Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government works closely with the game sector to encourage best practice biosecurity measures by keepers of poultry and other captive birds. Advice has been issued frequently through a number of formats including webinars, emails, regular interface with stakeholders such as game industry representatives, and publication of online guidance.

A Scottish Avian Influenza in wild bird Task Force was established in 2022 to coordinate a joint response to the outbreak in wild birds. On 11 August Ministers launched the Wild Bird HPAI Response Plan that sets out how the Scottish Government and its partners will respond to any further outbreaks of HPAI in wild birds in Scotland.

Communications have also included guidance on gov.scot for pet dogs and working dogs. Scottish Government has also worked with the game industry to develop standing guidance on avian influenza and game birds.

In Scotland (and across Great Britain) the GB Dead Wild Bird Surveillance Scheme, administered by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) on behalf of the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and Defra (England), allows members of the public to report dead wild birds (via a helpline and/or online reporting tool), and for a selection of these birds (based on a triage criteria) to be tested for avian influenza. The purpose of the scheme is to capture information on the general location and strains of avian influenza that might be prevalent in GB. This data then helps government build up a picture of the current risks, and shapes how they then respond in policy terms.

In addition to this, NatureScot have a network of reporters across Scotland who provide early intelligence on unusual mortality levels in wild bird species. It is also recognised by Scottish Government that managers of grouse moors in Scotland may regularly carry out their own health checks of wild grouse across the summer months.

Regulation of electricity networks is reserved to the UK Government. The Electricity Act 1989 schedule 4 sets out the powers that are available to certain distribution network licence holders to fell and lop trees and the circumstances in which such felling and lopping may be carried out. The schedule sets out the duty of the licence holder to give notice to the landowner(s) or occupier(s) of the land of the requirement for this activity and the process which follows thereafter.

Regulation of electricity networks is reserved to the UK Government. Matters pertaining to the retention of electric lines on land are governed by schedule 4 to the Electricity Act 1989. The schedule sets out the circumstances and the timeframe within which an electricity network distribution licence holder may, following the service of a notice to remove the electric line from the land, not be obliged to comply with the notice and retain the electric line on the land.

In 2023 six game bird premises were declared with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Scotland. These were:

• Near Portsoy, Aberdeenshire, confirmed 08 August 2023 (AIV 2023/29)
• Near Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, confirmed 14 August 2023 (AIV 2023/41)
• Near Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, confirmed 14 August 2023 (AIV 2023/42)
• Near Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway, confirmed 14 August 2023 (AIV 2023/43)
• Near Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway, confirmed 17 August 2023 (AIV 2023/44)
• Near Forfar, Angus, confirmed 18 August 2023 (AIV 2023/45)

We seek to ensure that people can access vaccination appointments as close to home as possible. Health Boards continue to recognise and support the needs of rural communities in planning and delivering the winter vaccination programme.

Health Boards continue to use outreach options to provide vaccination in rural areas. This winter, community pharmacies, ‘pop-up’ clinics and support from Scottish Ambulance Service mobile unit teams have been used to improve access and reduce travel distances.

Most Health Boards aim for a maximum travel distance of 10 miles or a travel time of 15-30 minutes and always consider public transport routes when choosing vaccination venues.

Community support and local transport solutions are utilised where possible in order to support those with additional barriers. Boards are also able to utilise local intelligence and provide flexible options including some weekend and evening appointments.

When booking their vaccination, I would encourage people to continue to check the online portal or call the national vaccination helpline as new appointments do become available regularly.

A transport appraisal of passenger and freight ferry services between the Northern Isles and the Scottish mainland, in line with the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG), was undertaken in 2016-2017 to inform the specification of the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract awarded in 2020. The study report is published here:

final-report-appraisal-of-options-for-specification-of-2018-northern-isles-ferry-services-april-2018.pdf (transport.gov.scot)

Serco NorthLink Ferries (SNF), as operator of the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract, keeps freight services under review and discusses these regularly with key stakeholders and Transport Scotland. SNF publish its carrying statistics, including freight, here:

NorthLink Statistics | NorthLink Ferries

A transport appraisal of passenger and freight ferry services between the Northern Isles and the Scottish mainland, in line with the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG), was undertaken in 2016-2017 to inform the specification of the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract awarded in 2020. The study report is published here:

final-report-appraisal-of-options-for-specification-of-2018-northern-isles-ferry-services-april-2018.pdf (transport.gov.scot)

Crewing is a matter for the ferry operators.

Professor Anna Glasier is Scotland’s independent Women’s Health Champion, and her remit encompasses all of the aims of the Women’s Health Plan.

There are many other issues and conditions that are important to women and their health, and there is a range of work under way to help women affected by dementia.

This includes the Scottish Government’s New Dementia Strategy, published in May 2023. The Scottish Government is also working together with COSLA and a lived experience panel, which includes women with a diagnosis of dementia, to agree priorities for the first delivery plan for the strategy, which will be published in January 2024.

The priorities for any future Women’s Health Plan are not yet determined. Consideration for future areas of focus and priorities will be informed by evidence and developed in collaboration with women and girls, a women’s health lived experience group, clinical experts and relevant stakeholders.

In March 2023, the Scottish Government ran an endometriosis public awareness campaign in partnership with Young Scot, targeted primarily at increasing young people’s awareness of the condition.

Following the campaign a post-evaluative survey ran to measure the impact of the information on the audience. Key statistics are as follows:

• 82% of young people agreed or strongly agreed that they are more informed about the symptoms of endometriosis
• 71% of young people agreed or strongly agreed that they are more informed about how to support someone with endometriosis
• 74% of young people agreed or strongly agreed that they would know where to get support or what steps they could take if they thought they may have endometriosis
• 97% of young people who visited young.scot/Endometriosis found it useful or very useful