Whether it plans to give the Scottish Environment Protection Agency any additional powers in order to improve its ability to become more in…

The Scottish Executive has consulted on a range of proposals to give additional powers to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). These include the following proposals, many of which are described in detail in consultation papers published on the Scottish Executive website www.scotland.gov.uk/publications:- new powers to regulate waste incinerators more stringently;- new powers to control solvent-based emissions;- revised powers under the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2000;- tightening of powers for permitting landfill sites;- revised regulation of the spreading of treated sewage sludge to land;- tightening of exemptions under Waste Management Licence Regulations;- new powers to require polluters to carry out works to prevent or clean up water pollution;- a range of additional powers under the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Bill to protect the water environment, including controlling activities liable to cause pollution, engineering works in the vicinity of the water environment and water abstractions, and- new powers to license flood prevention schemes.The detailed implications for SEPA will be defined in regulations in due course.