Chamber and committees

Since wildcats are already present in the Cairngorms, any proposal to release wildcats in this area would be a translocation project to reinforce the existing population, rather than a reintroduction.

The ‘Saving Wildcats’ project submitted a licence application to NatureScot in September 2022 to permit the translocation of wildcats to sites in the Cairngorms Connect Project area from conservation breeding facilities.

In considering the licence application, NatureScot assessed the extent to which the application followed the best practice guidelines set out in the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations. These guidelines involve a range of biological and socio-economic considerations. Also, as part of this process a full ‘Habitats Regulations Appraisal’ was undertaken to assess impacts of the project on European protected sites within the release area.

NatureScot has recently approved the licence application, and has published a licensing decision document at https://www.nature.scot/doc/decision-document-license-application-220947-licence-release-captive-breed-wildcats-felis-silvestris

The Scottish Government’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund aims to leverage £60m of public and private investment to double the size of Scotland’s public electric vehicle charging network to 6,000 charge points by 2026. This alone will be over and above the commercial investment in public charge points now taking place in Scotland.

The Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund is focused upon growing the public charging network across Scotland where private investment on its own will be unviable. At present, the Scottish Government is supporting local authorities to develop public electric vehicle charging strategies and infrastructure expansion plans; these are identifying local and regional charge point needs, the investment requirements, as well as the best approaches to delivering collaborative investments with commercial Charge Point Operators. The exact type of public charge points including their charging power capabilities and demand on the electricity grid will be determined through this approach.

It is anticipated that the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund investment will be delivered across Scotland through local authority and private Charge Point Operator partnership models. The arrangements and responsibilities for supply and maintenance of charge points will be determined through contractual arrangements between the parties involved.

The Digital Prescribing and Dispensing Pathways (DPDP) programme aims to revolutionise Scotland’s prescribing and dispensing process by ultimately replacing the paper prescription, initially by developing an end-to-end digital solution for in-hours prescribing from General Practice right through to community pharmacy dispensing and improve patient experience for the general public. The DPDP programme will be rolled out to all NHS Boards.

Scotland's Blue Economy Vision has been developed from the fundamental principle that Scotland's economy is embedded within nature, not external to it. At its core, our Vision recognises that economic prosperity and well-being are underpinned by nature and in order to secure long term economic prosperity from our seas, we must transform our economy and society to thrive within the planet’s sustainable limits.

The marine sectors within Scotland's Blue Economy depend on nature but current trends in nature degradation place a significant risk on Scotland's economic prosperity.

Scientific studies indicate that fish stocks can increase in HPMAs, providing spill over benefits for fishers and making sure there are sustainable levels of fish and other marine products to be derived and benefitted from our seas. For example, a study by Lenihan et al in California has shown spill over benefits with increased stocks of spiny lobster.

As set out in our initial consultation, which closed on 17 April, any specific potential impacts can only be considered once specific site proposals have been developed, following close stakeholder and community engagement.

The Scottish Government is working with partners to implement the long-term recommendations of the 2012 Doran Review. Our 10 year strategy , published in 2019, outlines our agreed approach to improving the learning provision for children and young people with complex additional support needs.

While progress with the implementation of the 10 year strategy has been impacted by partners’ focus on the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, work that will inform our next steps has continued. In particular, research is currently concluding on ways in which support for children and young people with complex additional support needs is currently being provided and will be published in due course. We are also continuing to work with partners to scope the potential of complex additional support needs’ content in existing teacher leadership programmes.

Progress can be followed through the published minutes of the Doran Review’s National Strategic Commissioning Group , in addition to the Additional Support for Learning Project Board ’s next scheduled update in May 2024 .

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is responsible for protecting aquatic wildlife, including shellfish, from sewage discharges to the water environment. SEPA currently classifies all Scotland’s coastal waterbodies at good or better condition for water quality.

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) is responsible for monitoring and assessing levels of biotoxins, faecal contamination (ie E.coli) and chemical contaminants in shellfish for human consumption and the data is available on its website ( https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/business-and-industry/industry-specific-advice/shellfish ). FSS works with the SEPA to identify any areas showing signs of deteriorating water quality.

In designated Shellfish Waters Protected Areas (SWPAs) SEPA aims to protect and improve water quality to ensure that shellfish grown for human consumption is safe. The most recent classification undertaken by SEPA indicates that 99% of SWPAs are in good or better condition.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-17263 on 4 May 2023. 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 .

Housing Benefit has been replaced by Universal Credit in all but a small number of specific circumstances. Recipients of Universal Credit need to notify their Work Coach of any additional income in a given monthly assessment period. A person’s income could increase, for instance, if they did additional hours or overtime in that period. Most recently, NHS Scotland staff received a one-off additional payment in their April salaries as part of the 2023-24 Agenda for Change pay settlement.

Additional income reduces or stops Universal Credit but it is important to stress that everyone should be better off overall as the taper rate is 55%, so for every pound in extra payments, the person keeps 45 pence. Universal Credit will then increase or begin again if someone’s income reduces in the next assessment period unless, for instance, the higher income represented by the substantive part of the NHS Scotland pay settlement places them above the qualifying criteria for Universal Credit.

Spreading the one-off payment over multiple months was considered at the time the 2023-24 Agenda for Change pay settlement was negotiated. However, it was not clear this would provide any advantage to the lower paid and indeed it may be more helpful to get the payment within one assessment period and return to a steady state following that.

Scottish Government officials work closely with the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), which provides leadership and advice to Scottish Ministers, local authorities, and the wider libraries sector.

In 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23, we provided funding of £665,000 to SLIC as recognition of the importance of our public libraries, and as an expression of our support for the excellent services they provide. This is on top of the Scottish Government’s general revenue funding to local authorities and includes the Public Library Improvement Fund that supports creative, sustainable and innovative public library projects throughout Scotland.

The Scottish Government meet weekly with the team at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to discuss their capital investment plans, including redevelopment of the Institute of Neurological Sciences in Glasgow.