Chamber and committees

20 projects were funded through the 2022 Islands Programme resource funding to support delivery of the National Islands Plan. These can be found in the following table:

The Scottish Government consulted on proposals for a Circular Economy Bill - Delivering Scotland's circular economy: Proposed Circular Economy Bill - Consultation analysis - gov.scot ( www.gov.scot ). A Bill will be brought forward before summer recess.

The number of full-time employees and their pay scale for each Cabinet Secretary's office and Minister's private office are as follows.

The Scottish Government remains committed to the Orkney Internal Ferry Replacement Task Force. The timing of the next meeting will be agreed with relevant stakeholders in due course.

As I set out in my recent answer to S6W-16591 on 26 April 2023, the Scottish Government has no plans to reintroduce lynx or any other large carnivorous species into Scotland. However, the Scottish Government is aware that appropriate species reintroductions can be beneficial to ecosystems and restoring biodiversity.

Neither the Scottish Government, nor NatureScot, have carried out any formal assessment of any potential impact that lynx would have on livestock in Scotland.

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

The Scottish Government is committed to working constructively with COSLA to set a Scottish Recommended Allowance for foster and kinship allowances. Officials are meeting on a regular basis and these conversations have been constructive, yet challenging, given the wider financial environment. We know that it has taken longer than originally anticipated, which is why we are exploring all available options, and working at pace with COSLA to deliver the allowance as soon as possible.

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

The review of the Gender Identity and Gender Reassignment Policy 2014 is currently ongoing. The review is considering the suitability of the current policy’s position on self-identification, along with other potential options which would allow SPS to make safe and appropriate decisions about the placement and management of transgender people in custody.

The Scottish Government along with the Scottish Funding Council work with and engage, on an ongoing basis with a range of stakeholders including Universities Scotland and individual institutions, to monitor and secure the long term sustainability of the sector as a whole and ensure that Scottish Universities continue to deliver world class education.

These issues were discussed at a meeting between the previous Cabinet Secretary and Universities Scotland. As part of that discussion, it was recognised that as autonomous institutions Scottish universities are responsible for managing their long term institutional stability as operated through their own entry requirements, admissions policies and budgets. It was also agreed that it was vital to explore further the impact of the UK Government’s policy on immigration on Scottish Universities’ international student recruitment.

The Scottish Government welcomes the contribution that international students make to our society, culture and economy. International students add to the diversity of our communities, enrich the learning experience and support local businesses and jobs. Our priority is to become more active internationally fostering good global connections, and by promoting educational and research exchange to raise the profile of Scotland as a place to live, work and study.

The Scottish Animal Welfare Commission (SAWC) Report on the Welfare of Beavers in Scotland made a number of recommendations including:

• The urgent need for comprehensive guidance for landowners etc for non-lethal control which does not require licensing;
• No licences should be issued in the kit dependency period:
• Banning the shooting of beavers in the water would eliminate the problem of poor or difficult marksmanship, which can significantly affect the welfare of beavers;
• While translocations are welcome as an alternative to lethal control, where possible, it is important that robust protocols are followed by trained operators, release areas are assessed properly, to ensure that high standards of welfare are maintained during and after the translocations of individuals.

NatureScot responded directly to SAWC on behalf of the Scottish Government, and that response is summarised below:

• Mitigation is a key theme of Scotland’s Beaver Strategy with a view to minimising negative impacts. The Strategy includes a range of actions to update guidance, raise awareness, help support and innovate around beaver mitigation techniques. NatureScot currently provides specialist advice to land managers through the Beaver Mitigation Scheme and is actively working on a programme of work on the actions outlined above. The guidance is being reviewed in line with the strategy and advice is available on the NatureScot website.
• Currently only exceptional licences may be issued during the kit dependency period (1st April to 16th August). Exceptional circumstances include situations where either serious damage or a threat to public health or public interest is occurring at that time or is imminent and where lethal control is the only means of addressing that issue.
• The examples of poor shooting practice pre-date the introduction of accredited controller training developed when European Protected Species (EPS) status was given to beavers and the introduction of minimum calibre and bullet weights. The examples given cannot be assumed to reflect current practice. NatureScot also noted that the Commission did not base these recommendations on any practical field work following beaver becoming EPS and the introduction of a licensing scheme. NatureScot are also looking at the conditioning of licences with requirement to provide carcass for post mortem.
• In relation to robust protocols being in place in relation to translocations, there are actions relating to all of these points in Scotland’s Beaver Strategy. NatureScot has produced protocols to accompany the recent release licence issued to RSPB Scotland at Loch Lomond. NatureScot will share and invite comment on these from the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission with a view to agreeing standard protocols going forward.

Further discussions on the recommendations are currently ongoing between NatureScot and SAWC. Any resulting changes to protocols or licensing arrangements will be published on the NatureScot website.

Information about Ministerial engagements is proactively released on the Scottish Government website . The spreadsheets include a wide range of information including details of the organisation/individuals Ministers met along with the subject discussed.

In addition, Scottish Government officials engage with stakeholder organisations as part of the policy development process. Officials, from across portfolios, work closely with One Parent Families Scotland to better understand the needs of single parent families and to ensure these families achieve their potential, reach a decent standard of living and are able to contribute to Scottish society.

Officials, from across portfolios, have regularly met One Parent Families Scotland since May 2021 and will continue to meet with them for the purposes of policy development and grant funding monitoring.