The Mental Welfare Commission (MWC) produces annual reports on admissions of young people under the age of 18 to non-specialist wards in Scotland. Children and young people referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) will generally be treated in the community. There may be times when it is necessary to admit them to hospital for specialist treatment. Should this be the case they would be admitted to one of the three regional CAMHS inpatient units. There are however occasions when a young person is admitted to a non-specialist ward. This may happen for example when it is clinically judged to be more appropriate to admit that young person to a ward, such as an acute care paediatric ward, or the young person and their family have a preference for an admission to a local adult ward.

The latest report was published on 23 October 2023 and can be found at https://www.mwcscot.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-11/ChildrenYoungPeople-MonitoringReport2023.pdf . Table 1 provides a breakdown of numbers of young people admitted to non-specialist facilities by year from 2013-14 (202 admissions involving 179 young people) to 2022-23 (79 admissions involving 66 young people). Table 2 provides a breakdown of numbers of young people admitted to non-specialist facilities by NHS board by year. The Scottish Government only holds data on young people treated outside of Scotland from 2014. Since 2014, there have been 21 cross border transfers of CAHMS patients out of Scotland.

Information on young people placed in adult mental health services is also available through the Mental Health Quality Indicator Profile publication: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/media/23859/2023-11-28-qipmh-full-report-final.pdf . Information can be found under the “Equitable” theme of indicators - indicator EQ4 provides data on the percentage of under 18 year old psychiatric admissions admitted outwith NHS specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) wards. Please note this information is only published at a national level.

Securing positive effects for biodiversity is one of six statutory outcomes for the National Planning Framework, as identified in section 3A(3)(c) of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, as amended. National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) was adopted and published on 13 February 2023. Improving biodiversity is a cross-cutting theme which runs throughout NPF4 and our strategy and policies support development that helps to secure positive effects for biodiversity.

National Planning Framework 4 Policy 3 (c), which relates to local developments, is underpinned by NatureScot’s Developing With Nature guidance published on 13 February 2023. This guidance includes 24 measures that development can incorporate to enhance biodiversity, one of which is Homes for Small Birds (measure 13).

Current building regulations include a standard which promotes sustainable development, including advice on how biodiversity can be well served as a topic in new school developments – this is published under Aspect 4 of our ‘statement of sustainability’, standard 7.1 in the Non-domestic Technical Handbook . We plan to revisit this topic, in the context of other ongoing activity, to understand further opportunities for building regulations to make a positive contribution to biodiversity within new developments.

There is no limitation on the property size that could qualify for support to install measures via the Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan scheme.

The information requested is not collated by Energy Savings Trust, who administer the scheme on behalf of the Scottish Government.

We are committed to help deliver drug checking facilities across Scotland and are making progress to establish this service in three pilot areas (Dundee, Aberdeen and Glasgow), alongside a national hub which will be able to provide additional analysis of samples.

We have highlighted our desire to introduce these facilities to the Home Office as any activity which involves the possession of controlled drugs would require a Home Office licence. As a result, the Home Office have provided a set of criteria to assist in the completion of these licence applications and which they would expect any prospective drug checking facility to adhere to. That information has been shared with those pilot areas and we continue to provide them with support.

However, these criteria make clear that such a license would only be granted for a facility attached to an existing drug treatment service, and that it be specifically targeted at those with problem substance use. Furthermore, UK Ministers have been clear in their opposition to ‘front of house’ drug checking, as might be found in festivals and other venues, and so would not grant a license for such a service.

We welcome interest from further cities or organisations who would wish to implement this harm reduction measure in alternative venues, including music festivals. We would be willing to work with them, and partners such as Police Scotland, to explore what might be possible in Scotland.

Today the Scottish Government published its International Culture Strategy. The Strategy sets out a series of ambitions and actions to support the culture and creative sector in pursuing international opportunities and ensure that such activity plays a central role in the sector’s long term development. It builds on existing activity, but explores additional opportunities and sets out a policy rationale for why the Scottish Government considers international cultural activity to be important. The International Culture Strategy is available here https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781836010876 .

The Single Building Assessment (SBA) is a risk-based approach to assess and culminate in a report on the risk to human life (directly or indirectly) created or exacerbated by the External Wall System (EWS) in multi-residential domestic buildings which may include a commercial premises, constructed or refurbished between 1 June 1992 and 1 June 2022, 11 metres and over in height and incorporating a form of external wall cladding system. The SBA includes a FRAEW (Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls) which requires that a building is assessed holistically, and for that reason, the SBA will also include a Fire Risk Assessment of the common parts of the building to the level of detail deemed required by the Fire Engineer / Assessor. The level of risk acceptance for any building in scope is tolerable risk. The recommendations identified by the Fire Engineer or Assessor within the SBA report which are deemed necessary to eliminate or mitigate risk to human life (directly or indirectly) created or exacerbated by the EWS will form the remediation scope.

Timescales for the legislative process are set out in the Scottish Parliament’s Standing Orders (for example in relation to Scottish Statutory Instruments) or are determined by Parliament on the advice of the Parliamentary Bureau (for example in relation to target dates for the completion of stages of Bills).

When the Scottish Government contributes its perspective to timetabling discussions it seeks to balance the need to make progress in delivering its legislative programme with the need for Parliament to be able to appropriately scrutinise that legislation, whilst also recognising the role of parliamentary authorities and the time they need in supporting members ahead of amending stages of Bills.

The transportation of defence nuclear material in Scotland is a reserved matter for the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The Scottish Government expects any such transportation to be carried out safely and securely and has made this expectation clear to the UK Government.

Our emergency services have plans in place for responding to the consequences of any major incident regardless of the cause. There are well established resilience structures in Scotland to manage the consequences of any emergency, and we regularly engage with key stakeholders in Scotland and where appropriate with relevant authorities across the UK.

The potential use of biodegradable barrier tape is an operational policing matter for Police Scotland. The Police Scotland Environmental Strategy 2021 sets out the context, pathway and implementation plan for reduction of energy, resource and carbon across the organisation.

During the First Minister’s recent meeting with the Arab Ambassador Corps in London, the First Minister set out his vision for Scotland around the three pillars of equality, community, and opportunity, focusing on Scotland’s economic potential and commitment to social justice. The First Minister also outlined Scotland’s role in the world including the Scottish Government’s commitment to good global citizenship and belief in democracy, rule of law and human rights. In this context, the First Minister reaffirmed the importance of international solidarity in the face of shared global challenges such as the climate emergency, Russia’s war against Ukraine and the current crisis unfolding in the middle east.

The meeting was conducted under the Chatham House rule, as such specific issues attributable to participants are not noted.