NatureScot undertook a trial into minimum bullet weights to shoot deer to ensure that animal welfare would not be compromised. We considered this, alongside advice from NatureScot on deer welfare when making these proposals.

A copy of that report is available here: https://www.nature.scot/doc/naturescot-research-report-1312-review-minimum-bullet-weight-lawful-culling-all-deer-species

We held a written consultation from May – June 2023 on proposed changes to night sights, ammunition weights and close seasons for male deer. The full Deer Management Round Table was invited to respond to this consultation. Responses will be published on the Scottish Government webpage imminently.

All night shooting of deer requires a specific authorisation by NatureScot. That means that anyone seeking to shoot deer at night must apply to NatureScot and provide the details of the planned management, including where and when the deer will be culled.

There are requirements for a deer stalker to be fit and competent as part of that process and NatureScot will be updating the Night Shooting Code of Practice and Best Practice guidance will be developed ahead of these proposals being introduced.

As outlined in response to S6W-20504 on 1 September 2023, culling deer at night can only be done under authorisation from NatureScot. In order to be authorised to shoot deer at night applicants must be able to evidence fit and competent status and comply with Best Practice.

To register as fit and competent applicants must provide evidence that they have completed either Deer Stalking Certificate Level 2 (DSC2) or Deer Stalking Certificate Level 1 (DSC1). They must also provide two referees (one of whom must be DSC1 certified) who can provide evidence that the applicant meets required standards.

In 2019-20, 17.33% of total deer culled in Scotland were shot under a night authorisation.

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

Scottish Government does not hold this information. Circularity Scotland Limited (CSL) was established as a private not-for-profit company by the drinks industry to meet its regulatory obligations. The Directors and Administrators of CSL have placed information on Companies House website about the Administration, which includes details of claims from creditors.

The Scottish Government remains committed to the delivery of a successful DRS in October 2025 and are pushing the UK Government to set out how this can be delivered across the UK. The onus is now on DEFRA to work with the devolved nations, industry and wider stakeholders to ensure this scheme is launched successfully and on time.

Under the GP Contract, GP practices are required to provide online services to patients such as appointment booking and repeat prescription ordering. We recognise, however, there have been limitations to the systems currently in use, which is why, through continued investment in the national ‘GP IT’ re-provisioning programme, Health Boards will have the ability to offer new and advanced, modernised systems for General Practice in Scotland.

The rollout of the new National GP IT system is now underway and provides a number of improvements for GPs and practices in relation to booking appointments, prescribing, connectivity to systems, shared community care and more robust centralised hosting. As the new GP IT system is rolled out, we expect more GP practices to offer a booking service for their patients, in line with the GP contract. More information is available in our refreshed delivery plan of the Digital Strategy: Care in the Digital Age: Delivery Plan 2023-24 (www.gov.scot) .

The Scottish Government greatly values our culture sector and the fundamental part it plays in our everyday lives, our national identity, and how we present ourselves to the world. The sector receives significant annual funding from the Scottish Government. We know that this is a worrying time for the sector as organisations recover from the pandemic and deal with the impacts of Brexit and the cost of living and operating crisis.

Our work to support this recovery is ongoing and we will continue to work with the sector to identify barriers to recovery, and do everything within our powers and resources to help those most affected by current economic challenges.

The Scottish Government’s ability to respond to the current financial context is limited due to overall UK Government cuts and by the financial restrictions of devolution, requiring extremely hard funding decisions to be made across the budget.

Funding provided to each Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) for 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 is available at: Alcohol and Drug Partnerships: funding allocations - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The Scottish Government’s direct, recurring funding to support ADP projects is transferred to NHS Boards via their baseline allocations for onward delegation to Integration Authorities (IAs) to be invested, in their entirety, through ADPs. Where there is more than one IA, the level of funding is agreed jointly by the IAs within the Health Board area. Scottish Government provides details of what the ADP allocation of this funding would be using the NRAC formula as an indication of funding at the ADP level. However, precise allocations are a matter for Integration Authorities as the information requested is not held centrally.

Programme funding to ADPs is also transferred via NHS Boards, however, Scottish Government provide the level of funding for each IA that the Board delegates.

Funding transferred in 2022-23 is shown in Table 1. In 2022-23, a total of £106.8m was available to Alcohol and Drugs Partnerships – up on the previous year.

Due to a significant increase in reserves carried forward from previous years, ADPs utilised unspent reserves in 2022-23. ADP funding requirements were fully met in 2022-23, through the use of both unspent reserves and in year funding allocation.

Table 1: Funding transferred to Alcohol and Drug Partnerships (ADPs) for financial year 2022-23

Communities have a number of rights in terms of community ownership. There are four separate community rights to buy, most of which are compulsory purchase rights, as well as the right to request an asset transfer of an asset from a public body.

In addition, the Scottish Land Fund, which was increased to £11m this year, is available to community groups across Scotland, whether they are acquiring an asset through any of these rights, or entering into a negotiated sale with a willing seller. We have committed to increasing this to £20m by the end of 2026.

The Scottish Government Community Land Team regularly assist community groups with guidance on the rights to buy, whilst the Community Empowerment Team can help with asset transfer rights.

The Scottish Government also provides grants to Community Land Scotland to promote and educate community groups on all aspects of community ownership. This includes the annual Community Land Week which allows anyone to go along to a participating community group and see for themselves the benefits that ownership can bring.

Forestry and Land Scotland does not record this information formally as it is not required for the licence return to NatureScot .