RESPONSIBILITIES
Throughout the WFD implementation programme the Scottish Government's overarching aim is to establish a framework within which an appropriate balance can be struck between the protection of the water environment and its use for the purposes of sustainable social and economic development. In order to achieve this balance in the most effective and constructive way possible, the Government believes it is essential that WFD principles are embedded in all relevant policy and regulatory areas. For example, those relating to energy, public water supply, transport, land-use planning, fisheries, enterprise, recreation and tourism, marine and agriculture. Ministers issued a policy statement setting out their aim of promoting such an integrated approach in 2008.
The Government has achieved this integration in two key ways:
Scottish Ministers
Scottish Ministers have the power to specify any piece of legislation as a WEWS Relevant Enactment, where that legislation gives statutory functions to the Scottish Ministers and/or SEPA, and those functions are relevant to the water environment. Both parties are required to exercise their functions under the relevant enactments to comply with the requirements of the WFD, to achieve its aims and objectives; and identified relevant enactments during 2008.
Responsible Authorities
WEWS has provision for the Scottish Ministers to designate public bodies as Responsible Authorities (RAs). The key purposes of designation is to ensure that these public bodies:
- have the aims of the WFD in mind when carrying out their normal statutory functions
- work collaboratively from the earliest stages of planning developments or activities which may have an impact on Scotland's water environment
· have a clear role in developing and implementing Scottish River Basin Management Plans.
Ministers issued a policy statement in 2006 describing the role of responsible authorities; and a Designation Order was made in respect of the following bodies: Local Authorities, Scottish Water, Scottish Natural Heritage, National Parks Authorities, Forestry Commission (Scotland), District Salmon Fishery Boards, British Waterways, Fisheries Committee.
This Designation Order was subsequently updated in 2008, as part of the integrated approach described above.
SEPA also have responsibilities in relation to the River Basin Management Planning Framework.