- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 September 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 8 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported concerns regarding the potential negative impact on the mental health of deer stalkers required to cull pregnant female deer, whether it has considered alternative measures to extending the female deer season until 31 March, and what its position is on whether the extension is appropriate, in light of such concerns regarding the mental health implications for the workforce.
Answer
The Scottish Government want to ensure that changes to deer management policy are effective in achieving our climate and biodiversity aims.
We are aware that there are a range of views on changes to the female deer close seasons. That is why we undertook a full public consultation on proposals for deer legislation which included this issue. We have also ensured that animal welfare organisations have been fully consulted.
We are carefully considering all the responses, and we are in regular contact with gamekeepers and other land management stakeholders, on deer management issues. We will continue to work with them as our deer management legislation develops.
It is important to note that deer close seasons set a time period during which it is unlawful to kill a female deer, on deer welfare grounds. The timing of deer management outside these close seasons remans a decision for deer stalkers and, where appropriate, their employers.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 September 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 8 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the status of its proposed Natural Environment Bill and the anticipated timescale for its progress through the Parliament.
Answer
The most recent Programme for Government (2024-25) sets out the Scottish Government’s intention to introduce the Natural Environment Bill in this current parliamentary year.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 September 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 8 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can share the results of the Planet Youth pilot scheme in each year since the scheme was established across participating schools in the Highlands and Islands region.
Answer
The information requested is not held centrally. Highland is one of 6 local authority areas implementing Planet Youth in Scotland. Data on the Highlands and Islands schools participating in the Planet Youth pilot is held by the Highland Alcohol and Drug Partnership and the charity Winning Scotland.
Winning Scotland has been carrying out research on the progress of the pilot in participating local authorities in Scotland, including Highland. Five communities are involved in the pilot in Highland and the data has, and continues to be, shared with the local coalitions which have formed around those communities. This includes community planning partners, schools, third sector, businesses and others.
- Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 8 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to implementing the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 earlier than April 2025.
Answer
I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:
Implementation of the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 was initially to be April 2024. Following the onset of the cost crisis in the public sector, Disclosure Scotland advised its Ministers that a one-year delay would be more cost effective in the context of the worsening financial climate. This delay would allow Disclosure Scotland to build the required technology at reduced expense and deliver a better product in terms of quality.
Disclosure Scotland advised Ministers that the longer delivery period would also allow our stakeholders more time to get ready for the coming changes and that the delay would not diminish the child and adult protection services that are the number one priority for Scottish Ministers in operating the PVG Scheme.
Ministers decided to agree a one-year delay in Act implementation but asked that appropriate elements of the new legislation should be commenced sooner, where possible.
Accordingly, parts of the Act and the policy intent of the Act have commenced earlier than the substantive implementation date, specifically:
On 10 December 2021, the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 (Commencement No.1 and Transitory Provision) Regulations 2021 came into force. These related to sections 83-85 of the 2020 Act which enabled individuals to withdraw from the PVG Scheme, to apply for removal from the barred list(s), permitted Scottish Ministers powers to obtain information to assess whether an individual is no longer unsuitable and to remove an individual from the list(s).
On 19 December 2022,The Police Act 1997 (Offences in Schedules 8A and 8B) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2022 updated the offence lists in the Police Act 1997 to reflect the changes listed in the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020.
On 01 April 2023,the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 (Commencement No.2) Regulations 2023 came into force. These related to section 89 of the 2020 Act and provided Scottish Ministers must issue guidance to the chief constable of the Police Service of Scotland relating to disclosure of ‘other relevant information’.
On 30 September 2024, Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 (Commencement No.3) Regulations 2024 brought into force provisions of the 2020 Act including section 82 which amended the PVG Act to give local authorities and integration joint boards referral powers.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 8 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made any assessment of its current ability to provide additional childcare to (a) parents and (b) guardians of nursery-age children with (i) short- and (ii) long-term additional support needs.
Answer
Education authorities have a duty under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 (as amended) to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their children, including in respect of funded early learning and childcare (ELC). The Scottish Government provides funding to education authorities for additional support for learning as part of their block grant. It is for individual education authorities to manage their own budget and to allocate the total financial resources available to them, on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 8 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the Adoption Support Services and Allowances (Scotland) Regulations 2009 during the current parliamentary session.
Answer
The Scottish Government has no plans to undertake a review of The Adoption Support Services and Allowances (Scotland) Regulations 2009, however we continue to keep adoption policy and practice under review. This is in close collaboration with stakeholders, as we work collectively to Keep the Promise by 2030. As part of this we will publish an adoption vision statement which sets out the place of adoption in Scotland today and our strategic priorities moving forward. This includes a focus on understanding the needs and priorities in relation to improving the consistency of post-adoption support across Scotland.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 8 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with (a) the UK Government and (b) Falkirk Council regarding the final sign-off of the Falkirk Growth Deal.
Answer
Officials are in regular contact with both the UK Government and Falkirk Council regarding the signing of the Falkirk and Grangemouth Growth Deal. Discussion continues at pace to align Ministers and Falkirk Council to secure a date for the signing to bring the Deal into delivery. Signing was previously scheduled before the General Election but had to be postponed during that process. Project development is led by Falkirk Council and other local partners and this has continued ahead of the formal signing, ensuring this delay does not adversely impact Deal progress.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 8 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to bring forward Falkirk Growth Deal projects, in light of reports of the Grangemouth refinery closure.
Answer
Project development and delivery are led by Falkirk Council and other local partners. Officials are in regular communication with both the UK Government and Falkirk Council regarding the signing of the Falkirk and Grangemouth Growth Deal. Partners are currently preparing business cases for all projects and officials are working to support this process to enable project delivery to commence. This crucial project development work has been ongoing ahead of the formal signing. Partners have identified the Deal projects which are sufficiently developed to commence and have prioritised those accordingly within the 10 year delivery programme of the Growth Deal.
- Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 8 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will carry out a comprehensive review of maternity experiences throughout Scotland to understand the occurrence of pregnancy-related trauma.
Answer
We are committed to gathering evidence on maternity care experiences across Scotland and are currently developing the next iteration of the Maternity Care Survey, which was previously run in 2013, 2015 and 2018. Our intention is for the next survey to take place in 2025. The survey will ask about experiences of antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal maternity care, including questions about person-centred care, trust in healthcare providers, and the provision of advice and support. However this survey is not the right vehicle to ask about pregnancy related trauma, which requires sensitive and responsive inquiry.
In line with NICE guidelines, we would expect Health Professionals to offer advice and support to women who have had a traumatic birth and wish to understand and talk about their experience. We are working with NHS Boards to develop specialist Community Perinatal Mental Health services to provide assessment and care for women with moderate to severe mental illness, including psychological impact following the birth of a baby.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 September 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 8 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comment by the Chief Constable when
giving evidence to the Criminal Justice Committee on 11 September 2024 that
"The demands made by the criminal justice system form one of the largest
elements that saps away the capacity of policing in Scotland. Going to court
takes away 500 officers a day; on many occasions, they will not give
evidence", what steps it will take to improve efficiency in the justice
system.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30024 on 1 October 2024. 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.
