Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43964 on 9 March 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.

As this is a live application which will come before Scottish Ministers for determination, it would not be appropriate to comment on the specific merits of the proposal.

Where appropriate, the Scottish Government engages with developers, statutory consultees and other stakeholders on procedural or policy matters.

Potential impacts on communities, nature, landscape and other valued natural assets are important considerations in the decision-making process. The merits of each proposal are considered on a case-by-case basis, and a careful balance must be struck between the potential impacts of the development and the associated environmental, economic, renewable energy and climate change benefits.

A final decision will only be taken after careful and thorough consideration of all material issues including the representations received, consultee advice, relevant environmental information, as well as all planning information in accordance with the relevant legislative obligations.

The Scottish Government monitors wider trends across all sectors, including the print industry, through Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC).

As our national skills body, SDS has operational responsibility for managing apprenticeship funding and delivery, and regularly monitors demand across all sectors, including print related frameworks.

We will continue to work with key stakeholders to assess sectoral skill needs across the economy and ensure that all sectors, including those in the print industry, can access appropriate support where required.

The Scottish Government has made clear that it stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian government and its people and resolutely condemns Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine.

Putting real pressure on Russia relies on the effectiveness of the international sanctions regime.

The Scottish Government fully supports the UK Government’s sanctions regime against Russia, and has urged the UK Government to take all possible action to ensure the effectiveness of its sanctions regime in exerting pressure on the Russian regime.

The Scottish Government does not hold data on how many GP appointments were conducted (a) in-person, (b) by telephone and (c) virtually in the Highlands and Islands region in each year since 2021.

PHS publishes information relevant to this question using GP encounters data as part of the General Practice in-hours activity visualisation publication. Encounters are not the same as appointments as not all encounters will be recorded on an appointment booking system. Further information on the limitations of this data can be found on the publication website.

Currently, no members of the CMAL Board live in island communities.

Scottish Ministers have been clear in their desire to strengthen islander representation on the Boards of ferry bodies. Following the election officials will engage with Ministers regarding a new public appointments campaign for CMAL Non-Executive Board members.

Public bodies, as both employers and service providers, are responsible for ensuring that they comply with all relevant legal obligations. Following the UK Supreme Court’s judgment in FWS v Scottish Ministers, this duty specifically includes compliance with the Equality Act 2010. It is for each organisation to ensure that its policies and practices are legally compliant, and for the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), the regulator of the Act, to oversee and enforce compliance.

The EHRC’s revised Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations is currently with the UK Government for approval before it is laid in the UK Parliament for scrutiny. The Scottish Government responded to the EHRC’s public consultation on 25 July 2025 and continues to engage with the UK Government as the draft code progresses. We have been clear that, as the regulator of the Equality Act 2010, the EHRC has an important role in providing clarity for public bodies in this complex area of law, and that the Code will provide an opportunity for this clarity.

The Supreme Court Working Group is part of the Scottish Government’s core business, and its work does not create additional costs for the public. Meetings are held in a hybrid format, allowing members to join either online or in person as part of their normal duties.

When members attend in person, meetings take place in existing Scottish Government buildings, so no venue costs are incurred. No catering is provided, and members cannot claim expenses for travel to their usual place of work. This means that members do not incur, and cannot claim, any extra costs for attending these meetings.

The Scottish Government is working at pace to secure delegated functions from the UK Government to operate the Scottish Marine Recovery Fund (MRF), reflecting the UK Government’s reserved competence in this area.

In parallel, development of the fund’s financial and operational models is progressing, building on the high-level principles consulted on in 2025 to inform the final policy design.

The operational model for the MRF is complex, and work is ongoing both internally and with the UK Government to develop a compliant mechanism that will give full effect to the intentions of the Energy Act.

I refer the member to the answers to questions S6W-43500 on 12 February 2026 and S6W-35994 28 March 2025. 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.