Minister ‘disappointed’ at new Marine Bill
Environment Minister Richard Lochhead expressed his "disappointment" yesterday that a UK Marine Bill announced at Westminster proposed no further devolution of powers.
Pledging to raise the issue with his Westminster counterparts, he said the Scottish Parliament had already backed demands by the Scottish Government, the fishing industry and conservationists that control of the marine environment 12 to 200 nautical miles off-shore be devolved to Scotland.
Responding to the UK Marine Bill which proposes that control be reserved to Westminster, Mr Lochhead said: "Anyone who cares about our marine environment will be delighted that governments north and south of the border are preparing improved management of our seas.
"We are disappointed that the UK Government has not used the opportunity to accept the case for any new powers relating to devolved matters and offshore marine conservation measures to be the part of the Scottish Marine Bill."
He said we had "a cluttered and complex marine management system in Scotland with far too many pieces of legislation" and said that Holyrood had united behind Scotland having more responsibilities over the marine environment.
"Reclaiming control over Scotland's seas will help safeguard their future," he said. "As it currently stands the UK Marine Bill does not take into account the distinctive marine environment of the seas around Scotland."
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Posted by: Sierra Foothills Scot, California on 11:42pm Thu 3 Apr 08
Mr Lochhead should have used more forceful language.
Mr Lochhead should have used more forceful language.
Posted by: subrosa on 12:15am Fri 4 Apr 08
Why is it every headline concerning the Scottish government in this paper uses quotation marks?
Wednesday we had "Scotland now 'like US colonies in the 1770s'", today there's this one and ‘Dithering’ over carbon capture plan. Very poor standard of writing it is. Bad writers use it because they don't bother to find out the real facts most of the time.
I agree Sierra, Richard Lochead should get tougher.
Why is it every headline concerning the Scottish government in this paper uses quotation marks?
Wednesday we had "Scotland now 'like US colonies in the 1770s'", today there's this one and ‘Dithering’ over carbon capture plan. Very poor standard of writing it is. Bad writers use it because they don't bother to find out the real facts most of the time.
I agree Sierra, Richard Lochead should get tougher.
Posted by: Kinghob, Scotland on 1:31am Fri 4 Apr 08
[quote]Responding to the UK Marine Bill which proposes that control be reserved to Westminster, Mr Lochhead said: "Anyone who cares about our marine environment will be delighted that governments north and south of the border are preparing improved management of our seas.
"We are disappointed that the UK Government has not used the opportunity to accept the case for any new powers relating to devolved matters and offshore marine conservation measures to be the part of the Scottish Marine Bill."[/quote]
Good intentions, but [bold]we'll[/bold] control Scotland's waters from Whitehall in London, even though it makes no geographical sense or even a sense of political incentive to improve things for Scotland's fishing industry.
Responding to the UK Marine Bill which proposes that control be reserved to Westminster, Mr Lochhead said: "Anyone who cares about our marine environment will be delighted that governments north and south of the border are preparing improved management of our seas.
"We are disappointed that the UK Government has not used the opportunity to accept the case for any new powers relating to devolved matters and offshore marine conservation measures to be the part of the Scottish Marine Bill."
Good intentions, but
we'll control Scotland's waters from Whitehall in London, even though it makes no geographical sense or even a sense of political incentive to improve things for Scotland's fishing industry.
Posted by: Mike, Edinburgh on 6:10am Fri 4 Apr 08
Brown and his traitors just dont get it. Everytime they say they know best, another grey hair appears in Browns eyebrows.
Get out of MY Country and MY Seas, I do not want a foreign country telling me what to do with MY Property, or how to look after MY Seas.
Come on Scotland, your sons and daughters are just waiting for you to say the word.
Brown and his traitors just dont get it. Everytime they say they know best, another grey hair appears in Browns eyebrows.
Get out of MY Country and MY Seas, I do not want a foreign country telling me what to do with MY Property, or how to look after MY Seas.
Come on Scotland, your sons and daughters are just waiting for you to say the word.
Posted by: oldmack, Scotland on 6:24am Fri 4 Apr 08
Oh! Come on folks, London considering Scotland you must be joking,
London has never considered Scotland to my knowledge for the past 70 years; unless it was to use it as an experimental exercise.
Remember Gruinard Island; remember the Poll tax, and everything in between.
When Scotland decided to elect the SNP into Government it was the death knell for Scotland as far as Gordon Brown and the civil service.
The McCrone report, the Nuclear hulks rusting away in Rosyth, the attempts that are now being brought forward to return to London control from Scotland that were ok to devolve 10 years ago.
Keep asking yourselves WHY, in everything that this London Government does WHY.
Did Gordon Brown never read “Scotch on the Rocks” I would have thought it was required reading for all politicians in London, it was written by a Tory Minister in Office as a warning as to what was going to happen in these islands.
Oh! Come on folks, London considering Scotland you must be joking,
London has never considered Scotland to my knowledge for the past 70 years; unless it was to use it as an experimental exercise.
Remember Gruinard Island; remember the Poll tax, and everything in between.
When Scotland decided to elect the SNP into Government it was the death knell for Scotland as far as Gordon Brown and the civil service.
The McCrone report, the Nuclear hulks rusting away in Rosyth, the attempts that are now being brought forward to return to London control from Scotland that were ok to devolve 10 years ago.
Keep asking yourselves WHY, in everything that this London Government does WHY.
Did Gordon Brown never read “Scotch on the Rocks” I would have thought it was required reading for all politicians in London, it was written by a Tory Minister in Office as a warning as to what was going to happen in these islands.
Posted by: Politically-incorrec
t Man, Glasgow on 10:07am Fri 4 Apr 08
[quote]Environment Minister Richard Lochhead expressed his "disappointment" yesterday that a UK Marine Bill [/quote]
Was he expecting the one from the " Village People"
All together now.....
YMCA its fun at the YMCA.......
Environment Minister Richard Lochhead expressed his "disappointment" yesterday that a UK Marine Bill
Was he expecting the one from the " Village People"
All together now.....
YMCA its fun at the YMCA.......
Posted by: Ann Allan, Dundee on 12:18pm Fri 4 Apr 08
As usual the London Government cannot see that they are distroying Scotland but when they do they will say to the SNP it's all yours now we have taken all we can and ruined your country. No matter what Ritchard Lochhead said they will never listen as he is a SNP Minister and they don't like it as they don't like Alex Salmond, Nicola Sturgean, John Swinney etc.
As usual the London Government cannot see that they are distroying Scotland but when they do they will say to the SNP it's all yours now we have taken all we can and ruined your country. No matter what Ritchard Lochhead said they will never listen as he is a SNP Minister and they don't like it as they don't like Alex Salmond, Nicola Sturgean, John Swinney etc.
Posted by: allymax, yuk on 4:44pm Fri 4 Apr 08
"Truth is, I thought it mattered, I thought music mattered, well does it boll*cks; not compared to how people matter". John Prescott getting a dreichin from Chumbawumba at the music awards, (also on the record).
So why do the people matter John? Is it becuase you can fleece the people and not get a dreichin?
We'll be singing, when your wringing.
allymax.
"Truth is, I thought it mattered, I thought music mattered, well does it boll*cks; not compared to how people matter". John Prescott getting a dreichin from Chumbawumba at the music awards, (also on the record).
So why do the people matter John? Is it becuase you can fleece the people and not get a dreichin?
We'll be singing, when your wringing.
allymax.
Posted by: allymax, yuk on 4:44pm Fri 4 Apr 08
"Truth is, I thought it mattered, I thought music mattered, well does it boll*cks; not compared to how people matter". John Prescott getting a dreichin from Chumbawumba at the music awards, (also on the record).
So why do the people matter John? Is it becuase you can fleece the people and not get a dreichin?
We'll be singing, when your wringing.
allymax.
"Truth is, I thought it mattered, I thought music mattered, well does it boll*cks; not compared to how people matter". John Prescott getting a dreichin from Chumbawumba at the music awards, (also on the record).
So why do the people matter John? Is it becuase you can fleece the people and not get a dreichin?
We'll be singing, when your wringing.
allymax.
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