SEPA’s National Flood Risk Assessment (NFRA) underpins the Flood Risk Management Planning process in Scotland. It identifies potentially vulnerable areas (PVAs) where a multiagency approach is likely to be required to address flood risk. This ensures the process is nationally consistent.

The NFRA uses SEPA’s national flood hazard maps which include rivers, the sea and surface water. This flood map data provides quality assured nationally valuable resource in support of strategic flood risk decisions.

SEPA’s maps can be viewed freely from its website and in addition, the full suite of data is shared with partners and other organisations to support their flood risk management and public bodies’ duties.

Once a strategic risk has been identified through the Flood Risk Management Planning process, more detailed work including hydraulic modelling can be undertaken to understand and confirm the risk and potential actions to mitigate it. Local authorities are responsible for developing this detailed modelling for flood protection schemes.

A Flood Protection Scheme is a major place-based intervention. Local Authorities take the lead on their development and delivery, because they are best placed to understand local needs and opportunities. Like all place-based interventions, the design of a new flood protection scheme should consider how it interacts with, and on, other activities in that place.

For the last 15 years the Scottish Government has provided Local Authorities with £42m per annum for flood resilience through the general capital grant and we have committed to continue that until 2026. We have also committed an additional £150m over the course of this Parliament to deliver improved flood resilience.

The current distribution agreement is that 80% of available funding is allocated to the remaining schemes on the cycle one programme, and 20% allocated to local authorities to fund other actions within Flood Risk Management Plans.

A joint COSLA/ Scottish Government Flood Risk Management Funding Working Group has been set up to discuss funding and governance of flood resilience actions in Scotland. The group includes representatives from COSLA, SEPA, local authority Directors of Finance and flood officers, and the Scottish Government.

This group has put a series of recommendations to Scottish Ministers and COSLA leaders to improve the affordability of cycle one and will make further recommendations as required.

Section 57(2B) of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 provides that once a flood protection scheme is confirmed (whether by the local authority or the Scottish Ministers), the Scottish Ministers are to direct that planning permission for the development is deemed to be granted, subject to any planning conditions which Ministers may specify.

The implementation of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 is primarily a matter for local planning authorities.

A joint COSLA/ Scottish Government Flood Risk Management Funding Working Group has been set up to discuss funding and governance of flood resilience actions in Scotland and make recommendations to Cosla and Scottish Ministers on cycle 1 and cycle 2 flood protection schemes. The group includes representatives from COSLA, SEPA, local authority Directors of Finance and flood officers, and Scottish Government officials.

The work of this group continues with some recommendations already agreed by Ministers and COSLA Leaders whilst further recommendations are being developed.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all employees are fully supported and are empowered to carry out their role to their maximum potential. Where staff experience migraines, lighting and desk location can be altered to mitigate symptoms. In addition, the Scottish Government has a dedicated workplace adjustments team who can arrange for more specialist equipment, with input from health and safety colleagues and our external occupational health provider as appropriate.

Available support can include anti-glare monitors and coloured overlays to reduce strain from reading documents. Assistive software can be installed to enable staff to dictate work or have documents read to them, potentially reducing eye strain. Staff are also encouraged to take regular micro-breaks to ensure they have time away from laptops or other screens, and to use flexible working to help manage symptoms/triggers. The flexibility provided by hybrid working, where available, can also be helpful.

Scottish Government staff can use an employee passport to set out the workplace adjustments needed to support them at work. The passport provides a framework to help discussions with managers and improve understanding of the impact of health conditions, including migraines.

Staff from the Scottish Government’s workplace adjustments team regularly attend the civil service Workplace Adjustments Network to ensure we share good practise around migraines and other health conditions. Alongside assisting staff experiencing Migraines, the workplace adjustments team will advise line managers and business areas on available adjustments and good practise around this, to ensure staff are fully supported. Peer support and advice can also be found through the Scottish Government’s staff networks including the Disabled Staff Network.

Please note this information pertains to all core Scottish Government Directorates and associated agencies who receive an HR service from core SG.

While employment law is reserved, our Fair Work approach seeks to improve workers’ rights and conditions and aims to address women’s workplace inequalities by encouraging employers to take action to tackle occupational segregation and reduce gender pay gaps across the labour market in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is grateful for all of the detailed work conducted by the Chair and Review Group members to produce this important independent report. We are giving careful consideration to all of the recommendations, including the suggestion of establishing an Economic Democracy Group, and will publish a formal response in due course.

The Flood Risk Management Act promotes a catchment wide approach to managing flood risk. The Scottish Government recognise that Natural Flood Management (NFM) can provide multiple benefits, including reducing flood risks, enhancing biodiversity, and contributing to climate resilience.

It is a local authority responsibility to develop and deliver flood protection schemes, ensuring that it complies with all relevant legislation, policy and guidance.