Chamber and committees

The Galloway Fisheries Trust, along with other fishery and river trusts, fishery boards and angling associations, play an important role in helping Scotland meet its nature recovery ambitions. The Trust was successful in securing £100,000 through the Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) this year, to undertake a project on invasive species control and knowledge across nine river catchments in the Solway. This work builds on their previous NRF projects, which improved the climate resilience of local water courses and contributed to peatland restoration.

Through NRF funding, we continue to support fishery management organisations across Scotland in undertaking a range of projects that aim to address biodiversity loss.

Housing to 2040 is Scotland’s long-term strategy for housing and is designed to be agile and adaptable to 2040. A governance process has been established to support sector-wide delivery of the strategy, recognising the crucial roles of stakeholders across the housing system and beyond to delivering the Housing to 2040 vision. A Strategic Board will give strategic oversight, provide accountability on progress and support the government as we develop an appropriate monitoring framework for the strategy.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6O-01331 on 7 September 2022. The answer to the Oral parliamentary question is available on the Parliaments website, the Official Report can be viewed at:

https://archive2021.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=13875

According to the latest quarterly edition of the Scottish Child Payment statistical publication, between 9 November 2020 and 30 June 2022, the number of applications received for the Scottish Child Payment benefit from people living in the Dundee City Local Authority area is 5,990. In total, 5,500 applications had been processed as of 30 June 2022.

Scottish Government published an estimate on uptake in October 2021 as part of their benefit take-up strategy. The estimate of national take-up for the Scottish Child Payment benefit was 77%. This publication did not include geographical breakdowns.

As of 30 June 2022, it is estimated that 104,000 children were in receipt of Scottish Child Payment. Whilst this 104,000 figure is included in the latest Scottish Child Payment statistical publication, we do not currently produce equivalent information by Local Authority areas.

Between 15 February 2021 when the benefit officially launched and 30 June 2022, Social Security Scotland had issued £2.9 million of Scottish Child Payments to clients living in Dundee City Local Authority area.

Non-NHS provider figures relate to patients treated in non-NHS locations such as private hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, and care homes. Patients who receive treatment at a private (independent) hospital which is paid for by the NHS board should be recorded within the SMR by the relevant NHS board.

The following table presents the procedure information that has been supplied to Public Health Scotland (PHS).

Table 1: The number of procedures performed by Non-NHS Providers.

The Scottish Government provides funding to Advice Direct Scotland to deliver telephone and digital advice services including debt and consumer advice. Spend on external consultants is an operational matter and I direct the member to Advice Direct Scotland’s website or to their Chief Executive Officer for this information.

The Scottish Government is working with Local Authorities, COSLA and the wider public sector to ensure that there is sufficient suitable accommodation for Ukrainian Displaced Persons.

We intend to publish numbers on temporary accommodation in due course.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10433 on 20 September 2022. 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 welfare of all displaced Ukrainians staying across the country is the Scottish Government’s absolute priority. Before the first guests boarded the M/S Victoria, a full Joint Assurance Review was undertaken with City of Edinburgh Council and other stakeholders, covering issues like safeguarding and security. The Scottish Refugee Council and the Ukrainian Consul General were both consulted as part of preparations for displaced people to live aboard the ship. Local health partners were also closely involved in preparations for opening the ship as temporary accommodation. Additionally, in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council, we engaged with key stakeholders, community groups and third sector partners, including Public Health Scotland, Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations' Council, Volunteer Edinburgh, Scottish Chambers of Commerce, and Capital City Partnership.