Chamber and committees

Scotland’s research base has a global reputation for excellence which is strengthened by the extensive collaborations the sector undertakes both across the UK and worldwide. The research base delivers wide ranging benefits, including economic impact.

We monitor data available on economic impact data through the Higher Education Business and Community Interaction Survey on collaboration and knowledge exchange activities. This includes information on collaborative research with non-academic organisations, employment numbers, the number of active spin-offs founded at Scottish HEIs and the turnover generated at these spin-offs. This data showed that in 2021/22, over 1,200 active university spin-off businesses founded at Scottish HEIs generated an estimated turnover of £489 million. We do not hold information on the economic impact of research and development collaborations between Scottish universities and UK HEIs specifically.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

SPS now anticipate the publication of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy to be completed by end of October 2023.

Competing priorities impacted stakeholder capacity to contribute within the planned timeframe, and a need to divert SPS resources to support several acute cases of mentally unwell people in SPS care have contributed to a delay in publication. The revised date now reflects the impact of those delays, whilst ensuring sufficient time is allocated in order to analyse the critical evidence gleaned from mental health experts and those in our care with lived experiences.

The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 will consolidate, modernise and extend existing hate crime legislation in Scotland. We are working closely with justice partners to ensure effective implementation of the Hate Crime Act..

We continue to work towards a commencement period of early 2024 in order to provide sufficient time to allow justice partners to complete a number of IT change programmes which will support implementation.

Officials and Ministers are continuing to engage regularly with justice partners with a view to ensuring the necessary IT changes are delivered in time for implementation by our early 2024 deadline.

Hate crimes will continue to be dealt with under existing hate crime legislation until such time as the Act comes into force.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-16521 on 27 April 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

CalMac Ferries Ltd (CFL) operate a bespoke planned maintenance system which was introduced a number of years ago on the Major Vessel Fleet. A project is underway to replace the system with a modern off the shelf established, marine system, however this project is dependent on funding being secured. The new system would allow standardisation of planned maintenance across the whole fleet as well as bringing efficiencies to the preventative maintenance, data and record keeping and drive efficiencies in the dry-docking process.

Scotland’s National Water Scarcity Plan (NWSP) published in 2014, and updated in 2020, sets out how water resources will be managed prior to and during periods of prolonged dry weather.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), is monitoring current water levels carefully across Scotland, collating information on the abstractions, and recording feedback on the impact of likely suspensions on business.

In June 2023, SEPA published guidance which clarifies how suspensions will be implemented. If the dry weather continues it may be necessary to reduce or suspend abstractions licences to protect the environment.

Public Water Supplies are largely operating normally and there is no immediate need for water restrictions. Investment in resilience measures over many years means that Scottish Water is able to maintain supplies during prolonged dry periods to all parts of Scotland. There have been challenges in smaller supplies particularly in rural areas and the Scottish Government and Scottish Water are monitoring the situation very carefully.

Due to the scope and timeframe of the question, the information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost as this data is not available from a single source.

A Scottish Government Planning Factsheet issued in 2014 to support the Scottish Planning Policy recognised that separation distance is a design matter dependent on a range of criteria.

National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), adopted on 13th February this year, forms part of the statutory development plan alongside the relevant Local Development Plan. Part 2 of NPF4 sets out the policy framework for use in the determination of planning applications. Matters concerning project design and mitigation are set out in policy 11(e). In the NPF4 Delivery Programme, we have given our commitment to progress work on a new suite of guidance and advice that will support activity to deliver the policy intent of NPF4. We will do this alongside careful monitoring of the implementation of policies.

‎To support delivery of NPF4, previously published planning guidance and advice will be revisited over time to establish whether it should be retained, removed or updated.

No estimate of the cost of providing long-term solutions has been made to date. Police Scotland updated the Scottish Police Authority Resources Committee on 9 May 2023, that it is working with structural engineers and business areas to identify longer term solutions for the areas where reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) has been found.

Scotland’s National Water Scarcity Plan (NWSP) sets out how water resources will be managed prior to and during periods of prolonged dry weather ensuring the correct balance is struck between protecting the environment and providing resource for human and economic activity.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA) latest reporting shows that water scarcity is now affecting all of Scotland and the forecasts indicate scattered showers are expected this week but not in quantities across a widespread area to improve the situation. The rainfall at the weekend provided no significant improvement in the conditions.

SEPA’s communications campaign began at the start of May to provide advice to businesses on water efficiency measures. The Scottish Government sponsored Farm Advisory Service (FAS) is also providing information about the current water scarcity situation and implications to the public, farmers and businesses. Scottish Government have reopened the emergency scheme to provided bottled water to affected households.

SEPA are monitoring the situation and coordinating steps to manage water resources. As areas of the country experiencing prolonged dry periods reach significant water scarcity level farms and businesses are contacted ahead of any temporary abstraction suspensions being introduced and guidance provided to minimise water usage.

Loch Maree has been in significant scarcity since 8 June. This is the level which triggers SEPA’s ability to suspend abstraction licences. The environmental impact of the activity in Loch Maree area is not considered by SEPA to be significant as licences in the area already have conditions to protect the environment in the event of low flows. Hence no licences in Loch Maree are being suspended at this time.

Parts of the Esk catchment in Dumfriesshire are also now at significant scarcity level. Like the Loch Maree catchment, licenses in this area are mainly for hydropower which have conditions to protect low flows so suspensions were not required.

Licences holders in areas likely to reach significant in the coming weeks are being contacted to highlight the risks and to understand their upcoming water needs.