- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 23 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that marine conservation is central to the objectives of Marine Scotland.
Answer
Marine conservation will be a key priority for Marine Scotland and conservation priorities and objectives will be articulated through the National Marine Plan.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 23 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Marine Scotland will champion the interests of Scottish ministers.
Answer
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.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 23 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive which submissions to the Sustainable Seas For All consultation have been amended in person since the consultation closed and whether it will publish each of them in full.
Answer
No responses to the Sustainable Seas for All consultation have been amended in person since the consultation closed.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 23 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that it will create a conflict of interest by establishing Marine Scotland as a branch of the Scottish Government with direct responsibility for marine science, planning, policy development, management and compliance monitoring measures.
Answer
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.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 23 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive in what way establishing Marine Scotland as a branch of the Scottish Government rather than as a non-departmental public body will promote the development of renewable energy sources.
Answer
Marine Scotland will take an overarching responsibility for marine management, including through the development of a marine planning framework and national marine plan, and allowing the development of local/regional plans. These will reflect strategic priorities, including in relation to the development of marine renewable energy sources.
Integrating the range of policy, planning, science and other functions within Marine Scotland means that it can bring to bear the necessary range of experience, expertise and policy interests and promote achievement of our key strategic aims in an informed and authoritative way. As part of Scottish Government, it will also be well placed to work with policy colleagues elsewhere in the Scottish Government, its agencies and local government. This sort of integrated approach would be more difficult under a non-departmental public body.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 23 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that it will create a conflict of interest by establishing Marine Scotland as a branch of the Scottish Government with responsibility for both promoting economic growth and marine nature conservation.
Answer
No. These issues both fall to be considered currently by Scottish Government and related agencies.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 23 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Marine Scotland will have a duty to coordinate its policy and actions with that of other UK administrations.
Answer
The agreement of 24 November 2008 between the Scottish ministers, other devolved administrations and the UK Government under the Joint Ministerial Committee will provide a statutory mechanism for the coordination of policy and actions between the UK administrations.
A UK Marine Policy Statement will be developed by the Scottish ministers, other devolved administrations and the UK Government to set out the high-level objectives for the UK marine area.
When the Scottish ministers adopt the UK Marine Policy Statement, Marine Scotland and other Scottish public authorities will have a duty to have regard to this in carrying out their functions.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 23 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that policy is coherent between Marine Scotland and other UK administrations.
Answer
The agreement of 24 November 2008 between the Scottish ministers, other devolved administrations and the UK Government under the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) will ensure that policy is coherent between Marine Scotland and other UK administrations.
The full text of the JMC agreement can be viewed on pages 3-7 of the document found at this address:
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- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 23 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will be possible to amend the structure of Marine Scotland through the Marine Bill.
Answer
The Scottish Marine Bill will not provide for the structure of Marine Scotland.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 23 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how Marine Scotland will be structured.
Answer
A senior management/organisational structure for Marine Scotland has been decided, comprising a Director and seven functional heads covering:
Marine Planning and Policy;
Aquaculture and Freshwater Policy and Licensing;
Science;
Sea Fisheries Policy;
Compliance;
Performance, and
Priority Projects.
Lower level structures will follow the senior organisational structure. The structure of the organisation will be kept under review in light of experience and developments.
