Education Scotland, the national education agency, promotes the benefits of outdoor learning by sharing a range of resources, guidance and case studies via their new Learning for Sustainability webpage and by facilitating peer-to-peer learning through the Learning for Sustainability mentors’ network. The Scottish Government also provides funding to the Scottish Advisory Panel for Outdoor Education to maintain and update its “Going Out There” website which provides a range of toolkits, risk assessment guidance and online learning.

Outdoor learning features strongly in the government’s Learning for Sustainability Action Plan. As part of that plan, a dedicated outdoor learning national working group has been considering further ways to support and promote outdoor learning. The group will provide its final report and recommendations to Ministers later this year.

In relation to access to green spaces in schools, the £2bn Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) is being delivered in partnership with local authorities and will benefit tens of thousands of pupils across Scotland. Through the LEIP, projects are encouraged to maximise the use of the outdoor environment for learning, social activities and recreation.

This application was notified to Scottish Ministers on 18 June 2025, as Glasgow City Council is minded to approve it against the advice of Historic Environment Scotland. Ministers have an initial 28-day period from the date of notification to consider whether to clear the application back to the Council or to call it in for their own determination. It would not be appropriate to comment further, while this matter is under consideration.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

SPS have proactively shared the data analysis for those released under the early release scheme between February and March 2025, and the full breakdown can be accessed on our website here Data, Research and Evidence | Scottish Prison Service.

The offence categories analysed were in line with Scottish Governments official Index Offence statistics. There were 152 individuals released during this process with offences within the Nonsexual crimes of violence category.

The Scottish Government does not hold data on the number of individuals detained in police custody under place of safety orders. This data is collected and held by Police Scotland.

The Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 introduces new requirements including the publication of a Rural Support Plan and a Code of Practice on Sustainable and Regenerative Agriculture. The Code must be published within 1 year of section 29 being commenced and will follow the launch of the Rural Support Plan. A preliminary version of the Code of Practice on Sustainable and Regenerative Agriculture which has been co-developed with the industry was launched on 19th June at the Royal Highland Show.

This is an opportunity to gather real world feedback from the industry which will be taken into consideration for the next iteration.

Scottish Government and NatureScot have engaged with a range of parties interested in taking part in the pilot. However, Scottish Government and NatureScot have not at this stage sought formal expressions of interest.

The recently published Strategic Approach of the Islands Connectivity Plan sets Accessibility as one of four priorities for future ferry services and identifies a number of actions to support the delivery of this priority, including development of a Ferries Accessibility Standard and reopening of the Ferries Accessibility Fund.

Carbon Contracts are to be piloted as part of the Peatland ACTON programme. All projects will be required to meet Peatland ACTION quality criteria. Scottish Government has not undertaken modelling to estimate the exact impact of the Carbon Contracts pilot on levels of peatland restoration and CO2 emissions reductions. The pilot itself will play a key role in assessing the potential impact of the Carbon Contracts mechanism on rates of peatland restoration.

As set out in the answer to question S6W-38860 on 1 July 2025, the Scottish Government recognises that widening access into nursing and midwifery programmes is important to grow the number of nurses and midwives in our health and social care workforce. That is why we value the important role colleges play in widening access for students into higher education and into health professions.

The Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce set out a number of recommended actions which are being progressed at pace to develop alternative entry routes and consider the barriers and enablers to attracting students to nursing and midwifery professions. This includes, work on improving the existing Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Healthcare Practice for Nursing and the development of a HNC for Maternity which will more consistently support entry into Year 1 of Nursing and Midwifery degree programmes, and direct articulation into Year 2 Nursing degree programmes. This will be progressed in collaboration with identified higher education institutions.

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.

I refer the member to the answer to questions S6W-35362 and S6W-35361 on 24 June 2025. 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.