Chamber and committees

The number of people recorded as sight or severely sight impaired is held by individual local authorities and/or agents acting on their behalf in line with the Certificate of Visual Impairment (CVI) process.

In order to be registered as sight impaired or severely sight impaired, patients over the age of 16 must first be assessed and certified by an ophthalmologist to determine their level of sight impairment. Once assessed, the ophthalmologist will complete a CVI form and, with the patient's permission, send this to the local authority who maintain registration. Patients with a visual impairment under the age of 16 are not registered and are instead managed through the Visual Impairment Network for Children and Young People (VINCYP).

As the question relates to the number of patients who have gone through the certification process with NHS Orkney and agreed to be registered as sight impaired or severely sight impaired with Orkney Council, this is a matter for those bodies. The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

The following table sets out the Environment and Forestry Directorate, Strategic Research Programme funding provided annually by Scottish Government for the period 2016-22:

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of healthy soils for food production, climate resilience, biodiversity and Scotland's wider natural capital. We are developing soil indicators and options for soil monitoring through the Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services (RESAS) Strategic Research Programme, including work towards a Scottish Soil Monitoring Framework. Proposals are also being developed for the next Strategic Research Programme (2027-2032) that will continue this work.

The Scottish Government remains committed to alignment with the European Union where possible and meaningful to do so. We are monitoring the implementation of the EU Soil Monitoring Law and will consider its provisions and underlying principles, alongside Scottish evidence and policy priorities, as we develop our approach to soil monitoring and assessment.

The Scottish Government's investment in homelessness prevention and alcohol and drug services is supporting earlier intervention, improved partnership working and more person-centred support for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

When they are brought into force, the new homelessness prevention duties in Part 5 of the Housing (Scotland) Act will require relevant bodies, which include health boards, to identify people at risk of homelessness and take action to help prevent it, creating a collective responsibility across public services to provide earlier and more joined-up support.

Decisions on local service provision, including arrangements for evening and weekend support, are the responsibility of NHS boards, health and social care partnerships and local authorities.

In most parts of Scotland, alcohol and drug services are delivered through integrated arrangements. Our Alcohol and Drugs Strategic Plan highlights the importance of services working together to meet the wider needs of individuals, including mental health, housing and other forms of support.

Scotland's Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Standards provide a national framework for improving consistency and integration. In particular, MAT Standard 8 states that people should have access to advocacy and support for housing, welfare and income needs at the point of treatment.

While there is no national requirement for evening or weekend provision within alcohol and drug services, the MAT Standards emphasise timely access to treatment, proactive outreach to those at greatest risk, and reducing barriers to care.

The following table sets out the Environment and Forestry Directorate, Strategic Research Funding provided by Scottish Government to our Main Research Providers, The James Hutton Institute, Moredun Research Institute, Scotlands Rural College and The Rowett Institute by theme for the period 2022-27:

The Scottish Government provides Grant in Aid Funding to SEPA to undertake monitoring and, where necessary, investigations at designated bathing waters.

Bathing waters are designated, for the purpose of protecting public health, in areas where we expect a large number of bathers. SEPA undertakes routine monitoring of designated bathing waters during the bathing season (typically 1 June to 15 September).

We will continue to support SEPA to help deliver improvements to the water quality at Kinghorn bathing water in response to the ongoing localised pollution pressure affecting the Kinghorn Burn.

The Scottish Government does not have any duties under Section 8 of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003. The duties under section 8 in relation to monitoring of the status of the water environment are placed on SEPA.

The Scottish Government does not currently produce a breakdown of annual take-up rates by age group. Where breakdowns are published for specific groups, this is led by user demand and requires the ability to robustly estimate the number eligible for a benefit in each group.

The Scottish Government publishes annual estimates of take-up for devolved benefits where a robust methodology is available. The most recent publication did not include benefits specifically targeted at older people. We do not currently publish take-up estimates for disability benefits, including Pension Age Disability Payment, but continue to explore how these could be developed.

For reserved benefits, we are reliant on DWP data. Analysis published in October 2025 shows that Scotland had the highest Pension Credit take-up rate in Britain in 2023-24, but this does not allow changes over time to be measured.

The proposed allocation under the 2027-2032 Strategic Research Programme is set out in the following table:

Strategic Research Funding 2027-32 (£)

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-01653 and S7W-02048 on 20 August 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.