Chamber and committees

<>Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) recently published the results of its most recent condition assessment of the freshwater pearl mussel feature in the River Spey Special Area of Conservation. The Report of Site Condition Monitoring survey of freshwater pearl mussels in the River Spey during 2013 and 2014 is available via the following weblink: http://www.snh.gov.uk/docs/A1478200.pdf.

The report contains a number of recommendations which SNH will progress through the Spey Catchment Initiative.

The staff member referred to in the question is working for the ‘Pearls in Peril’ (PIP) project. Although Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is leading the project, the person is employed by the Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland, who are a key partner in this project. SNH supports work to address wildlife crime affecting freshwater pearl mussels in many other ways. Examples include providing staff to support the work of the priority delivery group for freshwater pearl mussel and staff support for police investigating wildlife crimes affecting freshwater pearl mussels (e.g. SNH employs a Wildlife Crime Project Officer whose work includes freshwater pearl mussels, and operational and advisory staff members also support police investigations). SNH also provides grant funds to the National Wildlife Crime Unit to employ a Scottish Investigative Support Officer, who prioritises freshwater pearl mussel crime.

SNH and other organisations also devote considerable resources to protecting and restoring the status of freshwater pearl mussels by means other than tackling wildlife crime. Within the PIP project, the bulk of the £3.5 million budget is spent on measures such as reducing diffuse pollution, improving and creating riparian woodlands and restoring high quality river habitat to benefit freshwater pearl mussels. SNH and other organisations, including Forest Enterprise Scotland, are also surveying a range of watercourses across Scotland to better understand and target conservation measures. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency have also used their Water Environment Fund to fund river restoration projects such as the removal of dams, that will help restore this critically endangered species.

Scottish Planning Policy is the Scottish Government’s policy on how nationally important land use planning matters should be addressed across the country. As a statement of ministers’ priorities, we expect it to carry significant weight in the preparation of development plans and to be a material consideration in decisions on planning applications.

The policy states: The presence (or potential presence) of a legally protected species is an important consideration in decisions on planning applications. If there is evidence to suggest that a protected species is present on site or may be affected by a proposed development, steps must be taken to establish their presence. The level of protection afforded by legislation must be factored into the planning and design of the development and any impacts must be fully considered prior to the determination of the application. Certain activities – for example those involving European Protected Species as specified in the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 and wild birds, protected animals and plants under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 – may only be undertaken under licence. Following the introduction of the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011, Scottish Natural Heritage is now responsible for the majority of wildlife licensing in Scotland.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) guidance referred to in the answer to question S4W-14153 on 1 May 2013 remains relevant.

More recently, the Guide to Hydropower Construction Best Practice by SNH, Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Scottish Renewables published in October 2014 is also relevant, particularly sections 2 and 3:

http://www.snh.gov.uk/docs/A1443033.pdf.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The purpose of the NHSScotland Confidential Alert Line is to complement local whistleblowing policies and provide an additional level of support to NHSScotland Staff.

During the pilot phase of the line, we engaged with a range of stakeholders, to gather views on the value of the service and to help develop recommendations on its future. This included gathering views from staff, via a wageslip survey, where 67% of respondents agreed that the service was important and that they would consider using it.

Public Concern at Work, the service providers, carried out a more detailed six month evaluation of the service, which can be accessed at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0044/00446682.pdf

The Management of Employee Conduct PIN Policy sets out the rights and responsibilities of boards, managers, employees and trade unions/professional organisations in respect of employees who are subject to disciplinary action resulting from misconduct relating to their employment.

The policy sets out the relevant support mechanisms available for staff such as the role of human resources and relevant trade unions/professional organisations in providing support and advice to employees.

The contract to run the NHSScotland Confidential Alert Line (NCAL) was awarded to Public Concern at Work (PCaW) following an open and transparent competitive tendering process. A specific requirement of this contract is “to provide confidential and impartial advice”.

PCaW is an independent whistleblowing charity and legal advice centre set up over 20 years ago to encourage workplace whistleblowing. NCAL provides a bespoke service to NHSScotland staff who have any doubt about how or whether to raise a whistleblowing concern, or worry about doing so. Advice is provided by impartial staff who are legally trained, and where appropriate, concerns can be passed to the health board or appropriate regulatory body on behalf of callers.

The Scottish Government continue to monitor performance to ensure contract deliverables are met.

The Implementing & Reviewing Whistleblowing Arrangements in NHSScotland PIN was introduced in 2011. The policy makes clear that if a member of staff raises a genuine whistleblowing concern under this policy, they will not be at risk of losing their job or suffering any detriment as a result.

Individual cases are contractual matters which, by law, remain between the employee and their employer, i.e. individual health boards. Some cases are complex requiring the application of a range of policies. It would be for the relevant health board to consider the specific circumstances of each whistleblowing case and, where necessary, to take appropriate action to protect patient safety.

In 2013-14, as part of the newly introduced annual staff governance standard monitoring Framework, we sought assurance from all health boards that local whistleblowing policies are in place and for the number of reported whistleblowing incidents. All boards confirmed that local policies had been implemented. Information provided via the staff governance monitoring returns indicated that a total of 13 whistleblowing cases had been raised.

The Scottish Government do not centrally hold information on the number of whistleblowing incidents recorded in NHSScotland for previous years.

As at 16 December 2014 the Scottish Government has been notified of 14 NHS medical staff who are currently suspended. In relation to these medical staff we do not have information on the reason for the suspension.

Relevant statistics for suspensions relating to other staffing groups in NHSScotland are not collected centrally.

The Scottish Government considers Scottish Mountain Rescue (SMR) funding requirements, together with SMR, on an annual basis and, in addition to the annual grant funding of £312,000 provided in the current year, assists further if it is able to meet specific additional requests, subject to the availability of funds. For example in previous years this has included provisions of specialist stretchers, project management support, and support to the Scottish Mountain Rescue conference. The Scottish Government is the only government in the UK that provides annual grant funding to support the work of its voluntary mountain rescue teams.