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No responses to the Sustainable Seas for All consultation have been amended by telephone since the consultation closed.

We will be setting out our proposals for marine planning arrangements in the Marine Bill, to be introduced to Parliament shortly.

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 .

Integrating responsibility for fisheries policy and management alongside other marine management responsibilities within a single organisation will mean that Marine Scotland can bring to bear the necessary range of experience, expertise and policy interests. Consequently, it will be better placed itself to make and to offer consolidated advice to ministers so that they can make, informed and, where appropriate, balanced judgements and decisions about how best to manage our marine assets and resources. Amongst other things, this should help reassure fishing and other interests that appropriate, sustainable decisions have been taken.

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 .

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

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.

Sustainable Seas for All - a consultation on Scotland''s first marine bill included proposals for a marine planning system. It is envisaged that this planning system will have three tiers. One of the proposed tiers will be at the international level involving co-operation with other countries across administrative boundaries. This includes planning of our seas at a regional seas scale in co-operation with neighbouring countries.

The Scottish and UK governments, along with other devolved administrations, plan to work together to develop a UK Marine Policy Statement which will set out high-level marine objectives for our seas.

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.

One response from a local authority was amended in writing following the closure of the consultation. This accommodated amendments made by the Council''s Planning, Housing and Environment Committee which convened later than the closure date. The amended response was published with all non-confidential responses on the 23 November 2008.