Representatives of the Paper Federation have met with members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) to promote the industrys interests in light of any legislation introduced by the Water Framework Directive.

Under the directive member states will have to identify all river basins and set up monitoring authorities by December 2003 and tackle pollution. The Scottish Parliament, which will decide on how the directive is incorporated into Scottish law, is currently inviting counsel from interested parties.

Paper Federation director of business and public affairs Graham Barnard said 30 MSPs had met representatives of the industry and that the consultation process was on-going.

"The paper industry does a huge amount to limit its impact on the environment, over recent years it has invested massively. Scotland is very important to the Paper Federation as it produces about a third of the UKs paper," said Barnard.

The Scottish paper industry had prior to recently-announced mill closures an annual turnover of 725m and employed 5,000 people directly.

Barnard added that Helen Eadie MSP, who has Inveresks Caldwells Mill in her constituency, had been instrumental in forging closer relations between the Scottish Parliament and the industry as a whole.

Eadie said: "The fact that many MSPs represent constituencies and areas where there are no paper mills demonstrates the widespread concern that exists."

Tullis Russell Papermakers managing director Don Munro said the industry already acted in a responsible manner. But he warned: "Price rises in wholesale gas have led mills to put on hold plans to invest in combined heat and power plants."

Story by John Davies