As Planning Minister, I have had discussions with the Chief Planner and the Chief Reporter in respect of the role of Scottish Ministers as part of the decision making process for this appeal and to explain procedures. I have had no discussions with Scottish Enterprise or with the Park Authority or with representatives or consultants of the appellant. At all times, the Scottish Government is mindful of the principles in the Scottish Ministerial Code.

Once Ministers receive a reporter’s report from the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA), we normally aim to issue decisions on called in applications and recalled appeals within 3 months. The timescale can sometimes increase where there are more complex issues involved.

It is expected that data relating to the average application and claim processing timescales for the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan Scheme will be published later this calendar year.

No specific target date is currently set for the publication of this data.

1. Supporting Pollinators and Biodiversity at Holyrood
   

The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) is committed to enhancing biodiversity and supporting pollinators across the parliamentary estate.

These are the key initiatives that are currently in place or planned:

1. Biodiversity Policy and Route Map
• We have a Biodiversity Policy and Route Map. Facilities Management works with the Sustainability Team to ensure best practices are followed.
2. Monitoring and Evidence
• From 2025, we will conduct biodiversity surveys twice a year to monitor progress and guide future actions. This will help us track our efforts and make informed decisions.
3. Landscaping and Maintenance
• Our landscaping avoids pesticides and includes regular checks for invasive species. These efforts are managed through our Facilities Management contract to maintain a healthy ecosystem.
4. Pollinator-Friendly Planting
• Each year, we plant a variety of wildflowers to support pollinators. This has increased the variety and number of pollinator-friendly plants across the estate, contributing to a healthier environment.
5. Partnership and Engagement
• We work with internal teams and external organizations, including community benefit clauses in our contracts, to support biodiversity. This collaborative approach ensures a broad impact.
6. Wildlife Support Measures
• Regular bat surveys are conducted, and bird and bat boxes have been installed in suitable locations to support local wildlife.
7. Public Engagement and Education
• Information boards are placed in landscaped areas, and we provide opportunities for public engagement and education on biodiversity. This helps raise awareness and encourages community involvement.

2. Encouraging Nature Across the Parliamentary Estate
   

To further support biodiversity, we have implemented several initiatives:

1. Landscaping
• We have incorporated native species of trees, shrubs, and meadow grass. This landscaping approach helps reduce carbon footprints, manage groundwater movements, and encourage biodiversity, including bees, butterflies, insects, and birds.
2. Management Practices
• We maintain a pesticide and peat-free regime to ensure a sustainable environment.
3. The Butterfly Project/Square Metre for Butterflies
• We are working on the recovery of the Northern Brown Argus butterfly at Holyrood, contributing to the conservation of this species.
4. Biodiversity Surveys
• We conduct regular biodiversity surveys and review bird and bat boxes to ensure they are effective.
5. Beehives
• The Scottish Parliament was the first legislature in the UK to have beehives, showing our commitment to supporting pollinators. Please refer to our response under ‘c’ below for the current position relating to beehives on the parliamentary estate
6. Waste and Recycling
• We aim to be a Zero Waste Parliament, reducing our environmental impact through effective waste management practices.
7. Sustainable Procurement
• We minimise ecological impacts through sustainable procurement practices, ensuring our operations are environmentally responsible.

We are committed to tackling climate change and reducing our environmental impact. Recently, we planted fifteen new trees around the Parliament perimeter. Soft landscaping, such as trees, grasses, and shrubs, supports biodiversity and reduces groundwater movement to minimise erosion.

No pesticides, fertilisers, or peat are used onsite by our contractors.

3. Review of On-Site Beekeeping following recent changes to guidance
   

As the current beekeeping contract neared its end in early 2025, Facilities Management and Procurement reviewed the role of managed beehives on the estate, following guidance from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. This review involved engaging with stakeholders to determine the best approach. The existing contract was extended by one year to allow time for this review. A project is now underway to explore sustainable pollinator support from 2026 onwards.

The Scottish Government is taking action with partners to address youth violence through prevention, early intervention, community engagement and punishment where necessary through the criminal justice system. We have invested over £6 million to support action to prevent violence and reduce the harm through the Violence Prevention Framework since 2023, and are providing £26 million through the latest phase of Cashback for Communities to deliver a range of diversionary and support activities for young people.

The National Relationships and Behaviour in Schools Action Plan 2024-27, sets out a range of actions which support improved behaviour and relationships in schools. On 17 June, we published new guidance to support schools on fostering a positive, inclusive and safe school environment, including the use of consequences, and on risk assessments for violent, aggressive and dangerous behaviour.

The Scottish Government will give every consideration to the need for an independent public inquiry into the operation of “grooming gangs” in Scotland, should it be deemed necessary following the completion of evidence-gathering activities currently underway by Police Scotland and its partners.

Police Scotland has advised that there are no current investigations in Scotland involving offences against children which would mirror the investigations described in Baroness Casey’s Audit as being perpetrated by “grooming gangs”.

However, there is absolutely no place for complacency. That is why Police Scotland are carrying out a deep dive into previous investigations of the type referred to in the Baroness Casey Audit. This is expected to be completed in a matter of weeks, and we will review the findings as soon as they become available.

While Police Scotland’s deep dive is ongoing, the Scottish Government is considering the findings and recommendations of the Casey Audit to understand how they might apply to Scotland. The Casey Audit will also be considered by the National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group, as it considers opportunities to improve our response to child sexual abuse and exploitation in Scotland.

As you will be aware, the current Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry is ongoing and is one of the widest ranging ever undertaken in Scotland. While the primary aim of the inquiry is to investigate the extent and nature of abuse in care settings from 1930 to 2014 it is also conducting an extensive review of current child protection policy and practice in Scotland, to consider whether changes are required to better protect children from abuse in future.

The Democracy Matters steering group last met on 11 June 2025. The steering group is focused on developing the views that communities shared during the Democracy Matters engagement process into practical models for democratic decision-making.

The Scottish Government does not hold data on all adults and children with learning disabilities who have been in hospital over the last five years. Local data will be held by NHS Boards.

The Dynamic Support Register (DSR) provides a mechanism for national data collection on people with learning disabilities and complex care needs, including those whose discharge from hospital is delayed. However, the DSR only collects data on adults (aged 18+ years) and, therefore, cannot provide data on children with learning disabilities who are in hospital. Additionally, as the DSR was established in May 2023, we do not hold data for adults before 2023.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) collect and publish quarterly data, with the most recent collection from 7 March 2025 published on 17 June 2025. At that time, there were an estimated an estimated 1,264 people on the DSR, of which there were 74 delayed discharges.

Additionally, PHS publish monthly data on delayed discharges. The most recent figures for May 2025 can be found here. This data is broken down to Health Board and Local Authority level.

No Scottish vessel has failed to comply with economic link licence conditions. Quota payback is the alternative for compliance.

The Marine Directorate provides vessels’ management groups with the landings data for vessels not meeting the threshold and the calculations for evaluating the quota gifts to be made. This provides transparency to vessel owners and managers.

Accountability is delivered though the annual publication of vessels which have provided quota gifts and the total amount of quota stocks paid back.

The following table shows the total amounts of quota payback made by Scottish vessels in each of the last five years.