§ Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of the responses he has received to the consultation paper on the proposed Scottish Environmental Protection Agency advocate that the agency should be given responsibility for the management of water catchments.
§ Sir Hector MonroThe responses advocated that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency should be given responsibilities relating to the management of water catchments in addition to those it will inherit from river purification authorities.
§ Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what duties the proposed Scottish Environmental Protection agency will have(a) in the conservation and enhancement of the natural heritage and (b) in aspects of water resource management other than pollution control.
§ Sir Hector MonroScottish Natural Heritage is the statutory body with primary responsibility for the conservation and enhancement of the natural heritage. Last year's consultation paper "Improving Scotland's620W Environment—The Way Forward", made it clear that the Government also intends the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to have a statutory duty in relation to conservation of the natural heritage.
SEPA will inherit all the responsibilities of River Purification Aurthorities. In the light of views expressed in response to the consultation paper my right hon. Friend indicated in his reply to the hon. Member for Kincardine and Deeside (Mr. Kynoch) on 25 February at column 722 that we intend to give the agency enhanced powers of control over water abstraction. The responses to the consequent consultation paper "Abstraction Controls: A system for Scotland' are currently being considered.