels from beaver felling activity is expected to be negligible.

b) SNH assessed the potential interaction and effects (positive or negative) between beavers and woodland habitat when preparing its ‘Beavers in Scotland’ report submitted to the Scottish Government in June 2015:

http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/publications/research/Beavers%20in%20Scotland%20-%20Final%20-%2010%20June%202015.pdf

Beaver browsing preferences and effects were assessed as part of the Scottish Beaver Trial woodland monitoring and included comparing results found at Knapdale with those found elsewhere in Europe, including beaver selection of trees: section 5.2 of ‘The Scottish Beaver Trial: Woodland monitoring 2009 – 2013, Final Report’:

http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/publications/commissioned_reports/788.pdf

Beavers show strong preference for particular tree species e.g. willow, rowan and birch. Beech does not form a native component of any Natura woodland habitat in Scotland. It does poorly on wet ground and is therefore unlikely to form a high proportion of the woodland in areas occupied by beavers. Any impact is therefore likely to be small scale, and localised to individual trees.

c) SNH carried out a review of beaver impacts on biodiversity: ‘A review of beaver ( Castor spp.) impacts on biodiversity, and potential impacts following a reintroduction to Scotland, (2015)’: https://goo.gl/djEqVu .

This reviewed the evidence that beavers act as ecosystem engineers, and included a meta-analysis of published studies. The impact on a wider range of species groups were considered, including plants, invertebrates, fish, amphibians, birds and mammals. It explored the impact beavers will have on the biodiversity of Scotland and in particular, examined the effect of a beaver reintroduction on protected or vulnerable species and habitats.

The Scottish Government is currently establishing an expert panel to advise on measures to tackle items like disposable plastic straws, which would include a ban or other measures. As part of this, the panel will work with its disability adviser and Zero Waste Scotland to establish robust data for the impact of plastic straw consumption and the implications of any intervention that could be taken within devolved competence.

ero Waste Scotland are carrying out full stakeholder engagement on a one-to-one and workshop basis to develop of a range of proposed models for a deposit return scheme.

The Scottish Government will carry out a full consultation once scheme options have been fully identified and the model research complete. The final Regulations will also be subject to normal Parliamentary scrutiny.