Chamber and committees

The disease control response to the avian influenza outbreak is being coordinated across the four administrations, with the Animal and Plant Health Agency leading on surveillance, triage and testing in the UK. Wild bird findings (suspected of HPAI) in Scotland, England and Wales are reported to Defra’s national hotline. This information is then given to relevant teams to triage the collection of samples for testing, where required. This is an evolving situation with the species identified for collection and testing under constant review and adjusted according to surveillance needs.

As of 24 June 2022, 490 wild birds from multiple locations across Scotland, consisting of 24 species, have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1. More information, including the findings of HPAI in wild birds are available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/#wildbirds

Avian influenza is spread mainly through live birds, and current veterinary advice is that wild bird carcases should be left in situ, unless landowners consider it necessary to remove them. The Scottish Government has published advice for local authorities, landowners, wildlife rescue centres and members of the public regarding reporting, collection and safe disposal of dead wild birds. We will keep our guidance under continuous review as the situation develops.

Avian influenza is a highly infectious disease, and while there is little that can be done to limit the spread within seabird colonies, action can be taken to reduce the risk of onward transmission from infected colonies to uninfected colonies and other locations, and to minimise additional stress on potentially infected birds. To that end, NatureScot has suspended all ringing activities within seabird colonies for the remainder of the breeding season to mitigate these risks. Surveys of some seabird colonies are also ongoing to monitor bird numbers, and any mortality events.

Moving forward, we are in contact with the other UK administrations and statutory nature conservation bodies with regard to the response plan for future disease outbreaks. Although the immediate response is to the spread of the disease, there is a need to look ahead at how we can quantify the impacts and what else can be done to improve resilience within the colonies.

The 2021-22 season has seen the UK’s largest outbreak of avian influenza to date, which has affected commercial flocks of poultry and other captive birds as well as wild birds. While maintaining high levels of biosecurity among domestic flocks helps protect against disease, addressing the disease among wild birds, including our internationally important seabird colonies, can pose significant challenges.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with a range of partner organisations to monitor and respond to the situation where action can be taken, recognising the importance of communication and coordination in preparedness and responses.

Avian influenza is a highly infectious disease, and while there is little that can be done to limit the spread within seabird colonies, action can be taken to reduce the risk of onward transmission from infected colonies to other locations, and to minimise additional stress on potentially infected birds. To that end, NatureScot has suspended all ringing research activities within seabird colonies for the remainder of the breeding season to mitigate these risks. Surveys of some seabird colonies are also ongoing to monitor bird numbers, and any mortality events.

Furthermore, the Scottish Government has published advice for local authorities, landowners, wildlife rescue centres and members of the public regarding reporting, collection and safe disposal of dead wild birds. We will keep our guidance under continuous review as the situation develops.

It is too soon to determine with any certainty the impact of the current outbreak on seabird populations. NatureScot, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, RSPB Scotland and BTO Scotland are working towards collating colony level data and identifying how these data can be analysed to offer information on population level impacts. However, some internationally important seabird colonies have clearly been affected by the current outbreak. Therefore, the developing Scottish Seabird Conservation Strategy is critical in ensuring that any actions identified are timely and effective to help optimise the conservation prospects of seabirds in Scotland from existing and emerging threats, including disease threats such as avian influenza.

The Scottish Government is developing a new Disability Equality Strategy, working in collaboration with Disabled People’s Organisations. The development process provides the opportunity to consider the priority issues affecting disabled people in Scotland, including accessibility.

Everyone should have access to the toilet facilities they need. Under the Equality Act 2010, individual businesses and organisations are responsible for ensuring that they make reasonable adjustments to meet the needs of disabled people. Responsibility for oversight of compliance with the 2010 Act rests with the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

In 2019 we revised Scottish building standards and introduced a requirement for Changing Places Toilets (CPTs) to be installed in certain types of large new non-domestic buildings (for example large retail buildings; secondary schools providing community facilities; hospitals; and passenger stations for air, rail, road, or sea travel). CPTs are facilities suitable for use by people whose care needs are more complex. In addition to standard facilities, they provide additional space for assistants, an adult-sized changing bench, and a hoist.

The Scottish Government committed in our 2021-2022 Programme for Government to invest £10 million in Changing Places Toilets over this parliamentary term. This will increase the number of Changing Places Toilets across the country, and support mobile changing places to allow people easier access to events and outdoor venues around the country.

These facilities will make a real difference to disabled people and their families. The first phase of this work is underway to establish the application and assessment criteria, to ensure the Changing Places Toilets which are delivered are fit for purpose.

Four authors, who are subject matter experts in peace processes and international law, are undertaking the necessary research to inform the thinking on Scotland’s Peace Institute. The research commission was put out to competitive tender at the start of the year and following assessment of the bids received we awarded the contract to the successful consortium of researchers. The total cost of the contract is £30,000.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-07994 on 6 May 2022. 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 has received £14.564 billion in Covid-19 related funding from the UK Government. Amounts received for 2020-21 were £9.752 billion and for 2021-22 are £4.812 billion. No Covid-19 funding has been received to date for 2022-23 and based on dialogue with the UK Government none is expected.

Details of the timing and split of funding received are included in the following table:

Scottish Ministers are committed to empowering our communities and engagement in regional marine planning partnerships. It is for each regional marine planning partnership to determine its own governance arrangements. Section 12 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 requires Scottish Ministers to ensure that the group of persons (to whom regional marine planning functions are delegated) comprises, so far as it reasonably practicable, representatives of persons who have an interest in the protection and enhancement of that marine region and the use of that region for recreational and commercial purposes. Decisions on applications for membership are a matter to be determined by each regional marine planning partnership. Should membership be declined, marine planning partnerships are required to provide reasons for the decision and the applicant is free to reapply if they wish to do so.

In the case of the Clyde Marine Planning Partnership (“CMPP”), they put on hold the consideration of all membership applications, which included the Clyde Coastal Community Councils’ application considered at the 17 th June 2021 CMPP member’s meeting, because the CMPP was undergoing a full-scale review of its governance structure and was, therefore, unable to consider new applications at that time. Clyde Coastal Community Councils were informed of this decision along with the reasoning behind it and that membership applications would be welcomed and fully considered once the governance review was complete. The review’s recommendations were informed by workshops which the Clyde Coastal Community Councils participated in during January 2022.

The governance review concluded that there is a need for increased community representation on the CMPP and proposes that community council/group representatives, such as from the Clyde Coastal Community Councils, be included in the Steering Group of the new proposed governance structure. Scottish Ministers welcome these proposals to address concerns regarding community representation. The proposed governance structure from this review was discussed and agreed in principle by the CMPP on 7 June 2022 and will be implemented in due course.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring the sustainability of the NHS and in March 2022 we published, in partnership with CoSLA, the National Workforce Strategy for Health and Social Care . The Strategy outlines our shared vision: a sustainable, skilled workforce with attractive career choices where all are respected and valued for the work they do. To ensure all Health Boards have sufficient capacity, planning guidance has been issued to support the production of new Three Year Workforce Plans, supported by local systems’ workforce data.

Staffing across NHS Scotland is at record levels, having increased by 23.5% under this Government. There are also record high numbers of nursing and midwifery staff, up by 14.8% since September 2006, and numbers of student nurses entering Scottish Government funded degree programmes will increase by 9% in 2022-2023, the 10 th successive increase in recommended student numbers.

We are investing £11 million over the next five years in new national and international recruitment campaigns and have established a national Centre for Workforce Supply to support the development and implementation of resource strategies and services across the system. We are also carrying out work to promote service innovation and redesign, such as utilisation of Associate Physicians, Advanced Nurse Practitioners and Health Care Support Workers; all of which will support maintaining appropriate staffing levels.

The scope for reform applies to all public bodies. After years of growth in the public sector, due to Brexit and the pandemic, we need to reset. We expect all public bodies to demonstrate that they remain fit for purpose against the present and future needs of Scotland’s people, places and communities. The spending review provides a platform for engagement ahead of the next budget. We do not intend to take the same approach as set out by the UK Government, but we do need to reshape and refocus. We will work together across the public sector to look creatively at reform in order to become more efficient and deliver better outcomes.

The Affordable Housing Supply Programme was allocated £134 million in Financial Transactions in 2022-23 and we have recently agreed that £60 million will be made available for the Open Market Shared Equity Scheme and £74 million for the Charitable Bond demand led programmes in 2022-23. A further £92 million in Financial Transactions was allocated to the wider housing budget for 2022-23, with £12 million of this earmarked for historic carry forward commitments. All options are being actively considered to maximise the use of the remaining Financial Transactions to support the delivery of homes.