Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-29569 on 19 September 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.

COPFS has contracts and service level agreements with universities, local authorities, Scottish Police Authority and the NHS for pathology mortuary and toxicology services across Scotland to allow the discharge of our death investigation duties.

As part of those agreements, pathologists will meet with nearest relatives if they wish to discuss their post mortem examination findings. In our experience, these discussions are of great assistance to families in understanding what happened to their loved ones and pathologists are experienced at providing that information in a respectful and sensitive manner.

We are reviewing those agreements with all service providers and the report’s findings will be taken into account in our discussions.

COPFS ensures that nearest relatives are kept informed of decisions in relation to a post mortem and are offered a copy of the pathologist’s report if they wish.

We have also established a Death Investigation Improvement Board and work is ongoing to improve the quality and level of information provided to nearest relatives in the early stages of the investigation, including what is involved in the post mortem examination process.

Scotland has a current reported potential pipeline of over 40 GW of offshore wind projects. ScotWind reflects very significant market ambition for offshore wind in Scottish waters – around 28 GW across 20 projects.

The Scottish Government engages regularly with the UK Government to discuss the development and implementation of initiatives to support the offshore wind supply chain in Scotland and across the UK.

For example, we have worked closely with the UK Government on its plans to introduce a Sustainable Industry Reward (SIR) into the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme. The SIR will help drive investment in the supply chain here in Scotland and across the UK, and into greener supply chains globally.

The Scottish Government’s ten year Cancer Strategy published in 2023 sets out the Scottish Government’s approach to improving patient pathways from cancer prevention and diagnosis through to treatment and post-treatment care, and this includes our ambitions for flourishing research and innovation. The Scottish Government is also the only UK-nation to have a dedicated strategy to support children and young people with cancer, delivered through the Managed Service Network for Children and Young People with Cancer. This network will continue to contribute to national and international research projects which aim to maximise cure for those with the highest risk disease and minimise treatment burden for those who are already curable.

The Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office (CSO) supports cancer research in Scotland including on cancers affecting children through investments in NHS Research Scotland infrastructure including Cancer and Paediatric Research Networks and in Paediatric and Adult Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres that support the delivery of clinical studies and trials. In addition, CSO supports funding opportunities for cancer research through access to National Institute for Health & Care Research programmes. CSO also recently established a collaboration with the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission to co-fund a neuro-oncology fellowship in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is currently reviewing its policy position on Ramsar sites and a revised policy statement will be published before the end of 2024. We will be conducting a targeted consultation on the proposed new policy position in early October to inform decisions about how to proceed.

Our investment of £30 million is supporting significant targeted action across a number of specialities, including gynaecology, with around 3,500 additional New Outpatient appointments planned for the longest waiting patients.

NHS Scotland’s Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) also continues to work with Health Boards to accelerate implementation of high impact changes, including Active Clinical Referral Treatment (ACRT) and Patient Initiated Review (PIR), freeing up additional capacity in the NHS system and providing sustainable solutions for the future.

CfSD programmes have developed strong clinically-led Specialty Delivery Groups (SDG), including one for gynaecology, which was established to support, innovate and develop high quality gynaecology services across Scotland, reducing unwarranted variation, promoting a best-in-class and - where appropriate - a once-for-Scotland approach.

This is all part of our programme to drive up productivity and tackle waiting lists, supported by the CfSD. Together, our actions will further enable NHS Scotland to maximise capacity, build greater resilience and deliver reductions in the number of patients who have waited too long for treatment.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with all local authorities to help deliver our ambitious climate targets. The establishment of the joint Climate Delivery Framework will enable better alignment of our respective targets and collective decision making, supporting delivery.

The Scottish Government is supporting a number of initiatives in East Dunbartonshire, including long term funding to support the development and delivery of Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies and installation of public EV charging infrastructure and fleet decarbonisation, as well as £745,840 in 2024/25 for the Active Travel Infrastructure Tier 1 Fund.

New statutory guidance to support public bodies, including local authorities, in complying with statutory duties under the Climate Change Act is being developed that is due for publication in 2025.

A Scottish Climate Intelligence Service has been established to help build the capacity of local authorities to reduce area wide emissions.

It is longstanding Scottish Government policy that the provision of an air service wholly within a local authority boundary is a matter for that local authority.

The Scottish Government provides indirect support to the Benbecula to Stornoway service through our subsidy of Highlands and Islands Airports Limited which operates both Benbecula and Stornoway airports. The Comhairle also receives funding from the Scottish Government through the Local Government Settlement. The funding formula does take account of the Comhairle’s need in relation to air transport and includes £377,000 in 2024-25.

Access to Critical Raw Materials and Technologies is a vitally important issue for our economy, energy security and Net Zero ambitions.

Where areas of potential prospectivity are identified, this does not mean that critical minerals are guaranteed to be found and there are a range of factors which will influence whether or not extraction will take place. This includes the requirement that where new development proposals come forward, applications for planning permission must be made to the relevant local planning authority. Policy 33 of National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) sets out that development proposals for the sustainable extraction of minerals will only be supported by that policy where certain criteria are met, this includes demonstrating that there are no significant adverse impacts (including cumulative impact) on any nearby homes and local communities. NPF4 should be read as a whole, alongside local development plans, in applying balanced planning judgement in planning decisions.

The Scottish Government has not undertaken any assessment of impacts on communities from these reports at this stage.

Community Councils are not subject to statutory climate change duties.

Public bodies have had statutory climate change duties since 2011. Section 44 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 requires a public body, in exercising its functions, to: contribute to delivery of Scotland’s national net zero target; help deliver Scotland’s climate change adaptation programme; and act sustainably. Community councils are not subject to these duties, although local authorities are and they have statutory oversight of community councils.

Scottish Government continues to work closely with all local authorities to help deliver our ambitious climate targets. We have worked with COSLA to develop a Climate Delivery Framework that will enable better alignment of our respective targets and collective decision making, supporting delivery. A Scottish Climate Intelligence Service has been established to help build the capacity of local authorities to reduce area wide emissions.