Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government appreciates the wide interest shown from across society in Draft National Planning Framework 4. The detailed responses received through the Parliamentary scrutiny process and the public consultation are currently being considered. Once the analysis of responses is complete, we will be able to assess the scale of change required to produce a final NPF4. At that point, an update on the forward timetable will be provided.

We are currently working with the NHS to consider a national occupational health improvement strategy for Scotland.

While this work is carried out, we continue to complement the wellbeing support available at a local level through our national wellbeing resources. These include the National Wellbeing Hub, a 24/7 National Wellbeing Helpline, confidential mental health treatment through the Workforce Specialist Service and funding for additional local psychological support.

We are also providing further support for practical measures to aid rest and recuperation alongside additional resources such as Coaching for Wellbeing and grief and bereavement support.

There are currently no plans to recommission the Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Attitude Survey (SALSUS).Over the past 4 years, the Scottish Government has been working with local authorities in developing a Health and Wellbeing Census.This Census is currently underway in Scottish schools and contains some key, high-level data which were previously collected in SALSUS.This includes questions on e-cigarettes, with both S2 and S4 pupils being asked about their frequency of use of these products. An additional question on usage and where these products were purchased is also asked of S4 pupils.

Results from the 2021-22 HWC are expected to be published towards the end of 2022.

The Scottish Government is focussed on delivering the commitments set out in our NHS Recovery Plan, published in August 2021.

With regard to cataracts, the Scottish Government is working with Health Boards to undertake additional pre-assessment clinics to assess those patients referred for consideration of surgery. In tandem, Boards are implementing new and more efficient ways of working, including virtual appointments and via telephone to prevent unnecessary visits and travel to hospitals.

The independent sector is also supporting additional cataract surgeries across a number of Health Board areas. In particular, over 3,500 additional surgeries were undertaken by the Independent Sector at NHS Golden Jubilee (NHSGJ) in 21-22, and will continue to deliver an additional 1,000 surgeries in 22-23. Plans are also in place to enable a number of Boards to utilise available capacity at NHSGJ using their own surgeons, who will undertake cataract surgery at the facility. This will allow patients access to treatment more quickly, as well as offering opportunities for training junior surgeons.

The Centre of Sustainable Delivery has been commissioned to support surgical teams across NHSScotland to implement the guidance issued by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists. This will increase efficiency and productivity across cataract-only surgical sessions, and high-volume surgery in cataract treatment centres.

We are working closely with Boards to finalise planned care activity plans, including for orthopaedics, for 2022-23 which will be critical to stabilising and improving our health and social care system in the medium term.

The National Treatment Centre (NTC) Programme will deliver the single biggest increase in protected planned care capacity ever created in NHS Scotland. The network of 10 NTCs, will deliver capacity for over 40,000 additional planned procedures and diagnostic care across 12 specialities. Within the next 18 months, NTCs will open in NHS Fife, NHS Forth Valley, NHS Highland and at NHS Golden Jubilee specialising in orthopaedic surgery. On 13 April, we also announced £1.8m of funding to purchase a private hospital in Ayrshire (Carrick Glen) to be developed into a new National Treatment Centre specialising in orthopaedics.

As well as significant investment in new infrastructure, the new NHSScotland Centre for Sustainable Delivery is also leading work to explore new and innovative ideas to reduce In Patient / Day Case and Outpatient waiting times. Examples include:

• The rollout of Active Clinical Referral Triage, to provide patients with information about non-surgical interventions and self-management options;
• Patient Initiated Reviews, enabling patients to be escalated if their condition deteriorates and reduces routine appointments while supporting patients in a safe and clinically appropriate manner; and
• Enhanced Recovery after Surgery pathways, designed to support patients achieve faster recovery after surgery.

Anyone, of any age, who displays signs or symptoms of breast cancer should report concerns to their GP. Should further investigation be required, which can include a lump in breast tissue, this would be referred through the symptomatic service, and not directed to the Scottish Breast Screening Programme. There are no plans to change this.

The UK National Screening Committee, an independent scientific body that advises all four UK nations on screening, currently recommends that women between the ages of 50 and 70 are invited for three yearly routine breast screening because there is clear evidence of benefit from screening women of that age group. The UK NSC does not recommend that women over 71 are invited for breast screening.

While programme capacity remains challenging due to COVID-19, there remains a pause on self-referrals for those over the age of 71 in order to allow appointments to be prioritised for the recommended screening population. However, in recognition of the anxiety that the pause on self-referrals is causing, work is underway with the National Screening Oversight and the Scottish Breast Screening Programme Board to explore ways to restart the self-referral route by Autumn 2022, in a way that does not unduly impact on screening of the eligible cohort, and with a number of factors being worked through.

We continue to emphasise that, regardless of their age, women should remain symptom aware and report any concerns to their GP immediately for these to be investigated and followed up as appropriate. The pause on the self-referral option has never altered this position.

The Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) has carried out extensive consultation on the draft National Park Partnership Plan (NPPP), which was supported by extensive evidence papers and a Strategic Environmental Assessment. The consultation process generated 1400 responses (the largest ever response to a Park Plan consultation). Fifty percent of the responses came from people in the Park, with over 10% of responses from land managers. The CNPA board is currently reviewing the consultation responses and considering what changes need to be made to the draft plan in response to this consultation.

The Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan sets out a bold vision to restore nature in the Park, tackle the climate emergency and build a wellbeing economy that works for all the people of the Cairngorms. The Plan will create significant opportunities for those working in the land management sector, as well as additional jobs in environmental restoration and management, including, for example, peatland restoration, river restoration, species management, and habitat enhancement.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the percentage of profits that are paid out from community benefits from onshore or offshore wind energy projects.

Our updated Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Onshore Renewable Energy Developments (2019) continues to promote community benefits at a national level, equivalent to £5k per installed MW per annum index linked for the operational lifetime of the development.

To aid transparency in the community benefits process, the Scottish Government established a voluntary Community Benefits Register, maintained by Local Energy Scotland. According to the Register, as at March end 2022:

• Offshore Wind Community Benefits over the previous 12 months was £149,999.80, representing 0.7% of the total sum of Community Benefits paid across all renewable technology projects and;
• Onshore Wind Community Benefits over the previous 12 months was £22,412,274.49, representing 98% of the total sum of Community Benefits across all renewable technology projects.

Through the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) delivered by Local Energy Scotland on the Scottish Government’s behalf, £14.48 million has been invested since 2011 to support 197 community, locally owned and shared ownership onshore wind projects. The applicant data recorded for the scheme does not allow a straightforward assessment of applicants' organisational structure. However, based on their experience working to support the community energy sector, Local Energy Scotland estimate that the number of projects owned by a bona-fide cooperative is likely to be a very small percentage of the total.

Through the Energy Investment Fund (EIF), delivered by Scottish Enterprise, on the Scottish Government’s behalf £23.1 million has been invested in community, locally owned and shared ownership of onshore wind projects. No cooperatively owned onshore wind projects have been supported through EIF. The Fund closed on the 31 March 2022.

There has been no investment through CARES or EIF in cooperatively owned offshore wind energy projects.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information broken down by referral type.

Crown Estate Scotland manage leasing of the Scottish seabed, and we will ask their Chief Executive to write to you directly with this information.

This information is not held centrally for onshore wind projects however the Scottish Government continue to be encouraged by the onshore and offshore wind industries' commitment to developing on Scottish land and in Scottish waters and are aware of some developers establishing headquarters and/or additional offices located in Scotland.

Scottish Renewables, as the renewable industry representative body in Scotland, hold a directory of their members, which may be useful in collating this information. The Scottish Government would also suggest that further detail could be obtained by contacting Scottish Renewables directly.