Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Scottish Government recognises the social and cultural heritage associated with falconry. Blue (or mountain) hares are now a protected species following the passage of the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act in June 2020. The protection came into force on 1 March 2021. This means that the species can no longer be taken for sporting or recreational purposes.

Birds of prey can still be used take mountain hares for other purposes where carried out under a licence granted by NatureScot, as specified in section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Any changes to the specified purposes for allowing licensed taking of mountain hares under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 would require primary legislation.

B&Bs paying Non-Domestic Rates are already eligible to apply for financial support from the Strategic Framework Business Fund. An equivalent support scheme for B&Bs paying council tax opens for applications on 15 March. This is after work to ensure the support captures the widest possible range of eligible businesses. The scheme has also been expanded to include guest-houses and self-catering who pay council tax. Payments to B&Bs expecting support from the fund announced in December will be prioritised. Councils have been working at pace to develop this expanded support and payments will start as soon as possible.

The JCVI list now includes staff directly involved in the direct care of children and young people with the most complex additional healthcare needs who are clinically vulnerable to severe effects of COVID. They may be at higher risk of exposure due to their close contact with those providing health and social care support, particularly those with severe neuro-disabilities. They will be eligible under category 2 of the JCVI list. This includes staff working in special schools and units, and in some cases in mainstream schools. Staff supporting these children will undertake roles which will align to the multi-agency educational and care plans for these children who are the most clinically vulnerable.

Currently there is no sectoral prioritisation of any workers other than frontline health and social care workers. Individual classroom learning assistants will be called forward for vaccination according to their position on the prioritisation list, if they are eligible.

For example, many teaching assistants may be eligible as individuals aged 16 years to 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality. Supplies permitting, we aim to have offered a first dose to all those on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation prioritisation list by mid-April, and the entire adult population shortly after.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-35275 on‎ 3 March 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Anyone affected by the initial systems error of the Mobile and Home Based Close Contact Services Fund and the Newly Self Employed Hardship Fund has already been invited to re-apply for these funds.

Applicants who are concerned they have made a mistake in their original application, or believe they have been unsuccessful because of a mistake, will be contacted shortly to re-apply.

We have strengthened the guidance for applicants to highlight common mistakes, and will continue to do all we can to help those that are eligible to access these funds, which are not available elsewhere in the UK.

A wide range of interests, including self-caterers, bed and breakfast owners and rural interests are represented on the working group considering guidance for short-term lets. The bed and breakfast owners are represented by the Scottish Bed and Breakfast Association. A full list of members can be found on the working group webpage: https://www.gov.scot/groups/short-term-lets-stakeholder-working-group/

The Scottish Government’s second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) is underway and includes consideration of options to extend Borders Rail from Tweedbank to Carlisle and also towards Berwick-upon-Tweed. Phase 2 of STPR2 will conclude in autumn 2021 and, should an extension of the Borders Railway to Carlisle be recommended, the Scottish Government will work with Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal partners to progress to the next stages of business case development which would include consideration of potential alignments. Funding of £10m has been committed through the Borderlands Growth Deal for further work, including £5 million from the Scottish Government.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W–34988 on 12 February 2021. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

The majority of cancer treatments have and will continue throughout the pandemic. Some patient’s treatment plans will change to minimise their individual risk. Those that require changes will always be done on a clinical basis and will be in discussion with the patient and clinical team.

The National Cancer Treatment Group (NCTG) has been established, to provide national oversight for recovery of cancer treatments during the recovery phase of the NHS from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The National Cancer Recovery Group has also been established to provide strategic end to end oversight of cancer services, oversee national data and modelling work in relation to cancer recovery and advise on patient and public communications. It regularly monitors ongoing delivery of cancer treatments in Scotland through the use of management information provided by Boards.

Survival from cancer since the COVID-19 pandemic began will not be reported in Scotland until 2023 for two reasons: there is not yet long enough follow-up time nor has every case of cancer up to 31 st December 2020 been confirmed. Survival from cancer is usually reported at 1 and 5 years after diagnosis. Complete information on people diagnosed and treated in 2020 will not be available until April 2022 because time is needed to gather reliable information from multiple records. Survival rates for people diagnosed in 2020 will then be published in January 2023.

As a rapid proxy measure of new cancer diagnoses, the Public Health Scotland Covid-19 wider impacts dashboard https://scotland.shinyapps.io/phs-covid-wider-impact/ presents numbers of individuals from whom a pathology sample found cancer in 2020 and compares them to 2019.

An investment of up to £114.5 million will support cancer patients to have equitable access to care regardless of where they live. The Cancer Recovery Plan will improve patients’ experience of care, and roll-out innovative treatments to improve cancer services.

The £500 recognition payment relates to staff covered by NHS payment and remuneration arrangements and staff in organisations registered with the Scottish Social Services Council. For other key workers, it will be for their employers to determine their remuneration and any additions to existing pay which may be appropriate.