Chamber and committees

Scottish Water publishes an annual update to its Urban Waters Route Map and the most recent update from December 2022 is available on its website at https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/-/media/ScottishWater/Document-Hub/Key-Publications/Urban-Water-Improvements/141222IUW22AnnualUpdateV22.pdf

In its December 2022 update, Scottish Water confirmed that 54 projects have been initiated to develop solutions and support delivery of all high priority discharges by 2027. Following discussions with SEPA, some initially identified needs have been removed/downgraded. Scottish Water intends to target investment towards a revised list of 104 high priority CSO discharges (detailed on its website at https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/-/media/ScottishWater/Document-Hub/Key-Publications/Urban-Water-Improvements/110522HighPriorityUIDs.pdf ); this includes 24 storm overflows which have been assessed as potentially impacting water quality. Scottish Water has also initiated projects and is scrutinising options to enable improvement works to be delivered at 39 identified waste water treatment works.

Scottish Water’s capital investment projects involve a significant period of development work, including identifying options, determining costs and completing all land, planning and permitting activities in advance of delivering any scheme on site. The projects identified in the routemap will develop over the next two years, in line with Scottish Water’s capital investment process, to the point where clear timescales for improvements can be agreed. It is anticipated that the majority of improvements will be in place closer to the 2027 target timeframe, but Scottish Water will review all opportunities to deliver improvements in the shortest possible timeframe, where possible. Scottish Water will continue to provide annual updates on its website to outline progress being made in delivering commitments under its Improving Urban Waters Route Map.

As referenced in the answer to S6W-15157 on 13 March 2023, in its annual update to its routemap, Scottish Water confirmed that priority locations have been identified for the 1,000 spill monitors, with installation programmed over 2023 and 2024. Over the past year, Scottish Water has invested significant time in developing a prioritisation approach for monitoring locations, based on amenity levels and predicted spill frequencies, and agreed this with SEPA. This has been published on Scottish Water’s website at https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/-/media/ScottishWater/Document-Hub/Key-Publications/Urban-Water-Improvements/EDMmethodology.pdf . Scottish Water has also made considerable effort to review the marketplace to determine the most appropriate monitors to deliver maximum value for customers. A priority list of locations will soon be available on Scottish Water’s website and Scottish Water has committed to providing an annual update on its website to outline progress being made in delivering commitments under its Improving Urban Waters Route Map.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

The average time to onboard a patient to a homecare service varies by homecare provider. Within the Service Level Agreements with the homecare providers, a minimum of 5 business days is required between the provider receiving the registration documents and prescription for the patient and first delivery. Delivery may take slightly longer to areas of the Highlands and Islands due to the remoteness of the locations, although this varies by homecare provider. If treatment is required to be started more urgently than the homecare provider can deliver, then initial supplies can be made locally to patients through hospital pharmacies before the homecare service is set up.

We will publish an update on each of the accepted Deer Working Group recommendations, alongside minutes from the December meeting of the Deer Management Strategic Board shortly. This will be available, alongside minutes of previous meetings, on the Board’s webpages here: Deer Management Strategic Board - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

Delivery of a permanent and resilient solution to the landslip risks at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful is a priority and we continue to seek ways to achieve that as quickly as possible, noting that all of the options require complex civil engineering.

Transport Scotland continues to take forward the necessary design and assessment work at pace with a view to announcing a preferred route option this Spring. Following this further detailed design and assessment work on the preferred option, including an Environmental Impact Assessment, is required before we can complete the necessary statutory planning process to allow any land to be acquired and the project constructed.

Delivery of the long-term solution can only commence if it is approved under the relevant statutory planning process and thereafter a timetable for its progress can be set. We will continue to progress the necessary design work as a priority with a view to commencing work on the ground during the current parliamentary term subject to timely completion of the statutory process.

We are dutybound to properly follow the correct statutory planning process which rightly includes consultation with communities, landowners and others with a direct interest in the scheme. However, Transport Scotland continues to explore methods to reduce the timescales of each stage of the project, where possible, and progress work at pace on this essential project.

Scottish Government is aware of recent difficulties experienced by some homecare providers. NHS National Procurement in partnership with Health Boards have worked closely with the homecare providers to improve service performance. All homecare providers are now demonstrating improved service levels.

Medicines homecare providers must demonstrate that they can meet the standards for registered pharmacies set by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). The standards are designed to create and maintain the right environment for the safe and effective practice of pharmacy and to improve the quality and safety of services provided to patients and the public. The GPhC inspect registered pharmacies to seek assurances that the standards are being met. Depending on the range of services provided, medicines homecare providers may also be registered with additional regulators such as the Care Inspectorate and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

The Scottish Government have not undertaken any assessment on the effects of inflation specifically within the medicines homecare service. Like a number of sectors, homecare providers have experienced challenges in recruitment and retention of staff, which has been one of the drivers of the service problems.

Scottish Forestry is the Scottish Government agency responsible for regulating forestry activities and leads on unauthorised felling.

Scottish Forestry does not routinely discuss unauthorised felling with the bodies listed.

Unauthorised tree felling may be discussed with them on a case by case basis if required, for example:

• Police Scotland can be requested by Scottish Forestry to assist with unauthorised felling where suspects refuse to be interviewed under caution or where a wildlife crime is suspected.
• NatureScot is an agency within Scottish Government advising on the natural environment, but plays no part in the delivery of felling regulations. NatureScot maybe be engaged in the process if the site is home to a protected species.

When Scottish Forestry receive a report of suspected unauthorised felling, investigations, including site visits and evidence gathering is then carried out.

When investigations conclude that it is likely that unauthorised felling has occurred, Scottish Ministers have a range of powers available to achieve a positive outcome. The priority is normally to secure the replanting of the site and protection of the woodland. The most appropriate action is often to issue a restocking notice to secure the replanting of the site.

Prosecution is considered in each case where unauthorised felling has taken place. A range of factors, such as the seriousness of the impact and whether there were aggravating circumstances are taken into account when considering whether to pursue a prosecution. The final decision on whether to pursue a case to prosecution lies with the Procurator Fiscal and not with Scottish Ministers. Where replanting has been secured and the woodland has been protected it is often concluded not to be in the public interest to pursue a prosecution.

Prior to April 2019, when the Forest and Land Management Scotland Act 2018 was enacted, prosecutions were required in order to secure a restocking notice. Since April 2019 Scottish Forestry have greater powers and so are able to secure the restocking of a site by issuing Restocking Directions.

Scottish Forestry have issued 36 Restocking Directions for unauthorised felling from April 2019 to the year end 2020-21.