Chamber and committees

The aim of the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021 is to ensure that everyone in Scotland who menstruates can have reasonably convenient access to period products, free of charge, as and when they are required. The definition of period products in the Act does not include incontinence products and there are no plans at present to change this. The Act does not limit the number of products that can be accessed so those experiencing such symptoms are entitled to access as many period products as they need.

To help support people experiencing menopausal or perimenopausal symptoms our Women’s Health Platform, on NHS Inform, includes a resource on menopause and work is underway to refine and create resources on pelvic health. This will include urinary incontinence, looking at prevention, treatment options and reducing stigma.

February 2011 saw the introduction of Community Payback Orders (CPO), making 2011-12 the first full financial year for which this disposal was available.

The latest available information, by court type, is provided in the following table which is based on people rather than number of cases. Total numbers of CPOs issued is also available from table 7a of the Criminal Proceedings in Scotland 2020-21 statistical bulletin Supporting documents - Criminal proceedings in Scotland: 2020-2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).

Data for 2020-21 are affected by the pandemic and subsequent court closures and may not be indicative of long term trends .

People receiving a Community Payback Order by type of court, where main disposal, 2010-11 to 2020-21

Delivery of this action is a long term objective of the plan. The National Heart Disease Task Force will consider the prioritisation of work to be undertaken in 2023-24 as part of our ongoing implementation of the commitments within the Heart Disease Action Plan.

Hull 802 and MV Glen Sannox length is 102.4m with a beam of 17.0m and a maximum operational draft of 3.7m. Little Minch vessels length will be 94.8m with a beam of 18.7m and a maximum operational draft of 4.0m.

The Scottish Government is aware that figures released by the Scottish Dairy Cattle Association (SDCA) in January reveal an annual reduction of the number of dairy herds in Scotland to 804 herds.

In their news release to accompany the publication of dairy herd statistics the SDCA however noted positively that there was considerable investment in new milking parlours and robots in South West Scotland.

We are continuing to support the Scottish dairy sector by funding the Scottish Dairy Hub, to provide dairy farmers with reliable, accurate and relevant information to inform decision making, as well as funding the Scottish Dairy Growth Board to champion growth of the Scottish Dairy sector in global markets.

As well as receiving farm payments through the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and other schemes, dairy farms have been eligible in recent years to receive support in purchasing farm equipment through the Sustainable Agriculture Capital Grant Scheme (SACGS) and the Agri-Environment and Climate Scheme (AECS).

As part of the Agricultural Reform Programme the Scottish Government has stated the intention of reforming agricultural support with conditions which reduce emissions and improve farm performance. In February we published details on areas of interest for future farm support conditions which included dairy cattle nutrition, breeding and health. If adopted these measures will support dairy businesses and herd improvement.

Regulation of short-term lets is vital to balance the needs and concerns communities have raised with wider economic and tourism interests. Local authorities are responsible for developing policies on short-term lets in line with the short-term let regulations, and other relevant factors such as feedback received through local consultations, and Scottish Government short-term lets guidance.

The Clydeport (COP 26 etc.) Harbour Revision Order (HRO) will not be revoked. The Order was put in place to cover a number of issues, including granting extraordinary powers to Clydeport for security purposes during COP26. As detailed in the Order, the extraordinary powers granted to Clydeport automatically terminated at 11.59pm on 15 November 2021, which was the last day of COP26. The Clydeport (COP 26 etc.) Harbour Revision Order was subjected to the full statutory approval process applied to all HROs.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving ferry services for our island and remote communities and I am open-minded to all practical and affordable proposals from our ferry operators to address current operational challenges.

I have previously approved time charters of the MV Arrow to add resilience and capacity to both the Clyde and Hebrides and Northern Isles Ferry Services.

Decisions relating to the operational delivery of the qualifications, including appeals, are a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

While alternative approaches were adopted in 2020, 2021 and 2022, these were temporary, emergency measures in response to the pandemic and the specific circumstances in each of those years.

SQA arrived at the appeals approach for 2023 based on an extensive evaluation of the 2022 arrangements and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including parents and learners.

Alternative evidence will be considered if a learner is unable to attend their exam, for example through illness or bereavement or whose performance in the examination may have been affected by personal circumstances, through the Exam Exceptional Circumstances Consideration Service.

Circularity Scotland Ltd (CSL) has set up a dedicated support team which is accessible via a helpline to assist with inquiries from businesses to help them prepare for the launch of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).

Furthermore, in February CSL hosted a series of information events around the country so that businesses could learn more, and ask questions about their DRS obligations.

I recommend that producers contact Circularity Scotland, either by way of this dedicated telephone help line, or via their website to remain up to date with the latest information regarding DRS.