Chamber and committees

Scotland needs a system that supports our higher education sector to deliver the best learning, research and experience for those who choose to study in Scotland. The reinstatement of the Graduate Route was welcome but the scope must also be widened to include HND qualifications from Scottish institutions as was under the previous post-study work scheme and Fresh Talent. it remains clear that UK immigration system still does not address Scotland’s economic, demographic and social needs. We will continue to push UK Ministers to engage meaningfully on these issues.

Questions regarding day-to-day operational matters of Historic Environment Scotland, including information relating to how much funding Historic Environment Scotland has allocated for the activities of its HistoricScot Youth Forum, are best answered directly by Historic Environment Scotland.

I have asked Historic Environment Scotland to respond directly to the member with a full reply to his question in writing.

As I indicated to the Member in response to his question S6O-00815 on 3 March 2022, I will be discussing with Historic Environment Scotland potential future management approaches for the properties in care, particularly in response to the undoubted challenges of climate change, once Historic Environment Scotland has completed its considerations. There is as yet no agreement on a definition of “managed decline” and no properties are subject to such an approach.

All answers to oral Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at Meeting of the Parliament: 03/03/2022 | Scottish Parliament Website

The Scottish Arts Trust is an independent charitable trust that gives artists the opportunity to showcase their work through the Scottish Portrait Awards exhibition. This is held each year in Edinburgh and Glasgow and on alternate years at the Kirkcudbright Galleries or Duff House in Banff. I understand there are no plans to exhibit in the Highlands and Islands region.

There is an online exhibition available on the Scottish Arts Trust website at https://www.scottishartstrust.org/exhibitions-artists

The Hill, Upland and Crofting Group last met in March 2021 and the work of the group is completed. I am grateful for the work they undertook in very short order which has informed our work on Agricultural Reform, the National Test Programme and issues being considered by the Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board.

This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. NHS orthodontic services are provided by independent contractors/high street orthodontists and any management information on waiting times will be held by each practice. There is no central consolidation of this information, nor definition of waits in orthodontics.

Four bids were submitted for Creative Scotland’s recent tender for a partner organisation to deliver ‘Youth-led Arts Funding For Young People’. The successful organisation will be announced early in the new year.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2022 requires licensing authorities to maintain and publish a public register of short-term let licences on their website, or other website established for that purpose. The register is required to include a note of the kind and terms of each licence granted by the licensing authority, as well as other information set out in paragraph 13 of Schedule 2 of the Licensing Order.

Licensing authorities are also required to share content of their public register with the Scottish Government on a quarterly basis for statistical analysis purposes. We expect to receive the first quarterly return for processing and analysis early in the new year. This initial return will include data relating to the number of short-term let licence applications received by 31 December 2022, and the status of those applications.

All individuals have a healthcare consultation with an NHS healthcare professional within 24 hours of arrival.

Whilst in prison individuals can self-refer to see the NHS Healthcare team and where needed, SPS staff can also refer prisoners to the healthcare team.

The SPS Drug & Alcohol Strategy, currently under revision, aims to reduce re-offending and drug-related deaths by adopting the principles of recovery to reduce the supply and demand of illegal substances and the harm caused by problematic substance use. The revised Strategy will reflect the national approach to embed Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Standards across SPS.

The Scottish Government is continuing to consider options for the delivery of a National Towns of Culture scheme. As this progresses, the Scottish Government will consult with the culture and creative sectors and community groups to help inform its decision making.