Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-37086 on 6 May 2025. 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

We welcome the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s analysis and recognise the impact that changes in Scotland’s population health and demographics could have on fiscal sustainability, and we are taking steps to mitigate this.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

Aviation and airspace remains a reserved matter for the UK government, however I am aware that Officials in Scottish Government are engaging with the Ministry for Justice on no fly-zone regulations across prisons and considerations are ongoing about extending them to Scotland.

SPS are continuing to implement both physical and targeted reactive measures that will negate the threat presented by drones as well as collaborating with Police Scotland, His Majesty’s Prison Service, Northern Ireland Prison Service and Irish Prison Service, to adopt a multi-nation approach to share best practice and response tactics in response to the threat presented by drone activity in and around our prisons.

Where Ministers have agreed that an appointee should be remunerated, the Daily Fee Framework for Chairs, Board Members and Public Appointments must be used to determine the appropriate Daily Fee. The framework does not mandate that a fee be paid.

It is open to the Sponsor Team to decide whether a payment need be made. Remuneration may be proposed where it is particularly important to have representation from as wide and diverse a range of candidates as possible, or where there is specific need for appointees to be drawn from otherwise under-represented groups.

Any remuneration payable is not intended to meet the market rate that could be commanded by the individuals concerned.

The relevant Scottish Government approval must be obtained prior to implementing any daily fee and prior to advertising, negotiating a remuneration package or confirmation of appointment.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-36866 on 6 May 2025. 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.

Ministers met with stakeholders from the agricultural, food and drink, research and eNGO sectors on 27 March to discuss their views on the use of gene edited crops and products in Scotland. Stakeholders were invited to give their views on the potential impact of gene editing on crop yields, food security and future sustainability of production in response to changing climate and pest and pathogen pressure. Stakeholders also shared their views on how regulatory regimes for gene editing in other jurisdictions might affect, or are already affecting, their sectors, including potential operational and reputational impacts arising from differences in approach. Ministers are taking into account this evidence from stakeholders, alongside developments in the EU, as they consider the Scottish Government’s position.

Recent and ongoing global events show the fragility of food security, and we are taking action to improve Scotland’s food resilience and strengthen our supply chains. The Scottish Government has created a Food Security Unit, to monitor risks or threats to the supply chain and help mitigate future shocks and impacts on food security.

For further details, I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-36866 on 6 May 2025. 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.

It is a matter for the Scottish Funding Council to allocate funding to individual institutions, including whether there is a need to apply any conditions as part of this process.

The member may be interested to know that the Scottish Funding Council wrote to the Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee on 20 March outlining the conditions applied to the liquidity support for the University of Dundee. A link to the letter is as follows:

Letter from the Scottish Funding Council to the Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee on 20 March 2025

Bursaries for independent schools are a matter for the proprietors of each institution, as each independent school is a private company. It is for the school itself to administer and provide bursaries for pupils to attend their establishment.

We continue to engage with the UK Government on this matter. My officials have been assured by the UK Government that their mailbox for school enquiries remains open. We have provided this to all Scottish independent schools, should they wish to contact them.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-36866 on 6 May 2025. 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