The Scottish Government expects that all public sector employers, including SEPA, adopt fair work practices, including through Fair Work First, which applies to discretionary public sector grants.

SEPA is responsible for its day to day operations and publishes an Equality Mainstreaming and Outcomes Report which details its fair work related commitments. SEPA also operates a People and Resources Committee which includes terms of reference on employee engagement and the role of recognised trade unions. While SEPA’s specific amendments to its call centre services are operational decisions, it is expected that these changes are made in consultation with staff and trade unions to align with fair work, to ensure workers are treated fairly and with respect.

Plans for a National Social Work Agency and Proposed Timetable

We remain committed to the establishment of a National Social Work Agency by the end of the parliamentary term, 2025–26 in order to address the issues affecting this important workforce. A final decision has yet to be taken on the form and structure of the agency, following which we can update Parliament.

Our partners and stakeholders, including COSLA, and the social work workforce are supportive of establishing a National Social Work Agency and are engaged in its development.

The Scottish Government continues to work with UK Government and the Welsh Government on the regulation of biocides, including rodenticides, under the GB Biocidal Products Regulation. A Government Oversight Group, that includes Scottish Government representation, oversees the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU) and scrutinises the performance of its UK Rodenticide Stewardship Scheme (RSS).

The RSS is being updated firstly to ban the use of the two remaining second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) that are available for open area use from the end of this year. This is also intended to reduce accidental or deliberate misuse of other products including Brodifacoum in open areas. Secondly, training requirements for the farming sector are 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. Further changes to the RSS will be considered and implemented if necessary to continue to address SGARs residue levels in wildlife.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-32085 on 19 December 2024. 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.

The CARES allocation of £11.7 million for 2025-26 announced in the draft budget represents an increase on the budget allocated to CARES in 2024-25. Plans for CARES in 2025-26 will be informed by lessons learnt from the Community Energy Generation Growth Fund pilot. This fund supported community groups with up to £1.5 million to develop their own community energy projects.

The Scottish Government is committed to growing the community energy sector and communities are at the heart of our renewable energy ambitions. CARES funding for 2025-26 will include dedicated development funding and support to help communities with the early stage development of community owned energy projects, increasing the accessibility of community energy and helping to ensure communities see the benefits of our energy transition.

The development of the National Marine Plan 2 (NMP2) is supported by an extensive programme of engagement as detailed in the Statement of Public Participation and Stakeholder Engagement Strategy.

Consultation on a Planning Position Statement (PPS) for NMP2 is currently open until 28 January 2025. The PPS was developed following 14 marine sector workshops held in 2024. Consultation on the PPS was supported through discussion at the National Marine Planning Forum, held 13 November 2024, with over 100 delegates from marine sectors, academia and government.

The NMP2 will be constructed using a robust and transparent evidence base informing the plan and its statutory Sustainability Appraisal, which encompasses environmental and socio-economic impact assessments. The primary evidence base for the strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is Scotland’s Marine Assessment 2020 (“SMA2020”).

The assessments are being supported by a steering group of relevant national organisations, who provide guidance and advice on additional relevant datasets. The assessments will form part of the public consultation on the draft NMP2, planned for Winter 2025.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-32122 on 19 December 2024. 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-32087 on 19 December 2024. 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.

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, land contamination is the responsibility of local authorities. Any land which is identified as being contaminated, including any downstream of disused lead mines, should be managed in accordance with their routine regime of identifying and securing remediation for contaminated land. The Scottish Government expects that local authorities will prioritise based upon risk to the environment and human health, rather than source of land contamination.

The Scottish Government has no current plans to ask SEPA to review local authority actions in this area.

Data on the usage of the noted material could be obtained through a range of activity including population surveys, waste composition analysis, cross-border trade analysis and studies of the weight and carbon impact of typical products.

It should be noted that, as the Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 place restrictions on supplying the single-use plastic products in question in the course of a business, sales data in Scotland would therefore be of limited value in ascertaining usage.