Chamber and committees

While the condition and suitability of the NHS estate is assessed, these assessments are not typically presented as a single percentage of buildings failing "basic modern safety standards," but rather through a detailed, risk-based classification system. The data is managed by NHS Boards with buildings categorised based on their physical condition and functional suitability.

Through measures such as backlog maintenance and functional suitability, we are aware that parts of the NHS estate require additional investment, which is why this year we intend to invest an additional £100 million in funding in 2025-26 to support maintenance-only business continuity investment plans, which prioritises investment based on a risk-based assessment of NHS Boards infrastructure. This is in addition to a 5% uplift to core capital funding provided to boards to support maintenance and improvement of the NHS estate.

Due to the off-market and confidentiality arrangements imposed by the seller Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) were unable to consult with stakeholders prior to purchase. Full consultation with stakeholders, including the local community, has now be undertaken as FLS has developed its proposals for Glen Prosen through the Land Management Plan (LMP) process.

Registers of Scotland is a non-Ministerial Public Body answerable to the Scottish Parliament.

As of 12 August 2025, Registers of Scotland (RoS) had 59,655 dispositions undergoing registration as compared with 68,894 a year prior, representing a c13% reduction (9,239) year on year. In financial year 2024-25 RoS dealt with over 558k applications to the Land Register , 93% of which were completed within 35 days.

The process of registration in the Land Register involves digital copies of title deeds being sent to the Keeper who then updates the Land Register (LR). The applicant retains the original deeds. The legal effect of registration stems from the date the Keeper receives the application and not from the date when the updates are completed. Further information, including the total number of inflight applications of all types, is available on the Keeper’s website.

All the information submitted as part of the appeal, including everything submitted by the appellant, the national park authority and timeous representations submitted by interested parties is forwarded to Scottish Ministers along with the Reporter's report and recommendations.

Once received, the report and all the information held will be given full and proper consideration by Ministers before any decision is made.

As this is a live planning appeal it would not be appropriate to comment further.

The framework document agreed between Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) and Scottish Ministers details how FLS will carry out Scottish Ministers’ functions under the Forestry and Land Management (Scotland) Act 2018.

It details the key roles and responsibilities of:

• Scottish Ministers; and
• the FLS Chief Executive (and Accountable Officer).

Those roles and responsibilities, include those relevant to the acquisition and disposal of land. The framework document is a key part of the accountability and governance framework and as a live document is reviewed by SG and Forestry and Land Scotland regularly.

The strategic objectives of acquiring the additional land at Glen Prosen was to create a contiguous area of 10,000 ha of land in public ownership that could provide an opportunity for the development of an exemplar of integrated land management that furthers Scottish Government aims for people’s well-being, nature recovery at scale, and long-term climate resilience.

A significant amount of work on the 21 Scottish-led Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) has been completed. This work is complex and requires further stakeholder engagement and consultation. The Marine Directorate has undertaken pre-consultation with stakeholders which will inform the first formal consultation planned for autumn 2025. Discussions with stakeholders were held last year and, more recently, in February, May and June, we held workshops on demersal and Nephrops FMPs with plans for further workshops on pelagic FMPs in the coming months. The fisheries policy authorities intend to deliver the FMPs according to the timescales set out in Annex A of the Joint Fisheries Statement by the end of 2026.

For offshore Marine Protected Areas, the Scottish Government has completed its public consultation on proposed fisheries management measures and published the consultation analysis. The Scottish Government expects to announce the final measures in autumn 2025, with implementation to follow within the same calendar year. For inshore Marine Protected Areas, the Scottish Government is completing the necessary statutory assessments and aims to consult on proposed measures in the coming months

The Scottish Government’s Fisheries Management Strategy sets out actions to support the fishing fleet to modernise, and for appropriate use to be made of new and additional technology, including remote electronic monitoring (REM). The Scottish Government has already delivered on our commitment to introduce REM requirements for pelagic and scallop vessels, with legislation being passed in June 2024. The legislation can be found at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2024/165/contents/made

Pelagic vessels will be able to undertake REM system test trips from 7 September 2025 in advance of the pelagic REM measures becoming mandatory from 7 March 2026. A number of vessels have already started installing REM equipment and we expect this number to increase as the March 2026 date draws closer. The Scottish Government has published both REM technical specifications and guidance for the pelagic industry and continues to engage extensively with stakeholders to support vessels as they prepare for REM.

Further rollout of remote electronic monitoring to other fleets is under review and options will be developed alongside our Future Catching Policy.

Public inquiries established under the Inquiries Act 2005 are not designated as Scottish public authorities for the purposes of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA). As the member may be aware, information held by other authorities about the work of a public inquiry may be exempt from disclosure. In particular, under section 37 of FOISA information is exempt if it has been created by a person conducting an inquiry for the purposes of that inquiry. These are absolute exemptions under the Act. These arrangements are in place to protect the integrity and independence of public inquiries.

The Scottish Government understands that key information about the costs of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry are published on the Inquiry website. It also understands that the Inquiry provided further detailed information about its costs in its Chair’s letter dated 22 May, to the Finance and Public Administration Committee. The Scottish Government would be happy to consider whether it holds any further relevant information in the event of any request for such, and would consider any such request in full compliance with its own obligations as a Scottish public authority under FOISA.

The Scottish Ministerial Code ensures impartiality in ministerial planning decisions, including avoiding conflicts of interest and maintaining transparency. Ministers must separate their roles as decision-makers and elected representatives, and must recuse themselves from any case where their impartiality could reasonably be questioned. It is a legislative requirement that planning decisions be made in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.