Chamber and committees

a) The number of mergers and transfer of engagements of RSLs based in Glasgow between 2014 and September 2022 is 5.

b) The number of mergers and transfer of engagements of RSLs based in Glasgow between 2010 and 2014 is 0.

The Scottish Government is committed to reducing water pollution at beaches across Scotland.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is responsible for protecting and improving water quality at Scotland’s 87 designated Bathing Waters. This bathing water season Scotland has more bathing waters rated as ‘excellent’, ‘good’ or ‘sufficient’ than at any point since tighter bathing water standards first came into force in 2015. Last year, 99% of designated bathing waters achieved the bathing water quality standards.

SEPA has analysed 1,297 water quality samples from 87 designated Bathing Waters this season and 93% were found to be at safe levels. Short term fluctuations in water quality do though occur following heavy rainfall – causing sewer overflows, agricultural run-off from land, and surface water discharges from roads, car parks, and pavements etc., which are all sources of bacteria.

SEPA investigates poor water quality results and works with partners to reduce “short-term pollution” after heavy rainfall. Bathers are also advised on its website or electronic beach signs at 29 Bathing Waters if the water quality is predicted to be poor so they can make an informed choice before entering the water.

To help address the impact of sewer overflows, Scottish Water is investing up to £70m in 1000 new Combined Sewer Overflow event monitors across Scotland, including those at designated Bathing Wates, by December 2024. This spill monitoring information will be used to inform and prioritise investment to improve bathing water quality as well as informing the public.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on how many street lights could presently be retrofitted to include electric vehicles charging points broken down by local authority area. Whilst electric vehicle charging technologies exists for such an application, not all street lights will be suitable for a number of reasons including their proximity to the public road.

Supporting those without access to off-street charging will require a range of approaches. We have invested almost £60m to develop a public EV network and this year announced a new £60m EV Infrastructure Fund that aims to double the size of the public charging network in the next few years. We are also taking forward legislation to ensure developers provide electric vehicle charge points in the construction of new residential and non-residential buildings, to increase both the convenience and number of charging opportunities across Scotland.

We are committed to ensuring that all children and young people, get the support that they need to reach their full learning potential.

Under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 (the 2004 Act) education authorities have duties to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their pupils. Education authorities can ask other agencies (including health boards) for help in carrying out their duties.

The Scottish Government has published guidance on supporting children and young people with healthcare needs in schools . The guidance supports education authorities, health boards and schools in delivering their responsibilities to support pupils’ healthcare needs. Where children and young people require medication throughout their school day, a healthcare plan should be put in place which sets out the arrangements for ongoing medical care in school and emergency procedures should an emergency arise.

Local Authorities are responsible for street lighting on public roads and footways that are within their statutory list of public roads, Motorways and Trunk Lighting are maintained by Transport Scotland.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on how many street light electric vehicle charge points are currently in operation broken down by local authority area. However, the majority of public charge points installed to date in Scotland, including through the Scottish Government’s £50m investment in the ChargePlace Scotland Network, are unlikely to be connected or integrated to lampposts.

This information is not held by the Scottish Government. Pay for directly employed staff would depend on a number of variables like the Banding of the nurse, the length of the shift and whether the shift takes place at night or over the weekend when an unsocial hours premium would apply.

The Scottish Government public appointments team in line with the Ethical Standards Commissioner Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies in Scotland publishes information on those holding board member and Chair positions on the boards of regulated public bodies. This information is published on the Public Appointments website on the Scottish Government Website. [ Full list of public appointments by public body - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) ].

Currently there are 57 individuals who serve on two or more Boards of public bodies.

An extract is attached below highlighting those individuals who currently serve on the boards of two or more public bodies.

Board Members Holding Two or More Public Appointments

The number of deaths where malnutrition was the underlying cause in any death over the past 10 years is as follows (TABLE 1):

The allocation process is managed by the General Teaching Council of Scotland (GTCS). Probationer teachers are allocated to each of the 32 local authorities and to Jordanhill based on their preferences and need identified by the authorities.

As of 31 August 2022 the number and percentage of probationer teachers allocated to each local authority is indicated in the following table.

The 2021-22 season has seen the UK’s largest outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) to date, which has affected wild bird populations, including some internationally important seabird populations.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) carries out year-round highly pathogenic avian influenza surveillance of dead wild birds reported to Defra’s GB national helpline, which captures information on the general location and strains of avian influenza that are present in wild birds. To date, there have been no confirmed findings of avian influenza in European storm petrels in Scotland. More information on the programme and findings in wild birds is available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/#wildbirds .

In addition to the GB Dead Wild Bird Surveillance Scheme, NatureScot and other relevant parties have been carrying out monitoring at key seabird colonies across Scotland to collect data on bird numbers and any mortality events. This surveillance and monitoring has not recorded any mortality of European storm petrels.

While the full extent of the impact of the current avian influenza outbreak on seabirds, is unknown, some colonies have clearly been affected. A Scottish Avian Influenza in Wild Birds Task Force has been established to co-ordinate activity to monitor and minimise the impact of avian influenza on wild bird populations in Scotland. This will involve identifying surveillance, monitoring and related research needs, which will allow a better understanding of the current and likely future impact of the disease on wild bird populations.

Furthermore, NatureScot will be collecting samples from European storm petrel nesting boxes in Mousa over the next few weeks, as part of the FluMap programme, to improve understanding of the transmission of avian influenza in wild birds. Colony surveys will also be undertaken during the 2023 breeding season to assess the status of seabird colonies potentially impacted by the current HPAI outbreak.