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The appointment of Women’s Health Leads is an important cross cutting action in the Women’s Health Plan. It is for NHS Boards to identify their women’s health leads according to local need and priority and with reference to the aims set out in the Plan.

On 22 June 2023, the Scottish Government published the Agriculture Bill - Analysis of Consultation Responses which details the findings of this extended engagement.

A consultation on the Bill’s proposals ran from 29 August 2022 to 5 December 22, where a wide range of views were received. On 22 June 2023, the Scottish Government published the Agriculture Bill - Analysis of Consultation Responses which details the findings of this extended engagement.

As is convention, following consultation on proposed legislation, Ministers are considering the views received to inform a new Agriculture Bill which will be introduced in 2023. In turn, Parliament will consider the proposals and provide further comment on draft proposals, accordingly.

On 22 June 2023, the Scottish Government published the Agriculture Bill - Analysis of Consultation Responses which details the findings of this extended engagement and total number that attend the events.

Details of the upcoming summit have been confirmed with the Education, Children and Young People Committee.

In order to provide opportunity for sufficient depth of discussion across core topics, a multi-stage approach is planned, with the first taking place on 5th September. This will be followed by further stages in October and November 2023. This events follow the Head Teacher’s taskforce, which convened in June to focus on the issues surrounding school exclusion.

The approach as outlined will allow for progress to be informed by the most up-to-date data following the publication of the Behaviour in Scottish Schools research in autumn.

NatureScot undertook a trial into minimum bullet weights to shoot deer to ensure that animal welfare would not be compromised. We considered this, alongside advice from NatureScot on deer welfare when making these proposals.

A copy of that report is available here: https://www.nature.scot/doc/naturescot-research-report-1312-review-minimum-bullet-weight-lawful-culling-all-deer-species

All night shooting of deer requires a specific authorisation by NatureScot. That means that anyone seeking to shoot deer at night must apply to NatureScot and provide the details of the planned management, including where and when the deer will be culled.

There are requirements for a deer stalker to be fit and competent as part of that process and NatureScot will be updating the Night Shooting Code of Practice and Best Practice guidance will be developed ahead of these proposals being introduced.

We held a written consultation from May – June 2023 on proposed changes to night sights, ammunition weights and close seasons for male deer. The full Deer Management Round Table was invited to respond to this consultation. Responses will be published on the Scottish Government webpage imminently.

As outlined in response to S6W-20504 on 1 September 2023, culling deer at night can only be done under authorisation from NatureScot. In order to be authorised to shoot deer at night applicants must be able to evidence fit and competent status and comply with Best Practice.

To register as fit and competent applicants must provide evidence that they have completed either Deer Stalking Certificate Level 2 (DSC2) or Deer Stalking Certificate Level 1 (DSC1). They must also provide two referees (one of whom must be DSC1 certified) who can provide evidence that the applicant meets required standards.

In 2019-20, 17.33% of total deer culled in Scotland were shot under a night authorisation.

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

Since 2015 a total of 22,817 initial applications to Warmer Homes Scotland (WHS) did not progress to work being carried out under the scheme. The scheme is targeted at alleviating fuel poverty for the most vulnerable households and so the most common reason for an unsuccessful application to Warmer Homes Scotland is that the household does not meet the eligibility criteria for age or lower income.

Applications to the first phase of Warmer Homes Scotland closed on 31 March 2023 and at this time all households were required to meet all 6 of the high-level qualifying criteria:

• Be a homeowner or tenant of a private sector landlord
• Live in the home as a main residence
• Lived at the property for more than twelve months (unless in receipt of DS1500 or BASRiS certificate)
• Live in a property with a SAP of 72 or lower which is under 230m 2 in floor size
• Live in a home that meets the tolerable living standard set out in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006
• Not received support for energy efficiency measures though WHS funding in the last 5 years

As well as meeting the six high level criteria, customers must be 16 or over and be in receipt of certain benefits. The exception to this is if you are 75 or over with no working heating system, then there is no benefits receipt requirement.

The table below outline the most common areas of eligibility that are not met by households. This information is from the launch of WHS in September 2015 to the close of applications on 31 March 2023.