麻豆传媒

The government has agreed to give the Scottish Environment Protection Agency
(SEPA) an extra 拢2.5 million to stave off a crippling financial crisis.
Four months ago, SEPA was forced to make drastic cuts in monitoring pollution
around factories in order to meet an unexpected 拢3 million VAT bill
(This Week, 26 April, p 5).
The Scottish environment minister, Lord Sewel, says that
increasing the agency鈥檚 budget by 12 per cent this year will enable it to meet
its statutory obligations. SEPA welcomed the money, but said that cutbacks it
introduced earlier in the year鈥攊ncluding a jobs freeze and fewer
inspections鈥攚ould remain. According to one insider, the agency had to
promise to 鈥渟top whingeing鈥� in return for the cash.