§ Mr. Ernie RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the first annual report of the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency will be published. [21621]
§ Mr. DewarI laid a copy of SEPA's First Annual Report and Accounts before both Houses on 16 December. It contains details of the progress made by SEPA in its first year of operation, and a copy of its accounts, which cover the first 18 months of its existence. I am pleased to see that SEPA has made a good start and has done very well to pull together the very diverse bodies from which it was formed. I am also satisfied that SEPA is now on a firm financial footing and can move forward confidently to bring about the continuing improvement of Scotland's environment which we all wish to see.