Written Question · S3W-11580 · Session 3
How many screening decisions Scottish Ministers have issued for projects under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) (Scotland)…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many screening decisions Scottish Ministers have issued for projects under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) (Scotland) Regulations 2006.
The answer
Scottish ministers have issued screening decision on 14 projects under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) (Scotland) Regulations 2006, and the Environmental Impact Assessment (Uncultivated Land and Semi-Natural Areas) (Scotland) Regulations 2002 which they replaced. For 12 of these projects it was decided that there were no significant environmental effects and the applicants were notified appropriately. It was decided that the remaining two projects were relevant projects likely to have a significant effect on the environment and accordingly could not be carried out without consent of the Scottish ministers. If those projects are to proceed Environmental Statements are required in order to assess environmental impact and to determine if consent can be given. Environmental Statements are awaited from these applicants and consequently no consent decisions have been made.
Rural Payments and Inspection Directorate (RPID) are responsible for the day-to-day operation of the regulations. It is for land managers to ensure that their farming actions comply with the regulations. RPID will offer advice and guidance on whether proposals fall within the scope of the regulations. An offence only occurs if works are covered by the regulations and the requirements of the regulations are not complied with. The regulations provide for powers of entry and inspection of land for the purposes of determining whether an offence under the regulations has occurred. Provision is also available to serve a stop notice to ensure that unauthorised works are stopped with immediate effect. The Scottish ministers may also serve a reinstatement notice upon persons responsible for committing an offence under the regulations requiring them to reinstate the relevant land to the condition it was before the project was commenced.
Details of proposals submitted for screening can be viewed on the public register maintained under regulation 7(7) (b) of the 2006 Regulations on the Scottish Government website at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Agriculture/Environment/16808/Publicregister/publicregister.
It was last updated on 10 April 2008.
Rural Payments and Inspection Directorate (RPID) are responsible for the day-to-day operation of the regulations. It is for land managers to ensure that their farming actions comply with the regulations. RPID will offer advice and guidance on whether proposals fall within the scope of the regulations. An offence only occurs if works are covered by the regulations and the requirements of the regulations are not complied with. The regulations provide for powers of entry and inspection of land for the purposes of determining whether an offence under the regulations has occurred. Provision is also available to serve a stop notice to ensure that unauthorised works are stopped with immediate effect. The Scottish ministers may also serve a reinstatement notice upon persons responsible for committing an offence under the regulations requiring them to reinstate the relevant land to the condition it was before the project was commenced.
Details of proposals submitted for screening can be viewed on the public register maintained under regulation 7(7) (b) of the 2006 Regulations on the Scottish Government website at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Agriculture/Environment/16808/Publicregister/publicregister.
It was last updated on 10 April 2008.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S3W-11580 by reference.