Chamber and committees

No analysis has been carried out in respect of housing or other specific future land uses for unquantifiable potential surplus land and estate disposals. The Scottish Government is required by the Scottish Public Finance Manual to demonstrate best value. In doing so, it continually keeps its estate requirements under review to ensure that staff have the right places to work delivering services to the people of Scotland. Where any Scottish Government owned land or estate is released all options for demonstrating best value in doing so are considered on a case-by case basis.

The School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967 set out the requirements upon schools to provide toilet facilities for all pupils in schools.

This is a matter for the managers of residential schools. The Equality Act 2010 already contains provisions which enable the provision of single-sex sleeping arrangements.

The Schools (Scotland) General Regulations 1975 set out the requirements upon schools and education authorities in relation to registration of admissions.

As set out in the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and Workforce Action Plan, we recognise that counsellors and psychotherapists are part of the core mental health and wellbeing workforce and play a critical role in delivering the Strategy.

Throughout the development of the Strategy, associated Delivery Plan and Workforce Action Plan, we engaged with a wide range of stakeholders, including directly with representatives of the workforce.

The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland (COSCA) and the British Psychological Society participated in the consultation processes.

We will continue to engage with them and other representatives of the mental health and wellbeing workforce on the implementation of the Strategy’s Delivery and Workforce Action Plans.

The Scottish Government has no plans to segregate pupils by sex when participating in physical education and sporting activities. Decisions on the teaching of PE rest with education authorities and schools in line with curriculum for excellence.

Following a successful vessel berthing trial on 20 December, ferry services resumed on the Little Minch route on 22 December 2023.

Carrying capacities and route requirements are kept under periodic review by operators and CMAL as the vessels’ owner.

We recognise in the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and the Workforce Action Plan that counsellors and psychotherapists are part of the core mental health and wellbeing workforce and that they have a critical role in delivering the Strategy.

The Strategy, Delivery Plan and Workforce Action Plan were developed in consultation with a large number of stakeholders including representatives of counselling and psychotherapy such as British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland (COSCA) and the British Psychological Society.

Throughout the implementation of the Strategy’s Delivery and Workforce Action Plans, officials will continue to liaise with key stakeholders and consider relevant frameworks to ensure best practices are shared.

Recruitment and training of registered mental health professionals is a matter for employers such as NHS boards and Local Authorities. These bodies make informed decisions about recruiting counsellors and psychotherapists or training new mental health practitioners, according to the needs of local service providers and working with relevant professional bodies. The Scottish Government expects employers to apply standards and frameworks which are appropriate to the specialism being recruited for.

The number of properties that have provided annual deer cull data to NatureScot in each of the past five years is as follows: