Chamber and committees

Applications relating to the construction and/or operation of a generating station which may require section 36 consent, are considered on a case-by-case basis in line with legislation, which includes the Electricity Act 1989, and in some cases, the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017. The benefits and impacts of any proposal, such as they are material to an application, are particular to each case.

The Energy Consents Unit continually assess how the application process can be made more efficient and effective. The proposed reforms have been identified through these efforts as ways in which the process could be streamlined and modernised.

Resourcing requirements for the Energy Consents Unit are kept under continued review. The unit has recently increased its staffing resource in response to increased application volumes.

The Human Medicines (Amendment) Regulations 2017 allows schools across the United Kingdom, including independent schools, to buy and hold spare adrenaline auto-injector (AAI) devices without the need for a prescription to treat anaphylaxis in schools in emergency situations where a pupil’s own prescribed device is either not working correctly, or is otherwise unavailable.

We published guidance on supporting children and young people with healthcare needs in schools in December 2017. Information on support for pupils at risk of anaphylaxis is covered within Annex B of this guidance.

The Scottish Government provides funding to local authorities through a block grant. It is the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them, including on providing AAI devices to schools, on the basis of local needs and priorities.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-31455 on 4 December 2024. 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

NatureScot are a key stakeholder in the consenting process.

The ‘Verity House Agreement’ and the ‘New Deal for Business’ have set out how the Scottish Government intends to work collaboratively with local authorities and others to deliver a just transition to net zero.

The reform process launched by this consultation creates an opportunity to re-set the expectations on the bodies providing essential support to the application process, taking account of their views, suggestions and their specific circumstances.

Given the range of stakeholders affected by the proposed reform to the consenting process, both governments agreed that a public consultation was essential ahead of any legislation.

Designing any monitoring and evaluation mechanism at this time would be pre-empt responses received and their impact on any final changes that are implemented.

Given the range of stakeholders affected by the proposed reform to the consenting process, both governments agreed that a public consultation was essential ahead of any legislation.

Designing any monitoring and evaluation mechanism at this time would be pre-empt responses received and their impact on any actual changes that may be implemented.

Scottish Ministers will continue to consider each proposal on a case-by-case basis, following review of the application information, consultation responses and representations made by members of the public.

We continue to work with CMAL and a range of other port owners including Local Authority, Trust Port, and Private operators, to invest in essential infrastructure required to maintain and enhance the Clyde and Hebrides and Northern Isles routes. The Islands Connectivity Plan (ICP) sets out the Scottish Government’s long-term objectives and policies for ensuring necessary and sustainable transport links for our islands.

As a key element of the ICP, the Vessels and Ports Plan provides detail on the Scottish Government’s objectives for the Clyde & Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) and Northern Isles Ferry Services (NIFS).

The ICP consultation report and responses were published on 3 September – there was overall support for our proposals and some suggestions for improvement. We aim to use the consultation responses to inform the final versions of the Strategic Approach and the Vessels and Ports Plan.