Chamber and committees

It would not be appropriate to comment on the Loch Kemp Pumped Storage Hydro development proposal, as this is a live application under consideration by the Scottish Ministers for determination.

Potential impacts on communities, nature, and cultural heritage, including the cumulative effects of developments, are important considerations in the decision-making process for applications for energy consent.

The decision whether to grant consent is taken only after careful consideration of environmental information, consultee responses and public representations. In reaching their decision, Scottish Ministers will determine applications in accordance with legislative requirements and relevant policy.

We have no plans to introduce national planning policy relating to cast-iron street furniture in Conservation Areas, and have not carried out an assessment of how any such policy would impact on Scotland's domestic foundry sector.

National Planning Framework 4 states that Local Development Plans should identify, protect and enhance valued historic assets and places.

Location specific design guidance, for example, relating to Conservation Areas, is best addressed at the local level, to reflect the character of individual places. Planning authorities have the ability to take this forward through local guidance.

The planning system allows for a statutory right of appeal to be made by the person or organisation who made the application. There is no third party right of appeal to challenge the merits of a planning decision or action. There is recourse to raise a challenge against a planning decision on a point of law through the courts.

Amendments proposing third party rights of appeal were considered, and rejected, by the Scottish Parliament during its consideration of the Planning (Scotland) Bill, passed by the Parliament in 2019. The Scottish Government has no plans to review rights of appeal at the current time.

The Scottish Government is determined that all children and young people, including those from Scotland’s Jewish community, as well as teachers, feel safe, respected and able to learn and work in an environment free from prejudice or intimidation.

In Scotland, decisions on curriculum delivery and the use of external materials are for local authorities, schools and teachers, who are expected to exercise professional judgement and ensure appropriate balance.

Schools have an important role to play by providing a safe space for learners to explore, discuss and debate a range of social and political issues. This is guided and informed by a range of Scottish Government and Education Scotland-led frameworks outlining high-level expectations.

Planning authorities are required to determine all planning applications, including retrospective applications, in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

Planning authorities have powers to apply a surcharge (of up to 25% on top of the usual planning application fee) to retrospective planning applications, where development has already commenced or been completed without the necessary permission. The use and level of any such surcharge is a matter for individual planning authorities to set out in a charter.

The Scottish Government has no current plans to issue specific guidance on the determination of retrospective applications for unauthorised alterations to shopfronts.

National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) is clear that Local Development Plans (LDPs) should be place-based and provide clear expectations for design. This includes identifying where more detailed design guidance is expected, which could include design codes.

NPF4 also sets out that planning authorities should use the Place Standard tool when preparing their LDPs and design guidance to engage with communities and other stakeholders.

LDP guidance, published by the Scottish Government, reinforces NPF4 and emphasises the importance of collaboration in high quality design and provides advice on the appropriate scales for different design tools, which can be used by planning authorities.

The Scottish Government has not made an assessment of any increase in average consultation times, administrative processing times or task completion times following migration to the Vision 3 GP clinical system.

Responsibility for the delivery and operation of GP IT systems, including the Vision 3 migration programme, sits with Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSDS), which manages the national GP IT service on behalf of NHS Scotland.

Information on any assessments undertaken in relation to the operational impact of migration to Vision 3 may therefore be held by Public Services Delivery Scotland rather than the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government does not consider there to be a conflict between the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 and the Building (Scotland) Act 2003. The two Acts serve different purposes and operate alongside one another, with the former providing protections for the historic environment and the latter providing powers for local authorities to address risks to public safety.

Scottish Ministers have not had discussions with Police Scotland regarding the discovery of the nitazene lab as it is an operational matter and investigations are ongoing.

Vision are the only supplier approved on the current framework following the exiting of the market of two other suppliers earlier in the process. The current framework runs to 2029 with the option to extend to 2032. We will be working with stakeholders to assess the options for managing suppliers wishing to supply GP IT in Scotland following the conclusion of the current framework in due course.