Chamber and committees

Currently consented oil and gas extraction is a reserved matter and, therefore, associated impact assessments would be the purview of UK Government.

It is disappointing that the Climate Compatibility Test proposed by the UK Government is limited to new exploration. That is why we are consulting on what factors should be considered in assessing the impact of new oil and gas production and if this test should be applied to fields that are already consented but not yet in production as well as new exploration (if exploration continues) in the context of the global goals of the Paris Agreement.

Furthermore, the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan outlines actions to accelerate the transition and is out for consultation until 9 th May. Our final Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan will take account of the consultation response and be published in due course.

Independent analysis on the energy system and just transition, published this month, includes a detailed assessment of oil and gas production in Scotland. Our forthcoming Climate Change Plan for Scotland, a draft of which is due in November, will set out our pathway to meeting our emissions reductions targets to 2040 alongside the costs and benefits of policies within the plan.

The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested. The recruitment and deployment of resources is a matter for the Chief Constable.

Policing is and will continue to be a priority for the Scottish Government. Scotland has a higher number of officers than at any time during the last administration – and more per head of population than England and Wales (30 officers per 10,000 population in Scotland, compared to 24 officers per 10,000 population in England and Wales). Local police divisions have a core complement of officers who may be supported by specialist expertise and resources at a regional and national level.

As I have said previously, oil and gas exploration and production, including licensing, remains reserved to UK Government. Our position on oil & gas licensing is clear , unlimited extraction of fossil fuels is not consistent with our climate obligations and meeting the Paris Agreement target of 1.5 degrees. Nor is it the right solution to the real cost of living crisis families are facing, when to reduce energy costs we need to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. This means investing more in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

W e have consistently called on the UK Government, to urgently re-assess all approved offshore oil and gas licenses where drilling has not yet commenced, against our climate commitments.

Instead of licensing for more fossil fuel extraction, the UK Government should be encouraging investment in renewables and supporting a just transition for our energy sector and for Scottish households, and businesses.

In June 2022, as part of a Programme for Government commitment, the Scottish Government published the second iteration of the Honey Bee Health Strategy 2022-2032. This is a comprehensive bee health programme, focusing on both bee diseases as well as the wider issues affecting the Scottish beekeeping community. It aims to achieve a healthy and sustainable population of honey bees in Scotland. The Strategy is accompanied by an Implementation Plan, which details specific actions that are being taken to achieve the Strategy’s aims.

In addition, Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) provides a bee health diagnostic service for analysis and confirmation of bee diseases from samples submitted by beekeepers and Scottish Government bee inspectors. The Scottish Government also provides funding for an Apiculture specialist at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) who provides a support service for beekeepers focussed on disease prevention, good biosecurity and the treatment for Varroa mites.

Other actions include working in partnership with NatureScot to understand the interactions between honey bees, their environment, and other pollinators as well as supporting NatureScot’s ‘Pollinator Strategy for Scotland 2017-2027’.

The Honey Bee Health Strategy 2022-2032 can be found here: Bee Health Improvement Partnership (BHIP) Member Statements - The Honey Bee Health Strategy 2022 - 2032 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

The Implementation Plan which accompanies the Strategy can be found here: Scotland’s Honey Bee Health Strategy: implementation plan - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

Scottish Government is clear that unlimited extraction of fossil fuels is not consistent with our climate obligations and is not the right solution to the real cost of living crisis families are facing.

The First Minister called on the UK Government for a four nations’ discussion to agree on a final Climate Compatibility Checkpoint process – a call which was ignored. It is disappointing that the Climate Compatibility Test proposed by the UK Government is limited to new exploration, and that the bar has been set so low in terms of the Test itself. It is a lightweight version of the Test consulted upon earlier this year.

That is why we are consulting on what factors should be considered in assessing the impact of new oil and gas production and if this test should be applied to fields that are already consented but not yet in production as well as new exploration (if exploration continues) in the context of the global goals of the Paris Agreement.

In Scotland, the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) appraises the clinical and cost-effectiveness of newly-licensed medicines. Following a full submission from the submitting company, Merck Sharp & Dohme Ltd, the SMC published “accepted for restricted use” advice for Health Boards on the routine use of Keytruda ® for the treatment of persistent, recurrent, or secondary cervical cancer in NHS Scotland on 13 February 2023.

The decision to prescribe a medicine for an individual, and which medicine to prescribe, is entirely for the clinician in charge of an individual’s care, having taken into account their clinical condition, safety considerations and any relevant clinical guidance.

We are aware of the serious negative impact this condition can have on people’s lives and therefore it is important that access to treatment and support is timely. We want to ensure that people have informed conversations with their GP in order to support the diagnosis of lipoedema.

We have now finalised the new NHS Inform webpage on Lipoedema . The new resource aims to provide people with consistent, reliable and accessible information empowering them to make informed decisions about their health and includes information on the symptoms, causes, self-management and treatment options.

We will continue to work with organisations such as Talk Lipoedema to find ways to raise awareness of the condition and its symptoms.

In March 2022, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) Interventional Procedures Advisory Committee did a rapid review on the available evidence on the safety and efficacy of liposuction as treatment for lipoedema and found it to be inadequate. The recommendation was for the procedure to only be carried out in the context of research.

Previously, NHS Tayside was the only Health Board to provide liposuction as a treatment for lipoedema. Due to the updated guidance, NHS Tayside have stopped liposuction as a treatment option until NICE reviews its guidelines in 2025 after further evidence and research has been undertaken.

There are currently non-surgical treatment options for lipoedema and those with the condition will be treated by healthcare professionals at primary care level and, where appropriate, referred to specialist services in secondary care. Any particular treatment is at the discretion of the lead clinician. It is NHS Boards and healthcare professionals locally who have responsibility for service delivery and patient treatment.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14332 on 7 February 2023. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at Questions and answers | Scottish Parliament Website .

An additional £2.5 million has been re-allocated to the Scottish Welfare Fund from the proposed £5 million addition to the Discretionary Housing Payment budget during 2022-23. This additional funding is an exceptional measure in response to the cost of living crisis, and will enable local authorities to provide more flexible local support through Crisis Grants and Community Care Grants. This can include payments to individuals and households who are experiencing financial challenges, including the effects of the cost of living crisis and food or fuel insecurity.

The Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee (“ACCC”) has previously welcomed significant progress made by Scotland in addressing the concerns identified by the ACCC. In response to decision VII/8s, issued by the ACCC in October 2021, the UK submitted an action plan to the ACCC on 1 July 2022. Work is in progress in relation to the areas of concern raised by the ACCC in order to strengthen Scotland’s compliance. The Scottish Government has now introduced an exemption from court fees for Aarhus Convention cases in the Court of Session. The Scottish Civil Justice Council is undertaking a review of court rules relating to Protective Expenses Orders, and this is currently underway. Policy development is ongoing in relation to a new Human Rights Bill, which is to include a human right to a healthy environment. The Scottish Government is committed to introducing legislation to reform legal aid in the course of the current Parliament. This work is informed by ongoing engagement with stakeholders. The deadline for addressing areas of concern set out in the Action Plan is October 2024. The Scottish Government is committed to strengthening compliance with the requirements of the Aarhus Convention.

The Scottish Government is a Living Wage accredited employer. As of 30 September 2022 9150 staff were directly employed by the Scottish Government and all are paid a salary at least equivalent to £11.48 per hour.