Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government expects 81,000 hectares of new woodland to be created over the lifetime of the Parliament; that’s well over 150 million new trees, making a critical contribution to our ambitions to become a net-zero nation.

We are accelerating woodland creation rates, going from the current 12,000 hectares per year to 18,000 hectares of new planting by 2024-25. This is an ambitious and stretching target and will require huge efforts from everyone in the public and private forestry sectors, building on our existing successes. Currently, Scotland produces around 80% of all new woodland creation across the UK, tackling climate change, improving biodiversity and supporting a billion-pound industry.

Furthermore, whilst these are very ambitious plans, we will be looking closely at what more is possible, as part of our commitment to publish a catch-up report on the Climate Change Plan within six months of the 2019 statistics being published.

During the recent debate on the Climate Emergency, on the 9 June, we supported the principle of the next full Climate Change Plan being brought forward as soon as possible during this Parliamentary session. This reflects our commitment to ever increasing action in response to the climate emergency.

The Complex Pelvic Mesh Removal Service in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC) is managed through a Service Level Agreement with NHS National Services Scotland (NSS). The service reports to NSS on a number of indicators, including patient experience data, any significant adverse events and waiting times. This information will be used for comparison across the UK specialist centres, and will support quality assurance and improvement.

In addition, NHS Scotland is taking part in the development of a UK-wide Pelvic Floor Registry, which will aim to monitor and improve patient safety. It will record surgical mesh implants, and related medical devices, given to patients, and the organisations and surgeons that have carried out the procedures.

The registry will also collect information about patients that receive alternative procedures that do not include a medical device or implant so that outcomes can be compared and complications can be understood.

The main aim of the registry is to improve patient safety. It will mean that patients can be traced in the event of a product recall or safety concern relating to a specific type of implant or treatment. Outcomes data collected by the registry will also be used to improve procedures offered to future patients.

NHS Scotland will pilot the registry in Scotland and the NHS GGC will be involved.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-00790 on‎ 13 July 2021. 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

This information is not held centrally. It is the responsibility of territorial Health Boards to ensure there is adequate provision of NHS Pharmaceutical Care Services, working with community pharmacy contractors listed on the Boards Pharmaceutical List.

The National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2009 set out the responsibilities for community pharmacy contractors to notify Health Boards when there are instances in which the contractor is unable to provide those NHS services.

As the NHS Recovery Plan develops, we will engage with key stakeholders to ensure all aspects of NHS Recovery are explored and incorporated.

We have recently established the Centre for Sustainable Delivery, hosted by the Golden Jubilee National Hospital, to support NHS Boards to deliver several complex national programmes, such as the Modernising Patient Pathways Programme.

Several Third Sector organisations and societies are involved in the delivery of programme workstreams, as well as co-production of patient pathways and self-guidance materials to support patient wellbeing. These include:

• Crohn’s & Colitis UK
• Coeliac UK
• Bowel Cancer UK
• Pain Association
• Pain Concern
• Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland Chronic Pain Reference Group
• Endometriosis UK
• FND Hope
• Cerebral Palsy Connect
• PSP Association
• Versus Arthritis
• Parkinson’s UK
• Research UK
• ENT UK

Please note that data regarding the number of COVID-19 vaccination sessions delivered are held by individual NHS Health Boards.

It is important to be clear that there has been no change in the Scottish Government’s policy on the remuneration arrangements for independent contractors or those working within a primary care settings participation in the COVID Vaccination programme.

The Scottish Government wrote to Health Boards on 5 March 2021 to ensure that the original policy was being properly implemented. Following this, a number of Boards adapted their approach.

A planning application has been submitted by Stonepack Ltd to Scottish Borders Council for a proposed Sand and Gravel Quarry at Slipperfield, West Linton. It is understood that the Health and Safety Executive does not advise, on safety grounds, against the granting of planning permission in this case. As this is a live application it would not be appropriate to comment on the merits of the case.

Rollout of mobile telecommunications infrastructure is predominantly led by commercial operators. The Scottish Government neither holds nor receives data on how many commercial mobile telephony masts have been installed..

Through the Scottish 4G Infill (S4GI) Programme, the Scottish Government is investing £28.75 million (including £11.27 million of ERDF funding) to create future-proofed 4G mobile infrastructure at up to 55 mobile “notspots”, areas with no coverage from any commercial mobile network operator (MNO).

As of 28 June 2021, a total of 15 S4GI masts are currently providing 4G service to communities is as follows:

Delivery of new fibre infrastructure is a key component part of a number of Scottish Government digital infrastructure programmes. It is therefore not possible to single out the costs solely attributed to fibre infrastructure.

The level of capital investment in digital infrastructure in each financial year since 2015-16 is provided in the following table: