Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is already committed to delivering the ambitions set out in the Scottish Government’s Vision for Agriculture. Scotland will have a support framework that delivers high quality food production, climate mitigation and adaptation, and nature restoration. This will be delivered thorough the Agricultural Reform Programme (ARP) which will contain a number of Tiers to provide range of targeted support. This will include specific support for businesses which they do their part to deliver Scotland’s climate and biodiversity targets, including measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and restore and improve nature.

The Land Reform (Scotland) Bill introduced into Parliament earlier this year further supports nature restoration. It sets out proposals that will change how land is owned and managed in our rural and island communities; it places legal responsibilities on the owners of the very largest landholdings to set out how they use their land and how that contributes to key public policy priorities, like addressing climate change and protecting and restoring nature. It also proposes a new Land Management Tenancy creating a framework for hybrid land management. This will enable people and communities to undertake a range of land management activities that help to deliver net zero, biodiversity and sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

I welcome the recent Thematic inspection of road policing in Scotland report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland. The recommendations contained within the report are for Police Scotland to consider and respond, and how they do so is a matter for the Chief Constable.

I note Police Scotland’s statement on the report which highlights that the Service is already taking steps to address the issues raised, including the identification and implementation of a sustainable model for road policing. The Chief Constable has been clear policing must evolve to meet demand, with a focus on enabling frontline officers and staff to deliver for communities.

I look forward to discussing this and other issues when I next meet the Chief Constable.

The Scottish Government notes the report commissioned by ASLEF and its findings. Every worker should be able to work with dignity and this includes having an access to toilet facilities. The report findings are for train operating companies, as employers to consider.

Following reports from members of the public on 11 November of a number of dead fish found in Linlithgow Loch, SEPA officers inspected the site on the morning of 12 November. During the inspection, no visible signs of pollution were identified and water quality samples, taken at various points around the loch, did not reveal any pollutants. SEPA is satisfied that there is no ongoing pollution incident within the loch.

Work is ongoing to improve the availability of data regarding the number and distribution of Physician Associates (PAs) across NHS Scotland. It is expected that these improvements will allow for the more effective analysis of workforce trends for this profession from the beginning of the 2025-26 financial year.

Individual decisions about the employment and deployment of PAs are a matter for Health Boards, many of whom will have considerable experience of utilising this role to good effect. The profession is a valued, long-standing part of the NHS Scotland workforce and it is important that discussions about the role are taken forward in a respectful and supportive manner.

(A) The draft route map to achieving a 20% reduction in car use was published in 2022 and was followed by a period of engagement and consultation. Analysis and consideration of the consultation responses are shaping the updated route map which will be published in due course.

The route map is co-produced with CoSLA, in recognition of the joint commitment to a just transition to reducing car use, and we are continuing to work closely with local and regional partners to update the route map and will publish it on completion of that engagement.

(B) Scotland now has over 6,000 public charge points and has achieved the delivery of 6,000 public charge points two years ahead of the 2026 target date. In late 2024 we will publish a draft Implementation Plan identifying the key actions to be taken to deliver our Vision for public EV charging. This draft Implementation Plan is being developed with the key stakeholders who share responsibility for delivering public EV charging across Scotland and will include a route map for delivering approximately 24,000 additional public charge points by 2030.

(C) In January 2024, Scotland introduced the Vehicle Emissions Trading Schemes (VETS) legislation, alongside England and Wales, extending to UK-wide from January 2025. VETS will deliver 411 MTCO2e of savings between 2024-2050 across the UK by increasing the sale of ZEVs as a proportion of overall annual sales to 80% cars and 70% vans by 2030) as well as reducing emissions on non-ZEVs.

Since 2011, support has been provided for the purchase of ZEV cars and vans equating to £39 million in interest free loans which has helped businesses purchase 1,382 ZEVs, alongside grants provided through the LEZ Support fund.

(D) Consideration for a new national integrated ticketing system for Scotland was detailed in the 2024 Smart Delivery Strategy, aligning with wider work to advance the future of public transport in Scotland. In 2025 consideration for this system will be undertaken, including the technical, financial and legislative impact.

We have begun commencing the smart-ticketing measures from the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, establishing the National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board in 2023. The board comprises operators, transport authorities, users, and technical experts, to provide independent advice to Scottish Ministers on the future of smart-ticketing, including a technological standard, in line with their published August 2024 workplan.

(E) Development of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) Delivery Plan is underway. This takes account of the current financial climate and is examining existing schemes across all modes in addition to the longer term STPR2 recommendations.

The latest Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecasts, following the UK Government Autumn Budget Statement, show an improved medium term outlook for capital. The Scottish Government will continue to consider its longer-term infrastructure plans after we receive clarity from the UK Government over our multi-year capital funding envelope in the Spring.

(F) The Scottish Government will set out the high-level principles of Air Departure Tax in due course, following which we will work towards implementation as soon as is practicable. However, this first requires a solution to the Highlands and Islands exemption, and we are working with the UK Government to achieve this.

(G) The foundations of the Whole Farm Plan have been co-developed with industry and rural partners and will go live in 2025. As part of our commitment to enhanced conditionality, in 2025, in return for their basic payment, all farmers and crofters will need to have in place two from the following five baselines: Animal Health and Welfare Plan, Biodiversity Audit, Carbon Audit, Integrated Pest Management Plan or Soil Analysis.

All farmers and crofters will be required to have a proportionate carbon audit in place by 2028 at the latest as part of the Whole Farm Plan.

From 2028 farmers and crofters will be required to produce a nutrient management plan (NMP) to complement their soil analysis. We therefore recommend as part of the current Whole Farm Plan guidance that once a business has received their soil analysis, they use this information to create a nutrient management plan. We will continue to work with our industry and rural partners to co-develop the Whole Farm Plan.

(H) The Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy announced several new measures aimed at accelerating Scotland’s journey to net zero, including a pilot scheme with some Scottish farms to establish future appropriate uptake of methane supressing feed products.

There has been significant development in this area in recent years and it is taking time to develop the details of a pilot which could explore options for recognising appropriate use of these products and other practices which can reduce greenhouse gas emissions on farms. Further information on the timetable of a pilot project will be shared as soon as possible.

(I) The Scottish Government is working with the NorthWest 2045 (Highlands), South of Scotland (Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders), Cairngorms National Park and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Regional Land Use Partnerships (RLUPs) to transition from a pilot to a formal initiative. We remain committed to the long-term delivery of RLUPs, however, taking into account wider fiscal pressures and subject to lessons learned from the ongoing transition, the phased rollout of new partnerships will begin in financial year 2026-27 at the earliest.

(J) With partial rewetting, the water table in peatlands or peaty soils is held deeper underground than with full rewetting or restoration. In theory, this delivers a carbon benefit but also allows certain types of agriculture that may be limited by full rewetting to continue.

The Peatland Science and Technical Advisory Group have advised there may be some potential in lowland grassland systems and at the edges of some raised bogs where the use of ‘leaky dams’ may have a part to play in finer control of water table depth. However, significant areas of lowland agricultural peats are difficult to identify and map.

We have commissioned scientists at the James Hutton Institute to advise on the distribution of grassland on peat and on the relationship between water table depth and carbon emissions in peat grassland systems. When complete, this will inform on-going work in government considering options for incorporating peatland protection, management and restoration within the new four-tier agricultural support framework.

(K) The Scottish Government is committed to reducing high deer numbers in order to help us to achieve our biodiversity and carbon objectives. Three deer management incentives pilot schemes led by NatureScot and the Cairngorms National Park Authority launched this autumn to incentivise deer managers to increase deer culls in specific parts of Scotland.

These pilot schemes have been implemented this year in different parts of Scotland to test different approaches to incentives and to better understand the barriers to deer management.

While these pilots do not constitute a single national scheme, we will use the findings from them to inform decisions on future incentive schemes.

(L) The Scottish Government is committed to considering options for a carbon land tax, to further incentivise peatland restoration and afforestation.

Any potential new measures must be rigorously assessed and based on strong evidence to ensure they serve their objective and avoid unintended consequences.

The Scottish Government will work with the Scottish Land Commission to consult with a range of stakeholders and to develop the evidence necessary to identify and assess options for a carbon land tax.

(M) The Scottish Government welcomes the work of the independent Green Heat Finance Taskforce and looks forward to receiving its Part 2 report shortly. Following publication of its Part 2 report, the Scottish Government will formally respond to the Taskforce, setting out the actions we will take, in partnership with others, on recommendations from both Taskforce reports.

Our response will be informed by the New Deal for Business sub-group on Non-Domestic Rates (NDR) which will, alongside other matters, consider how non-domestic rates levers support Scotland’s transition to net zero.

(N) The Scottish Government has committed to the development of a just transition plan for Mossmorran following completion of the just transition plan for Grangemouth in 2025. As with the Grangemouth just transition plan, this work will be co-designed with key stakeholders including industry, the workforce and the community. The Scottish Government is actively engaging with relevant stakeholders as part of the scoping phase of this programme of work.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that compassionate support is available to anyone affected by self-harm.

We believe our Self-Harm Strategy and Action Plan, delivered jointly with COSLA, is a world first; its priorities are:

• Increasing knowledge and compassionate understanding of self-harm in order to reduce stigma and discrimination;
• Enhancing supports and services across Scotland for anyone affected by self-harm; and
• Improving and sharing data and evidence so we can continue to learn about self-harm and adapt our approach.
  

As part of our focus on supporting people who self-harm we have invested in a bespoke self-harm support service since 2022, with funding of £1.5m continuing over 2024-2026. The Scotland-wide service is delivered through Self-Harm Network Scotland, which is run by Penumbra. The service provides reliable and accessible advice and information to anyone aged 12 or over, who is affected by self-harm. Individual 1:1 peer support can be accessed via self-referral using the contact us form on their website. People who self-harm can receive 12-15 sessions of support which is recovery focussed, and person centred. This can be delivered by phone, video call, or via text.

Additionally, the website has a Live Chat service available from 6pm-10pm, 7 days a week. This is a confidential service, staffed by peer practitioners and trained volunteers who offer immediate support to people who self-harm, or are thinking of self-harming.

The service also offers fully funded self-harm awareness training to individuals and organisations, and loved ones group sessions to support family/friends and carers - who can also seek individual support from the service at any time.

I remain clear that long waits are unacceptable and that is why in the Programme for Government we reaffirmed our commitment to meet the CAMHS standard and clear backlogs by December 2025.

While we will work to ensure no child will wait to start treatment longer than 18 weeks there may be occasions where children and young people wait over 18-weeks to start treatment. This may be out with the NHS Board’s control, such as those who have significantly complex presentations and require very specific services.

The Scottish Government have invested heavily in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in recent years, which is why CAMHS staffing has increased by 59.1% in the last decade of this Government (+553.8 WTE). CAMHS workforce data is publicly available in NHS Education for Scotland (NES) Turas Data Intelligence at: NHS Scotland Workforce Data.

We work closely with all NHS Boards to help improve their performance across CAMHS, including to reduce their waiting times. Despite ongoing pressures, local CAMHS teams continue to respond well to demand, with statistics showing one in two children and young people referred to CAMHS start treatment within 6 weeks.

Whilst the Scottish Government sets the strategic policy direction for the NHS in Scotland, operational matters including staffing are in the first instance the responsibility of the relevant NHS Board. Decisions depend on the service needs of each board taking account of national, regional and local priorities, and we expect NHS boards to plan and provide safe, effective and high-quality care, in line with their statutory service provision and workforce planning responsibilities.

The Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 commenced in April 2024 and aims to be an enabler of high-quality care and improved outcomes for service users in both health and care services by helping to ensure appropriate staffing for high quality care. The legislation does not prescribe minimum staffing levels or fixed ratios and does not advocate a ‘one size fits all’ ratio, which would be inflexible to local needs, based on a fixed point in time, and not consistently reflective of workforce, case mix or dependencies.

To better support workforce planning across NHS Scotland, in collaboration with NES Data Group & Centre for Workforce Supply (CWS), we have developed a workforce planning data modelling tool, which sits on the TURAS data intelligence system. The tool will enable greater understanding of the timing and size of current and projected workforce demand at a local, regional, and national level.

We also undertake a robust student intake planning process to determine the target number of pre-registration students to which Scottish universities should recruit in the following academic year to meet estimated future workforce demands. The process involves significant input from key stakeholders from across the education sectors, including Council of Deans of Health Scotland, NHS Education for Scotland (NES), NHS Board Planners, and Unions.

We will continue to work with our key partners to ensure the Health and Care (Staffing) legislation is implemented effectively across NHS Boards, including within CAMHS services.

International marketing activity undertaken by the Scottish Government as Brand Scotland, is measured by a comprehensive suite of metrics that determine whether the associated SMART objectives have been met. These objectives are set each year according to the purpose of the activity, the level of spend available and the tactics it will use.

They include digital reach through social and digital channels and audience engagement with the content but more importantly additionally consider the strategic outcomes and impact on these audiences, such as perception change or an increase in consideration by target audiences.