Chamber and committees

Local authorities set up and manage most country parks using their powers under Section 48 of the Countryside (Scotland) Act 1967. These parks are non-statutory designations that enable local authorities to establish areas for public access and enjoyment of the countryside.

The Scottish Government’s policy towards local authorities’ spending is to allow local authorities the financial freedom to operate independently. As such, the vast majority of funding is provided by means of a block grant. It is then the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them, including on open spaces and countryside amenities, on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities. Ultimately, it is for locally elected representatives to make local decisions on how best to deliver services to their local communities.

In July 2021 we launched the Nature Restoration Fund, which provides additional funding for nature restoration projects to deliver significant improvements in biodiversity. The Nature Restoration Fund makes grants available through two main strands, including the Edinburgh Process strand, which provides direct allocations to Local Authorities. The Edinburgh Process strand is delivered through the General Capital Grant scheme to Local Authorities and is monitored through reports direct to the Scottish Government.

The NRF has already provided over £33 million directly allocated to Local Authorities and the National Parks to develop and deliver projects locally. Some examples of projects funded through the Edinburgh Process strand are outlined in an interim evaluation of the NRF available here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/interim-evaluation-nature-restoration-fund/documents/

The Scottish Cancer Network (SCN) is responsible for the development and review of the Clinical Management Pathway (CMP) for Breast Cancer. This provides clinical consensus to guide decision making consistently across Scotland on optimal treatment options at the various points in a patient’s pathway to support shared decision-making.

CMPs are developed through a process of collaboration and consensus, building on existing Regional Clinical Management Guidelines, reviewing and comparing current practice, and comparing existing documents and protocols in place. Evidence reviews are undertaken, with input from Health Improvement Scotland (HIS) where appropriate.

It would be for the SCN to regularly review this CMP against any updates including new evidence within the scientific literature and consider referral to the Scottish Health Technologies Group (SHTG). The SHTG also have criteria in place to judge whether new evidence is sufficient to revise its existing recommendations.

The following table lists planning applications called in by the Scottish Ministers and appeals recalled by them that are yet to be determined. It also includes the dates on which the applications were first notified to the Scottish Ministers prior to being called in, or the date the appeal was recalled. Decisions on these cases will be issued by the Scottish Ministers in due course.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving the diagnosis and targeted treatment of breast cancer through our continued investment in genomics.

We continue to work with NHS National Service Division (NSD), as the national commissioners of genomic testing in Scotland, and stakeholders across Scotland to transform the laboratory service and ensure it can support the expansion of genomic testing needed in Scotland for patients with all forms of cancer.

This is part of our long-term approach to deliver bold and ambitious action to reform and renew our health and care systems in Scotland.

In Scotland, £600 is the notional study leave allocation per resident doctor in training. This allocation is a guide for resident doctors and Training Programme Directors (TPDs) rather than a spending requirement.

Study leave funding is aligned to curricular requirements and specialty competence development, not general employment-related mandatory training. Resident doctors are required to achieve competencies as set out within the relevant specialty curriculum. There is no defined list of “mandatory training” within the study leave policy.

Study leave budgets are not utilised for Once for Scotland mandatory training or for training required by employing Boards as part of local employment obligations.

The Scottish Cancer Network (SCN) continue to regularly review the Clinical Management Pathway (CMP) for Breast Cancer and consider the need for updates based on new evidence relating to the use of tumour profiling tests for patients with early breast cancer. The Scottish Health Technologies Group (SHTG) also have criteria in place to judge whether new evidence is sufficient to revise its existing recommendations

There are 40 country parks in Scotland. Local authorities set up and manage most country parks using their powers under Section 48 of the Countryside (Scotland) Act 1967, though the National Trust for Scotland manages Brodick and Culzean. These parks are non-statutory designations that enable local authorities to establish areas for public access and enjoyment of the countryside, and as such, some private landowners also use the country park name. You can find out more about individual country parks using the NatureScot guide: Find a country park | NatureScot

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

As explained in the answer to S6W-42080; as a public body we must uphold our statutory obligation to ensure everyone in our care has their personal information protected. Given that the 21 transgender people in our custody represent only 0.3% of the total prison population, we are unable to provide any further disaggregation of this data into which estate they are held in as there is a potential risk of identification of individuals due to the very small numbers involved.

You are aware of the current trans policy as set out in S6W-42080 ensures that no trans woman with a risk of violence against women and girls is placed in the female estate and that the relevant data on trans prison numbers is part of the data we publish on a quarterly basis, the last of which can be found here.

The Scottish Government’s long-held position, which mirrors the UK Government’s, is that it does not regard it as appropriate to engage in public comment in respect of live court proceedings. That is different from saying that the position is that Scottish Government cannot comment or is prevented from commenting generally on live litigation, although there will be cases in which the Contempt of Court Act 1981 is engaged to that effect - and additionally cases in which there are legal prohibitions that must be adhered to - to ensure there is no risk of impediment or prejudice to the proceedings. In all cases, the Scottish Government is mindful of the obligation to uphold the independence of the judiciary.

The Scottish Government is asked why it is choosing not to comment on this particular litigation. The answer to that applies to the Scottish Government’s approach to all live litigation. The appropriate forum for discussions on matters live before the court is in the court and that ensures that the proper respect is afforded to the judiciary and also to the litigants.

Scottish Ministers are giving full and proper consideration to the Reporter’s findings and recommendation on the Lomond Banks recalled appeal. The final decision will be issued as soon as possible. Updates will be published on the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) website: Scottish Government - DPEA - Case Details.