Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-23719 on 20 December 2023. 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

Since 2021, the Scottish Government have provided three permanent CT scanners to support core capacity within Boards, including a mobile CT pod currently stationed in NHS Lothian, which is deployed flexibly to support Boards that require additional capacity. In addition, one further mobile CT and seven mobile MRI scanners are being used across multiple NHS Boards to provide additional capacity during 2023-24.

NHS Ayrshire and Arran has had a mobile MRI scanner throughout 2023-24 to help reduce their waiting lists.

At the end of April 2021, 61.6% patients having an MRI in NHS Ayrshire and Arran were scanned within 6 weeks; in September 2023 this had risen to 86.2% within 6 weeks.

Free bus travel is one of several services provided through the National Entitlement Card. Therefore, it would not be appropriate for transport operators to remove cards from cardholders due to the impact this may have on access to other services, such as free school meals.

Tackling allegations of antisocial behaviour are matters for the police and local authorities using the enforcement powers and resources available to them. The Scottish Government will continue to work with these partners to explore and strengthen options to tackle antisocial behaviour.

The Scottish Government uses official statistics to monitor trends on reported incidents and people’s own experiences or perceptions of antisocial behaviour. These include the quarterly Recorded Crime in Scotland bulletin; Scottish Crime and Justice Survey and Scottish Household Survey (both annual surveys).

Reported antisocial behaviour over the last decade has decreased. I recognise that not all incidents are reported, and anecdotal information arises. However, the Scottish Government surveys people’s own experiences, which indicate that people generally feel safer, and the core Recorded Crime data of reported incidents, which also indicates an overall decrease in antisocial behaviour.

To understand the impact of the Young Persons Free Bus Travel Scheme, the Scottish Government have committed to an ongoing evaluation during the first five years of operation. This includes a one year after launch evaluation which will be published later this year and include consideration of the impact of antisocial behaviour on cardholders, other bus users and the bus industry.

The Scottish Government is aware that there have been reports of incidents of anti-social behaviour on buses over recent months and we are aware of concerns relating to anti-social behaviour in other public places. We do not hold data on individual incidents but use official statistics to monitor trends on reported incidents and people’s own experiences or perceptions of antisocial behaviour.

These incidents are of concern but should not detract from the success of the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme. By the end of October over 98 million journeys had been made since the scheme went live in January 2022. The Scheme is making a real difference to the lives of young people and their families by helping to cut costs for essential, every day and leisure travel.

To understand the impact of the Young Persons Scheme, the Scottish Government will carry out an ongoing evaluation during the first five years of its operation. The first part, the one year after launch evaluation will be published later this year and will consider impacts on antisocial behaviour.

Antisocial behaviour is unacceptable on Scotland's public transport and in wider society. Tackling anti-social behaviour must focus on the causes, not the mode of transport. While the Young Persons Free Bus Travel Scheme changes the way in which bus travel is paid for, it does not affect bus operators’ conditions of carriage that all passengers are expected to follow.

The police, local authorities, and other local agencies are responsible for tackling anti-social behaviour at the local level. It is these agencies, empowered by the Scottish Government, working in a concerted and co-ordinated way with local people that are working to tackle the problem effectively.

I recognise that no single approach will tackle all anti-social behaviour. However, we support a suite of enforcement activities including Formal Warnings, Fixed Penalty Notices and Antisocial Behaviour Orders, alongside positive diversionary and early intervention activities. The Scottish Government will continue to work with partners to strengthen options to tackle anti-social behaviour.

The Scottish Government is encouraging anyone witnessing such incidents to report this behaviour to their local council’s Antisocial Behaviour Team and to report all criminal behaviour to the police.

The Scottish Government recognises the horticultural sector’s important contribution to the Scottish population’s mental and physical health, and the environment through provision of plants and trees for public landscaping and domestic gardening. In addition, horticulture contributes to the Scottish economy, through retail, job creation and employment opportunities in green careers. That is why I welcomed the Horticultural Trades Association's Scottish Environmental Horticulture Growth Strategy during the Holyrood launch event in March 2023.

The eight ‘Asks of Government’ outlined by HTA align with existing Scottish Government policy priorities, including climate change mitigation, nature networks as outlined in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy and the local living policy principle of the National Planning Framework 4, which proposes the development of parks, green spaces, community gardens, local food production, allotments and recreation facilities to help improve wellbeing. These highlight opportunities for the sector and Scottish Government to work together towards shared goals across a wide range of policy areas. Officials will therefore continue to take forward detailed discussions with the HTA to ensure environmental horticulture is represented in relevant government strategies.

The Scottish Government provides funding through the Fruit & Vegetable Aid Scheme which promotes innovation and collaboration with a focus on environmentally sound cultivation practice and production techniques. Measures aimed at reducing the environmental impact of water usage including for example high flow storage reservoirs are eligible for funding in the scheme.

The Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) also offers support for the establishment of irrigation lagoons, which aims to improve water-use efficiency through collecting and storing water. This support is targeted to areas within a catchment that are significantly impacted by agricultural abstraction.

Additionally, up to £1000 in funding is available through Scotland's Farm Advisory Service for specialist face to face advice on water pollution, prevention, and control.

The Scottish Government recognises the wide range of careers available in the horticultural sector and the importance of educational pathways to deliver graduates equipped with the skills and expertise demanded by the sector. Officials are therefore currently giving careful consideration to the eight ‘Asks of Government’ included in the Horticultural Trades Association’s (HTA) Scottish Environmental Horticulture Growth Strategy. In regard to the ‘ask’ to raise the presence of horticultural opportunities in careers guidance, officials have been working closely with universities and colleges across Scotland, and Lantra who are the leading provider of training, qualifications and career guidance for land-based industries across the UK. These discussions were recently outlined to sector stakeholders and MSPs at the Gardening and Horticulture cross party group at Holyrood.

Encouraging horticultural skills across the workforce aligns with government ambitions to address current environmental challenges, such as the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. The Scottish Government is committed to respond this year to the 22 recommendations in the Land-based Learning Review. The recommendations we accept will inform our actions to attract more people to work in Scotland’s land-based and aquaculture sectors and to improve learning pathways to equip them with the skills and knowledge needed.

Work to encourage people into horticultural careers and develop apprenticeships and higher education programmes designed to create highly skilled horticultural graduates for a range of careers is continuing.

The Scottish Government commissioned an independent review of the VNS in Spring 2022 to ensure that the scheme was working well for victims. The review published its report and an easy read summary in May this year. It made 22 recommendations for change of the scheme, including in relation to data, evidence and reporting, the information available and communications.

Since May we have been considering the report in collaboration with a range of stakeholders, including criminal justice agencies and victim support organisations, to inform our formal response to the report.

As part of this work, we have been considering how the review’s recommendations could be delivered. This involves a range of possibilities, including primary or secondary legislation, as well as administrative and operational delivery. Where review recommendations may require primary legislation to deliver, we are carefully considering the options available to us for doing this.