Chamber and committees

Since the lodging of the members question, NatureScot have now received a licence application to permit the taking of gannets on Sula Sgeir.

In determining an application for a licence, NatureScot must consider whether the hunt is sustainable, in that it would not have an adverse effect on the conservation status of the species concerned.

NatureScot will assess the application in accordance with existing legal frameworks, including provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and the obligations set out in the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c) Regulations 1994 (‘the Habitats Regulations’), which provide protection to the qualifying features of North Rona and Sula Sgeir Special Protection Area (SPA).

The assessment undertaken by NatureScot will be informed by the latest scientific evidence including an updated population viability analysis model.

Decisions on the location and configuration of fire stations are a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) Board and Chief Officer. SFRS conducted a full public consultation on the 23 options for change contained in its Service Delivery Review (SDR) and the responses to the consultation have been independently analysed. The SFRS Board will take decisions before the end of June 2026 on which of the Service Delivery Review options should be taken forward for implementation over the next 5 years. These decisions will be based on the SFRS evidence for change along with the responses to the consultation.

We recognise there are workforce pressures across A&E and unscheduled care; however, these reflect wider whole system challenges, and our focus is on improving patient flow and reducing avoidable demand through the Operational Improvement Plan and early priorities this Parliament, including the expansion of community based alternatives to hospital care.

There have been substantial increases in the number of Emergency Medicine Consultants working for NHS Scotland, with the number increasing by 49% over the last decade, to stand at 313.4 Whole Time Equivalents as at 30 September 2025.

On 27 May, the Scottish Government announced that the first round of applications for the First Homes Fund will open by the end of June, providing first-time buyers with a £10,000 contribution towards a deposit on their first home at a property value of up to £300,000.

The nursing workforce has increased by 16.0% over the last decade to 65,350.2 whole time equivalent (WTE) staff as at December 2025.

The Scottish Government has worked closely with NHS Education for Scotland (NES), now part of Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSDS), to develop a workforce planning tool to assess the future size and shape of the workforce. This tool uses historical inflows and outflows, including student intake data, to support projections of future workforce requirements.

This enables NHS Boards to plan their future workforce needs effectively. Workforce considerations are reflected in the student intake process and inform decisions on setting student intake targets.

The Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act places duties on Health Boards to ensure that at all times suitably qualified and competent individuals are working in such numbers as are appropriate for the health, wellbeing and safety of patients, the provision of high-quality care and the wellbeing of staff. Ultimately, responsibility for recruitment lies with Health Boards, which must ensure safe and effective staffing levels are in place to deliver services.

The research design and approach will only be finalised if approval from the Lord Justice General is provided.

Ensuring the research is undertaken in an ethically appropriate manner will of course be a key priority. Juror confidentiality, complainer anonymity, accused persons’ rights, data protection, appeals and the integrity of criminal proceedings in relation to the research have all been considered extensively during the drafting of the research specification, the evaluation of the bids received and, most recently, by the project’s Ethics Panel. Specific safeguards will be finalised when the research design is confirmed.

The Scottish Government has submitted a research access request to the Lord Justice General and awaits a decision.

I have asked Linda Pollock, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00115 on 28 May 2026. 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.

Section 67 of the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 amended the Contempt of Court Act 1981 to allow for more detailed research into jury deliberations, where research has been approved by the Lord Justice General. During Stage 3, the former Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs committed to commission research into jury deliberations as a priority, highlighting the need to better understand the impact of rape myths on jurors’ decision making. The 2025 Act introduced landmark changes to the justice system and there are no current plans to introduce anything further.

The Scottish Government has supported the development of Men’s Sheds across Scotland for over a decade, recognising their important role in improving health, wellbeing and social connection. We have invested more than £1 million in the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) to support the growth and sustainability of the movement, which has helped expand the network from a small number of Sheds to over 200 groups across all 32 local authority areas, with new Sheds continuing to form.

As part of this overall investment, the SMSA received £72,264 from the Social Isolation and Loneliness Fund to support the development of Sheds in the Highland area.

The SMSA provides guidance, and advice on all governance and infrastructure matters to both new and existing Sheds. The SMSA also helps Sheds secure appropriate insurance, health and safety compliance, develop sustainable funding models, and access training, resources and peer support networks. In addition, it offers practical assistance to allow Sheds to operate effectively and remain viable over time.

Individual Sheds are however responsible for securing their own funding and, collectively, have received £452,819 through the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults in the first four years of the Fund.

The Scottish Government has confirmed funding of £75,000 for financial year 2026-27 to the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association in Scotland.