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The pardon provided for under the Miners’ Strike (Pardons) (Scotland) Act 2022 recognises the disproportionate impact felt by former miners and those closest to them, as a result of taking part in the strike. The purpose of the pardon is to remove the stigma of a conviction, to restore dignity, and to help the mining communities heal old wounds. Due to the lack of surviving records, it was not feasible to require people to formally apply for the pardon. That is why the pardon was designed to be collective and automatic for those who consider that the qualifying criteria set out under the 2022 Act are met. This is a pardon for people to own for themselves or for their loved ones.

Given that there is no application process nor any requirement on an individual to notify the Scottish Government that they have successfully met the criteria, the Scottish Government has no information as to how many people have undertaken a self-assessment. However, it should be noted that data published at Westminster after the strike had ended indicates that 720 people were convicted in Scotland in respect of 993 offences relating to the strike.

The Scottish Government has produced guidance to assist people to self-assess whether they are eligible. The guidance is available at www.gov.scot/publications/miners-strike-pardons-scotland-act-2022-pardon-eligibility-self-assessment-guide/ and confirms the types of offences included in the pardon and who may be eligible.

The Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) leasing is administered by Crown Estate Scotland who are responsible for completing the process of due diligence in line with relevant guidance.

Crown Estate Scotland advises that all INTOG applicants were required to confirm their compliance with all legal obligations regarding human rights. INTOG applicants were also required to make specific commitments ensuring that they, their group companies, and their supply chain partners have the appropriate policies and mechanisms in place regarding human rights.

Crown Estate Scotland reserves the right to void any application which is found to have provided false information in these commitments. If any companies have been found to have made false declarations on these matters Crown Estate Scotland will take the appropriate action including termination of Exclusivity Agreements.

The Scottish Government is clear that both public authorities and private enterprises have a responsibility to ensure human rights are respected and protected in the workplace. Scottish Ministers remain committed to defending the vitally-important legislation which protects human rights in Scotland and in the UK – including both the Human Rights Act 1998 and the constitutional protections built into the Scotland Act 1998.

This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

According to Police Scotland's most up to date information, there are 101 mapped Organised Crime Groups in Scotland as at 31 March 2023.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15116 on 17 March 2023. 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

This information is not held by the Scottish Government.

Any information on the number of patients registered privately with a dentist will be held by the individual dentist and is not collected or held centrally.

Bullying of any kind is unacceptable and must be addressed quickly and effectively. Our national approach to anti-bullying, Respect for All , provides guidance on, including an explicit commitment in relation to prejudice based bullying. All schools are expected to develop and implement an anti-bullying policy, which should be reviewed and updated on a regular basis.

Each local authority is responsible for the care, safety and welfare of pupils in school in the authority area. All adults who work in schools have a responsibility to ensure the mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing of the children and young people in their care, including those with disabilities and hearing impairments.

The Scottish Government does not collate the number of bullying incidents at a national level. In 2019, in support of the Respect for All approach, the Scottish Government introduced a consistent approach to recording and monitoring incidents of bullying across all schools in Scotland and guidance was published. All schools and local authorities are expected to use this approach. Recording and monitoring locally helps organisations identify recurring patterns, which enables early intervention and appropriate support at a local level.

In February 2023 Education Scotland published the results of a thematic inspection of recording and monitoring bullying incidents in schools. We take the findings of that report very seriously and have put in place a range of actions immediately to respond. This includes beginning a review of the national anti-bullying guidance, Respect for All , which will include further consideration of the current guidance on prejudice-based bullying.

The Scottish Government have been urging the UK Government to recognise the valuable role that Scotland's culture sector plays for both the Scottish and wider UK economies. While this funding from the UK Government for two of our many major and world-class festivals is welcome given the extraordinarily challenging economic climate, this is another example of the UK Government bypassing this Parliament and intervening in devolved policy without consultation.

The Scottish Government remains committed to supporting Edinburgh and Glasgow festivals with up to £3 million of funding available in financial year 2023-24.

The Scottish Government has provided funding for Edinburgh’s Festivals through the EXPO programme of £1.8 million annually since 2007, and the PLACE programme of £1 million annually since 2018.

The funding allows them to develop international opportunities for artists, promote Scotland and its culture, and provide invaluable schools and community programmes, both during festivals and all-year round. The Scottish Government also made an additional £2.1 million available for the 75th anniversary festivals in 2022 (Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe & Edinburgh International Film Festival) through an additional PLACE Resilience Fund.

Scottish fisheries does not have a historic record of targeted commercial sea bass catches in the Solway Firth. Accordingly Marine Scotland does not conduct assessments or provide advice on sea bass stocks in the Solway Firth.

No Scottish Government official or Minister has been called to give evidence to the Sheku Bayoh Public Inquiry. As the Inquiry is independent of Ministers, it is for the Chair to determine how the Inquiry’s terms of reference are interpreted and direct how the Inquiry carries out its duties. It is entirely for the Chair to consider who to seek statements from and who to call to give evidence to the Inquiry.