Chamber and committees

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) has supported the Scottish Government in the development of the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy (SBS) and Delivery Plan, through participation in official working groups ran by the Environment and Forestry Directorate.

FLS provided written evidence to Scottish Forestry officials on forest policy related actions which subsequently fed into the SBS.

FLS are now discussing internally how to support delivery of the Biodiversity Actions which will be summarised in their next corporate plan.

As Scotland’s largest manager of wild deer FLS provided practitioner input to the development of the SBS reflecting the critical dependency for SBS outcomes to be enabled by proactive deer management by all land managers.

The following table shows the number of cases closed during the past 5 financial years which were time barred on receipt of report by COPFS. Each case may comprise multiple accused and a variety of charges. To ascertain case type would require a manual check of each report. This information is not readily available.

Criminal cases reported to COPFS

Count is cases closed using the marking - 'No Action: Timebarred On Receipt'

Grouped by financial year case closed

count is by case

Financial year closed

As promised in the Scottish Parliament debate on Young Carers Action Day on 14 March 2024, I have tasked my officials with looking at the feasibility of the Scottish Government committing to the Young Carer Covenant. The Covenant’s overarching principles are cross policy in nature, and touch on many aspects of the Scottish Government work.

This work is ongoing. I will write to the member to advise her of the outcome.

This data is not held centrally.

The latest data on people living with HIV in Scotland and not attending for HIV treatment and care can be found in Public Health Scotland’s HIV in Scotland surveillance report, which is available at: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/hiv-in-scotland/hiv-in-scotland-update-to-31-december-2023/.

It is important to note that changes to service delivery during and since the COVID-19 pandemic mean that the reported proportion of diagnosed individuals receiving treatment may be an under-estimate and work is underway to ensure the accuracy of this reporting.

Through our HIV Transmission Elimination Delivery Plan, we are working with partners including the third sector to ensure that people living with HIV are receiving the treatment, care and support they need. Through our Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults we are also funding a number of projects offering peer support and practical assistance which can help people living with HIV to stay well and engage or re-engage in care.

The Scottish Animal Welfare Commission has been asked to look at aversive devices training devices and is expected to report in the near future. A Review of electric shock collars is also underway as part of the wider review of the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act 2020, due to report by 1 April 2025.

The Scottish Government will carefully consider the recommendations from SAWC and the Review before deciding how to proceed.

Following the collapse of a school roof in 2018, the Standing Committee on Structural Safety (SCOSS), alerted NHS Scotland Assure to the issue and the following steps were then taken:

• May 2019 - The Standing Committee on Structural Safety (SCOSS), alerted Health Facilities Scotland (HFS) to the issue in May 2019, this was circulated to NHS Scotland
• February 2020 – paper presented by NHS Scotland Assure to the NHS Strategic Facilities Group outlining a proposal for identifying and managing RAAC across the NHS estate
• May 2021 – NHS Assure gather a local assessment of RAAC from each local NHS Board, and conclude that a national survey programme would be best;
• November 2022 – a lead adviser is appointed and the desktop survey programme starts.
• December 2022 – NHS Scotland Assure commissioned a survey team to establish the extent of RAAC across the NHS Scotland Estate and the condition it is in.
• January 2023 – Desktop review begins
• July 2023 – Phase 1 Discovery survey work begins
• April 2024 – Discovery survey programme complete (except for several revisits and several later additions)
• May 2024 – three pilot detailed surveys commissioned to inform a programme to undertake a detailed survey of all buildings with RAAC in the NHS Estate.
• June 2024 – two pilot detailed surveys completed to inform a Phase 2 Survey Programme
• October 2024 – Scottish Government commissioned an Annual Inspection Programme to complete annual re visits required during the 2024/25 financial year
• November 2024 – Annual Inspection Programme commenced
• November 2024 – procurement of a Phase 2 Survey Programme

It is the NHS Boards responsibility for any actions identified in the Survey reports to be undertaken timeously.

There is no correlation between sportscotland’s voluntary severance scheme and the Changing the Boundaries report and independent referrals investigation.

The referrals process underlined the failings of the governing body over recent years, and Cricket Scotland, having fully accepted all actions and recommendations for improvement, is committed to delivering on those. We recognise the progress that has been made and sportscotland is providing continued support to Cricket Scotland to ensure the sport can move forward with confidence.

sportscotland is not making staff redundant. Their severance scheme is a voluntary scheme and it is an individual’s choice if they wish to apply. The scheme is intended to mitigate financial challenges facing the sector including the unprecedented levels of inflation experienced over the past 3-4 years, and the UK Government’s planned increase in employer national insurance contributions. The severance scheme will enable sportscotland to maximise the impact of investment in sport and physical activity.

The Scottish Government is greatly concerned by the UK Government’s planned increase in Employer National Insurance Contributions and the damaging implications for businesses, public services, and communities. We are calling on the UK Government to reverse the planned increase.

The Scottish Funding Council’s University Upskilling Fund was introduced in 2019. The total spend across the Fund’s operational period from 2019-2024 was £33,672,015.

The pilot surveys' purpose was to prove the methodology proposed to be adopted in the more detailed Phase 2 survey programme.

The pilots utilise point cloud technology which creates a digital representation of the area being assessed. This method provides an accurate and detailed picture of the structure's shape and dimensions, including identifying any areas of deflection, sagging, or damage that are not visible to a visual inspection. By comparing point clouds captured at different times, surveyors can monitor any changes in the condition of the RAAC structure over time. This is particularly important for NHS sites, as we will likely be using these sites for many years to come and we want to minimise the time and disruption of each survey.

The result of the point cloud surveys inform the location of intrusive surveys required by the surveying Structural Engineer. Once access has been provide in the required locations the surveying Structural Engineer will conduct their detailed surveys and provide a report on the observations.

Two of these pilot surveys were completed, the third has had a Point Cloud completed but requires a follow-up survey. The two completed Pilot surveys satisfactorily proved the methodology which has been adopted in the procurement of the full Phase 2 survey programme. In the two completed Pilot surveys the Structural Engineers Report has identified remedial actions but nothing critical.