Chamber and committees

Following an open tender process in January, we have contracted a consortium of expert researchers to help inform our thinking on Scotland’s future peace offer. This will enable us to consider next steps in establishing the Peace Institute. The researchers will report back to us in the Summer.

There is a range of activity necessary to allow for implementation of the provisions contained in the Domestic Abuse (Protection) (Scotland) Act 2021. This includes development of civil court rules, new processes developed for ensuring the views of children are able to be received by the court in given cases, appropriate funding is able to be identified and prioritised and justice agencies are ready for the introduction of the new protection notice and protection order powers. The provisions not yet in force will be brought into force in due course.

No applications have been received to date because the Islands Bond has not been launched.

The Islands Bond Consultation report will be published in due course.

The Scottish Government published a report to Parliament on 29 March 2022, outlining progress in developing the new Environment Strategy for Scotland ( https://www.gov.scot/publications/environment-strategy-scotland-progress-report-parliament/ ). This report provided a summary of key areas of Scottish Government policy and action that are already contributing to the goals of the Environment Strategy and outlined some of the challenges and opportunities in realising the strategy's vision. The Scottish Government does not plan to publish an additional response to the 'From Rhetoric to Reality: Revisited' report, but remains in ongoing dialogue with Scottish Environment LINK as a valued stakeholder.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-08761 on 8 June 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-08761 on 8 June 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 answer to question S6W-08058 set out the process whereby Marine Scotland Scientists produce estimates of unwanted catch calculated from information collected by scientific observers on board vessels to contribute to the fish stock assessment process run by ICES. Historically it was assumed this unwanted catch was discarded. With the introduction of the landing obligation, the majority of catch should now be landed, unless the fish are non-quota species or subject to a permitted exemption. In addition fish under the Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS) cannot be sold for human consumption. The scientific observers do not try to differentiate between these different portions of catch, and instead group them together into a single category, called unwanted catch.

In terms of actual quantities of discards, under Article 15 of the retained Common Fisheries Policy (1380/2013) vessels are obliged to record both fish that has been discarded under a permitted exemption and fish below MCRS that is landed. Information on recorded levels of discards under permitted exemptions is provided in response to question S6W-08825 on 8 June 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 current provisions for felling permissions are set out in the Forestry and Land Management (Scotland) Act 2018 and associated regulations, last updated in 2021.

Felling trees for the purposes of carrying out development, authorised by planning authorities, is exempt from the requirement for a Felling Permission. Here the Scottish Government’s Control of Woodland Removal Policy applies.

This policy includes a presumption in favour of protecting woodland. Removal should only be permitted where it would achieve significant and clearly defined additional public benefits. Where woodland is removed in association with development, developers will generally be expected to provide compensatory planting. The Scottish Government has no imminent plans to review its policy on the control of woodland removal.

In the 2021 academic year we provided a share of £5 million to local authorities based on the number of pupils 5-18 on the school roll in each area. In addition, an allocation of top-up funding of around £3m was provided to those authorities who had budgeted for instrumental music tuition fee income.

The following table provides a breakdown of the funding allocation for the provision of free instrumental music tuition in schools by local authority.

Funding Allocation by Local Authority