Chamber and committees

Scottish ports are deemed to be commercial entities; therefore, it is not possible for the Scottish Government to dictate business decisions made by a harbour authority on how best to manage its harbour or utilise its resources. It is the responsibility of the Port of Aberdeen Board to determine when and where to invest in their facilities and to ensure that the Port remains in good working order.

The Scottish Government continues to contribute to UK-wide monitoring of rodenticide use and exposure in wildlife. There is evidence that many users of rodenticides are complying with the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use’s (CRRU) Rodenticide Stewardship Scheme (RSS), and that in Scotland rodenticide use in agriculture has substantially declined since the introduction of the scheme. But, despite this, recent environmental data for Scotland indicate that it has not yet achieved the aim of significantly reducing wildlife exposure.

Both the UK Government Oversight Group, which includes Scottish Government representation, and CRRU have acknowledged that rodenticide residues in UK wildlife have not declined as hoped. The RSS is being updated firstly to ban the use of second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) bromadiolone and difenacoum for open area use from the end of this year. This means no SGARs will be available for open area use; this is also intended to reduce accidental or deliberate misuse of other products in open areas. Secondly, training requirements for the farming sector are also being brought in line with other sectors from end 2025 to ensure a consistent level of professional training across all sectors and reduce the risk of poor practice.

All doctors are expected to work within the standards set out by the General Medical Council for good medical practice.

The Royal College of Pathologists and NHS Education for Scotland oversee training standards in pathology and their uniformity across Scotland.

COPFS regularly meets and engages with pathology providers on a range of issues. These also allow discussion on any feedback received. Every post mortem examination report is considered by a COPFS legal member of staff and our investigation is only concluded when we are satisfied that all issues have been addressed.

Three forensic pathologists have left positions in Aberdeen in the last five years. One pathologist took up a post with the Home Office in England. Two pathologists transferred to other positions in Scotland where they continue to conduct Crown-instructed examinations.

In all areas of Scotland, death certificates are routinely issued on the day of the post mortem examination to allow bereaved families to make the necessary funeral arrangements. On rare occasions, a death certificate cannot be issued on the day of the post mortem, usually due to the need to confirm identification of the deceased. The pathology provider will notify COPFS immediately so any identified family can be updated.

In Aberdeen, the mortuary team email the medical certificate of cause of death (MCCD) to the Registrar on the day of the post mortem examination and provide a copy to COPFS. There are no delays to death certificates being issued in Aberdeen.

A death may be considered suspicious if the facts and circumstances suggest it may have been caused as a result of criminality.

When a death is reported to the Procurator Fiscal, it may not be possible to determine from the facts and circumstances known at that time whether the death is suspicious. That may only be possible when the results of further enquiries – such as the findings of a post mortem examination – are known.

Where the death occurred has no bearing on whether or not the death will be investigated as potentially suspicious.

The Family Liaison Charter sets out the Crown’s obligations in relation to liaising with and providing information to bereaved relatives. These obligations apply equally to deaths arising in any area of Scotland.

If a post mortem examination in relation to a suspicious death requires to be transferred to another area, Police Scotland Family Liaison Officers will engage with the family at an early stage to explain the processes and timescales and keep them updated with the progress of the investigation.

Current forensic pathology service levels in Aberdeen have made no significant impact to the investigation of drug related deaths in Aberdeen.

The majority of post mortem examinations in relation to deaths suspected to be due to the consumption of drugs can be conducted in Aberdeen without any delay.

The Scottish Government’s Cladding Remediation Programme Pilot utilised a self-nomination process to identify buildings, of different tenures, that are potentially affected by unsafe cladding. Learning from the pilot supported the development of the Single Building Assessment (SBA) specification, published in June 2024, which will form the core of the standards being set by Ministers in anticipation of the forthcoming commencement of the Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Act 2024. The pilot has been instrumental in enabling the creation of these essential foundations for future programme delivery.

Entries on the pilot are being discharged. Where they meet the requirements set out at section 32 of the Act and don’t have a linked developer, the Scottish Government is taking forward assessment and, where necessary, remediation. Other entries will be discharged in accordance with whether or not they are a relevant building, as set out at section 32 of the Act, and whether they have a building owner, and/or linked developer, who we would reasonably ask to take forward assessment in line with the published SBA specification.

New entries are not being added to the pilot. Nevertheless, in any circumstances where the Scottish Government becomes aware of a building with potentially unsafe cladding, we will take appropriate action. This may include asking a building owner to take action or passing the building onto a linked-development for assessment and, where necessary, remediation. It is possible to engage with the Cladding Remediation Programme directly via email at [email protected]. Pursuant to forthcoming commencement of the Act early next year, we will formally announce new arrangements for people to seek support with the assessment and remediation of in scope buildings.

The Scottish Government is not taking specific steps to halt the decline of hedgehogs, however there are other initiatives that will benefit a range of species including hedgehogs.

The Scottish Biodiversity Strategy (SBS) sets out our approach to generating high quality, nature-rich habitats across Scotland. Nature Networks aim to improve ecological connectivity across Scotland, linking important areas for biodiversity across urban and rural landscapes and allowing species such as hedgehogs to avoid becoming isolated and to move through the landscape to find good habitat to feed and to breed.

Alongside the SBS, one of the principles in Scottish Planning Policy is that the planning system should seek benefits for biodiversity from new development where possible, including the restoration of degraded habitats and the avoidance of further fragmentation or isolation of habitats. Planning authorities, and all public bodies, have a duty under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 to further the conservation of biodiversity. This duty must be reflected in development plans and development management decisions.

Nature Networks are embedded throughout the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) as a key means of ensuring positive effects for biodiversity from development.

NatureScot has produced a publication Developing with Nature, which provides Guidance to support NPF4. This contains specific advice to developers on incorporating nature in to new developments, whether that be creating species rich grassland for pollinators, bat or bird boxes and advice for creating hedgehog friendly habitat as part of any development – including incorporating ‘hedgehog highways and houses’.

NatureScot’s seasonal campaign, ‘Make Space for Nature’, encourages everyone to connect with and take care of nature and provides practical tips for everyone to make space for nature, reverse nature loss and fight climate change.