To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to announce what action it will take as a result of its consultation on the enforcement of environmental law. (S2O-12486)

The consultation period closed at the end of February. Responses are being collated and will be published on the Executive's website. A report will be published by the summer and ministers will thereafter consider what further action to take.

I thank the minister for that useful answer. As regards criminal law, what comment will the minister make on whether environmental procurators fiscal will be better resourced in the future? On the civil side, will the Executive revisit consideration of a court for civil and administrative matters rather than for criminal matters, as it says in the consultation?

It will not surprise Mark Ruskell to hear that we have a consultation specifically to gain views on matters such as those. The whole purpose of having a consultation is to gather views, to consider them carefully and then to lay out a way forward. It will be for a future Administration to decide on the appropriate way forward, but I want us to look closely at the results of the consultation and to consider all the points, which Parliament will have a future opportunity to debate.

Question 8 is withdrawn.