Chamber and committees

Our Suicide Prevention Action Plan ‘Every Life Matters’ was launched in August 2018 with £3 million funding available to support implementation over the last Parliamentary term. For 2021-22, £1.4 million is available to support suicide prevention. We have committed to doubling suicide prevention spending by the end of this Parliamentary term.

This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. However, you may wish to contact Scottish Local Authorities individually for information they may hold. The Scottish local government page of the Confederation of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) has contact information for each authority: https://www.cosla.gov.uk/councils .

Under new arrangements that came into place on 1 May 2021, fishing licences were varied prohibiting vessels from fishing for wrasse unless they were awarded a Letter of Derogation from Marine Scotland and signed up to fish in line with certain mandatory conditions.

In addition to the statutory requirements for fishermen to provide landings details on Form FISH1, Log Books and landings declarations, wrasse fishermen must also now submit to Marine Scotland a record of the total number of wrasse, by species landed for each trip made in each given week. Although the new arrangements are still bedding in, fishermen are now submitting these returns as required.

The fishery opened on 1 May but only a small number of vessels have harvested wrasse so far and I am therefore unable to provide the level of detail you seek as that might lead to individuals being identified. But I can provide a summary of landings.

Between 1 May and 19 June there were 78 landings totalling some 1700 kg, mostly in the Oban, Portree and Mallaig landing districts.

The licence conditions applying to all vessels that hold a Letter of Derogation to fish for wrasse require that all wrasse landings, including any that are made to an aquaculture facility, must be reported by fishermen directly to Marine Scotland. It is an offence to fail to do so and where conditions are breached Marine Scotland can take enforcement action which may lead to vessels losing access to the wrasse fishery.

Delays in obtaining an AWI (2) report will result in a delay in a guardianship order application being decided on by a sheriff. An application for a guardianship order can be for both property and financial matters, and for welfare matters. A sheriff will look to see that the principles of the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 have been given effect to when deciding on a case and the mental health officer considers these principles when compiling the AWI (2) report.

The Scottish Government has written to the UK Government on six occasions in order to urge them to retain the £20-per-week uplift to Universal Credit, and also extend it to people on legacy benefits, such as Jobseeker’s Allowance.

The Scottish Government also published analysis in June , showing that if the UK Government proceeds with their plan to withdraw the £20-per-week uplift to Universal Credit in September it could cut social security payments in Scotland by over £460 million per year by 2023-24.

Yes. This was considered for weddings, but is not supported, on the basis that ensuring that dancing is socially distanced would be very hard to control in practice and risks non-compliance with the current physical distancing requirements.

Feedback from the wedding sector themselves indicated that they did not believe it would be possible for them to ensure dancing only takes place between members of the same household or within the permitted numbers who are allowed to mix.

With the relaxation of physical distancing to 0 metres outdoors from 19 July, (indicative) dancing, mingling, standing drinks/canapés receptions, receiving lines etc. can resume at weddings from that date. With the removal of physical distancing from 9 August (indicative) indoors, the same will apply in indoor settings.

Amending Regulations were made to the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 today.

These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020.

The regulations will reduce the required physical distances to be maintained between persons for the purposes of the Scottish Open golf event at Renaissance Club, North Berwick scheduled to start on 8 July and end 11 July 2021 (or 12 July in the event play cannot be completed on the 11 July).

The regulations will also make a small amendment to provisions relating to stadia and live events: a local authority will now only be required to notify the Scottish Ministers of an application for an exemption on capacity in Levels 0, 1 or 2 when directed to do so by the Scottish Ministers.

The regulations will also remove the area of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council from the areas to which common travel area restrictions apply.

The Regulations have been published at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ssi/2021/262

Regulations amending the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 will be made today and will take effect on 8 July 2021.

The regulations will reduce the required physical distances to be maintained between persons for the purposes of the Scottish Open golf event at Renaissance Club, North Berwick scheduled to start on 8 July and end 11 July 2021 (or 12 July in the event play cannot be completed on the 11 July).

The regulations will also make a small amendment to provisions relating to stadia and live events: a local authority will now only be required to notify the Scottish Ministers of an application for an exemption on capacity in Levels 0, 1 or 2 when directed to do so by the Scottish Ministers.

The regulations will also remove the area of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council from the areas to which common travel area restrictions apply.

The vision of our National Transport Strategy is that we will have a sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport system, helping deliver a healthier, fairer and more prosperous Scotland for communities, businesses and visitors. The Strategy embeds the Sustainable Travel Hierarchy into decision making, by prioritising walking, wheeling, cycling and public and shared transport options in preference to single occupancy private car use.

It also confirms that future transport investment decisions will be made in line with the Sustainable Investment Hierarchy, ensuring that transport options that focus on the need to travel sustainably and reduce inequalities are prioritised.

I can confirm that Sustrans notified Transport Scotland of its decision to pause applications to the Places for Everyone (PfE) fund for all new projects, due to the fund currently being oversubscribed. Funds continue to be available for the delivery of existing PfE projects. Sustrans will review this position again in September 2021.

This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I will ask its Interim Chief Executive to write to you in this regard.