Seòmar agus comataidhean

The total cost for maintenance of the lift system for the past four years including financial year 24-25 is as follows. For financial year 20/21 we do not hold information in a format that allows us to identify the costs of maintaining the lifts as it was included within a project capacity and therefore wouldn’t be accurate to what was spent solely on maintenance. All costs provided exclude VAT.

• 2024/25 - £30,411.89
• 2023/24 - £28,384.80
• 2022/23 - £25,012.17
• 2021/22 - £13,375.91

The beekeeper takes measures to prevent diseases and pests, maintains the hygiene and safety of the bee colonies  and ensures that all disease prevention treatments are provided. This includes checking for notifiable pests and diseases, which if found would be reported to the Honey Bee Health Inspectors.

The beekeeper maintains accurate beekeeping records, carries out hive inspections during the summer months and provides appropriate care and/or preventative maintenance as required.

The SPCB owns and operates five number flagpoles, and they are approximately 8.2 metres in height. There has been no general maintenance works needed to the flag poles in the last 15 years with the only cost for each being the annual LOLER inspection. LOLER stands for Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations and the flag poles are included within other inspections of the same type carried out across the parliament. The cost for LOLER inspection is included within the planned building maintenance contract and we do not hold information in a format which allows us to identify the flagpole inspections as an individual item. 

The Parliament currently owns 180 flags for external and internal use. There is not a published list of which flags we own. 

The operating costs for the crèche over the last five years has been as follows –

2023/24        £108k

2022/23        Service closed

2021/22        Service closed

2020/21        Service closed

2019/20        £145k

The Mobile Homes Act 1983 controls the consumer rights of mobile home owners in relation to their pitch. The terms of the Written Statement, set out under the Mobile Homes Act 1983, include a number of provisions to encourage communication and consultation between residential mobile home site owners and residents. For example, there is a requirement for site owners to provide documentary evidence in support and explanation of fees. There is a requirement for site owners to consult occupiers about improvements to the site in general and in particular about those which the owner wishes to be taken in to account in determining the new pitch fee. There is also a requirement to consult a qualifying residents association, if there is one, on all matters which relate to the operation and management of the site, or improvements to the site, which may affect occupiers directly or indirectly.

Following a public consultation (https://consult.gov.scot/local-government-and-communities/change-to-basis-of-pitch-uprating-consultation/), the Scottish Government has confirmed its intention to update the Mobile Homes Act 1983 to change the presumed basis of pitch fee uprating from the Retail Prices Index to the Consumer Prices Index, for both existing and future contracts.

We also propose to make a further change so that the statistical basis for uprating pitch fees can be amended by secondary rather than primary legislation in the future. Provision for the change was included in the Housing Scotland Bill which was introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 26 March 2024 and is currently at Stage 2. No new regulations are being considered.

The responsibility for the safe production of food lies with the food business operator. Food Standards Scotland (FSS) supports food businesses with provision of guidance, tools and advice. Local authorities are also supported by way of Codes of practice, guidance, training and ongoing engagement.

FSS also provides an annual training programme for Local Authority Food Enforcement Officers. This includes the courses listed below:

REHIS Advanced HACCP

Enforcement Sanctions

Training on the Scottish National database and Food Law Rating System

HACCP in Speciality cheesemaking

Shellfish Depuration

Food Microbiology

Predictive modelling and shelf-life challenge testing

Official Control Verification methodology and practice

IFSP Counterfeit Spirits

TACCP (Threat Assessment and Critical Control Point, focuses on threats and aims to prevent malicious threats to food, such as sabotage, extortion, or terrorism.)

In addition, FSS provides an annual training session for student Environmental Health officers.

The National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care is working with Health Boards and Health and Social Care partnerships to drive improvements in sustainability, and the capability of remote, rural and island primary and community care services, avoiding a one size fits all approach.

Their work includes programmes to enhance the education and training for multi-disciplinary teams working in rural and island areas, as well as evaluation of new ways of delivering improved primary and community care health services in partnership with practitioners, citizens and partner agencies.

The National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care has developed a new training programme and supervisory training hub for Rural Advanced Practitioners and is developing a community training hub pilot to increase the amount of training taking place in remote, rural and island primary and community healthcare settings.

Further details on the work of the National Centre can be found here: National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care: Information Hub | Turas | Learn

It is not possible to separately identify which prosecutions for assault were specifically for assaults on doctors