River basin management planning in the Solway Tweed river basin district: guidance

Ministerial Foreword

The EU Water Framework Directive establishes new and better ways of protecting and improving the water environment. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Environment Agency (England and Wales) are required to work jointly to produce and implement a River Basin Management Plan for the Solway Tweed River Basin District.

To support this requirement for joint working, the Scottish and English Ministers are issuing this guidance to the Agencies. This sets out our expectations in relation to the key steps of the river basin management planning process, and the requirements for the Agencies to co-ordinate functions, recognising the different legislative and policy frameworks in Scotland and England, and sets out the associated approval processes.

Michael Russell
Minister for Environment