Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government recognises the vital importance of maritime safety. I am aware that The Oban Bay Management Group is in place to help mitigate navigational risks in the Oban Bay area prior to the establishment of a Statutory Harbour Authority covering the wider Bay. This includes the publishing of navigational guidance for vessels using the Bay.

Making a Harbour Order can be a complex and sometimes lengthy process. Following the statutory 42-day consultation period for this application, over 100 representations were received. This was followed by the Written Representations stage, which provided further opportunities for interested parties to submit their views and liaise with the applicants.

Given the volume and nature of the material submitted, it has been essential that Transport Scotland undertakes thorough scrutiny from both a policy and a legal perspective, to ensure that all relevant matters are considered appropriately and in line with the requirements set out in The Harbours Act 1964. Transport Scotland is progressing this work as a priority.

The Scottish Government has received documentation from the Oban Community Harbour Development Association relating to their original objections to the draft Harbour Revision Order and officials are currently considering this.

Feedback will be provided to OCHDA in due course. The consideration of Argyll and Bute Council’s HRO application continues and is being taken forward as a priority.

The Scottish Government is responsible for making secondary legislation under the 1964 Harbours Act such as Harbour Revision and Harbour Empowerment Orders. Harbour authorities are independent bodies and it is their responsibility to ensure compliance with legislation and codes of practice. Harbour authorities are responsible for taking their own legal advice in relation to these matters.

The Scottish Government recognises the concerns from both faith groups and heritage organisations following the decision of the UK Government to close the UK-wide Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. As soon as we were aware of this decision we strongly encouraged the UK Government to rethink their policy position.

We have engaged with key stakeholders, and Historic Environment Scotland to understand the implications for Scotland's listed places of worship. The previous scheme enabled eligible organisations to recover the equivalent of VAT incurred on repairs and maintenance, and its closure may increase costs for congregations undertaking essential works. We are aware that many places of worship face financial pressures, and we continue to assess potential options for support.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-01271 on 21 July 2026. 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 question S7W-01172 on 10 July 2026. 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.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of having a Power of Attorney (PoA) in place and is currently considering implementation options for the recent Audit Scotland recommendation, regarding the promotion of PoA, published in Delayed discharges: A symptom of the challenges facing health and social care, January 2026. Implementation is expected to increase public awareness and uptake.

The Scottish Government has collaborated with NHS 24 to update relevant NHS inform content, which provides guidance on the process and benefits of setting up a Power of Attorney. Available here: https://www.nhsinform.scot/care-support-and-rights/health-rights/access/power-of-attorney-guardianship-and-intervention-orders/

The Scottish Government is not aware of any instances since 2021 where road or bridge repair works have been required on trunk roads as a result of improving accessibility for wind farm construction traffic. While, in some cases, third-party developers have undertaken modifications to the trunk road network to accommodate the movement of oversized wind farm construction components, these works have not involved repairs to trunk roads or bridges.

We want patients to be treated as soon as possible. However, we recognise too many are facing unacceptable waits and we are determined to do more.

That is why we have invested an additional £100 million this year to build on the progress made in the 2025-26 NHS Operational Improvement Plan and have just announced a further £90 million to support those waiting the longest for treatment and help to create more capacity within our wider healthcare system.

This investment will benefit health boards across Scotland, including NHS Grampian. We will continue to target resources to reduce waiting times, particularly for those waiting the longest for treatment, through maximising productivity and additional resources.