Chamber and committees

On 26 October I met with trade union representatives from the culture and arts sector to hear the opportunities and challenges facing the sector. Funding for Creative Scotland was also discussed at this meeting.

The Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture has not met with trade union representatives.

There has not been a reduction in the Scottish Government's funding awarded to Creative Scotland. Over the last five years, the Scottish Government has provided over £33m to Creative Scotland to compensate for the continuous reduction in National Lottery funding.

As a result of rising costs and pressure on budgets across government, we are unable to make up the ongoing shortfall this year.

The Creative Scotland Board agreed on 27 September to use Creative Scotland’s National Lottery reserves of £6.6m to ensure all RFO payments are met in full as provided for in the 2023-24 Funding Agreement.

Subject to the usual Parliamentary processes we will provide the National Lottery Shortfall funding of £6.6m to Creative Scotland in 2024-25.

There has not been a reduction in Scottish Government's funding awarded to Creative Scotland. Over the last five years, Scottish Government has provided over £33m to Creative Scotland to compensate for the continuous shortfall in National Lottery funding.

As a result of rising costs and pressure on budgets across government, we are unable to make up the ongoing shortfall this year.

On 27 September the Board of Creative Scotland agreed to provide £6.6m for this financial year from its funding reserves, which totals £17m, to cover the shortfall in National Lottery funding. This means that none of Creative Scotland’s Regularly Funded Organisations will receive reduced funding this financial year.

Subject to the usual Parliamentary processes we will provide the National Lottery shortfall funding of £6.6m to Creative Scotland in 2024-2025.

There is no place for racism in the NHS and in Scottish society as a whole.

We have been clear to Health Boards that incidents of racial harassment must be taken seriously and fully investigated. In 2020 we launched the national NHSScotland Bullying and Harassment Policy to support staff affected by these issues. This includes information on sources of confidential advice and support.

We have also been clear that all instances of violent and aggressive behaviour, including hate crime, should be recorded and if it is a serious incident, then it should be escalated it to the Police, as quickly as possible.

The Scottish Government has a programme of work underway to integrate anti-racist/anti-discriminatory approaches and develop networks of allies across the NHS. We established the NHS ethnic minority forum in 2021 to amplify the voices of ethnic minority staff across the health service and tackle issues of systemic racism. We are working with the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights to develop anti-racist training resources for staff, by 2024. We are also working with NHS Chairs and Chief Executives to ensure they have anti-racist and wider equality objectives, including meaningful action on diversity and inclusion.

The Scottish Government’s Nordic Office was officially opened in August 2022. Based in the British Embassy in Copenhagen, it has a regional remit covering the Nordic countries, including Norway.

Scottish Government officials based in the Nordic Office have not engaged in any discussions with Norwegian Government ministers or officials regarding the Rosebank oilfield.

Collaboration with our Nordic partners on North Sea renewable energy policy – including offshore wind, CCUS, and hydrogen – is a key area of activity for the Nordic Office, with recent Ministerial visits to the region having focussed on offshore wind and port infrastructure in particular.

The Scottish Government has not been made aware of any discussions between the UK and Norwegian Governments regarding the Rosebank oilfield.

Oil and gas licensing processes are currently reserved to the UK Government. Scottish Ministers have repeatedly called for reform of these processes, to ensure compatibility with climate commitments and we will continue to look for further opportunities to make the case for reform.

I refer the member to the answer to the answer to question S6W-22099 on 31 October 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 .

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) manage 204,782 hectares of woodland within the rainforest zone, of which 17,960 hectares are considered to be rainforest habitat, or of high potential to be restored to rainforest habitat. These consist of PlantLife IPA, and other areas of ancient woodland sites. Within the Rainforest zone 13,297 hectares of Scotland’s National Forests and Land are classified as plantations on ancient woodland sites (PAWS).

FLS will begin restoration of up to 780 hectares of priority rainforest area this year in Cowal, Argyll (Kintyre & West Loch Awe), Loch Lomond Basin, Wester Ross. Activity will include INNS control, PAWS restoration and deer management.

It is anticipated natural colonisation will occur within PAWS under restoration and generally throughout rainforest habitat following a reduction in deer densities, buffering zones for natural colonisation are being planned within Land Management Plans.

Clinical decisions taken in NHS Scotland hospitals are not a matter for the Scottish Government.

Decisions must be taken in line with established professional accountabilities which are in place for NHS Scotland.

Decisions to discharge any patients from medical care in a hospital setting are subject to individual clinical decisions based on an appropriate risk assessment. The wishes of the patient must be considered with regards to informing relatives of their reason for admission.

However, Scottish Government does have an expectation that vulnerability is taken into account prior to discharge and that where appropriate known family is contacted.

Clinical decisions taken in NHS Scotland hospitals are not a matter for the Scottish Government.

Decisions must be taken in line with established professional accountabilities which are in place for NHS Scotland.

Decisions to discharge any patients from medical care in a hospital setting are subject to individual clinical decisions based on an appropriate risk assessment. The wishes of the patient must be considered with regards to informing relatives of their reason for admission.

Responsibility for managing the police estate is for the Chief Constable under Scottish Police Authority (SPA) scrutiny. It is for Police Scotland to consult on the details of its planned estate changes, as approved by the SPA.

The Scottish Government has had no discussions with (a) North Lanarkshire Council, (b) South Lanarkshire Council and (c) Falkirk Council regarding police station closures, since 1 April 2023.