Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42117 on 11 December 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.

In Scotland (and across Great Britain) the GB Dead Wild Bird Surveillance Scheme, administered by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) on behalf of the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and Defra (England), allows members of the public to report dead wild birds (via a helpline and/or online reporting tool) throughout the year, and for a selection of these birds (based on a triage criteria) to be tested for avian influenza.

Throughout the winter of 2025-2026 the UK National reference laboratory (NRL) for Avian Influenza will continue to test samples for highly pathogenic avian influenza and other notifiable avian diseases from this scheme (and from poultry samples collected though the GB Poultry Survey).

The purpose of the scheme is to capture information on the general location and strains of avian influenza that might be prevalent in GB. This data then helps administrations to build up a picture of the current risks, and shapes how they then respond in policy terms.

The scheme, in terms of the bird species collected aligns with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and its published target list of wild bird species for passive surveillance of HPAI viruses. This target list of surveillance species is published to ensure that that the surveillance in wild birds conducted by European Member Countries and other European countries is carried out correctly and that the relevant species are targeted.

In addition to this, NatureScot have a network of reporters across Scotland who provide early intelligence on unusual mortality levels in wild bird species.

On suspicion and subsequent confirmation of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) at the infected premises near Lanark, South Lanarkshire, the Scottish Government, in conjunction with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) activated its robust contingency plans. To meet its legal obligations under the Avian Influenza and Influenza of Avian Origin in Mammals (Scotland) Order 2006, restrictions were placed immediately on the suspect premises and, on confirmation of disease, a 3 kilometre Protection Zone and 10 kilometre Surveillance Zone were also put in place around the infected premises, thereby placing controls on poultry, poultry products and other movements which have the potential to spread disease.

Surveillance and disease tracings are being carried out as part of a comprehensive epidemiological and veterinary investigation, in order to further contain the outbreak by identifying the source of the infection and any possible onward spread.

The current compensation process in place in Scotland is that, when animals are culled, as part of Scottish Government’s response to controlling HPAI outbreaks on affected premises, compensation, as set out in the Animal Health Act 1981, is payable for healthy birds. The amount of compensation is established using the relevant valuation rate card (or for specialist stock by a specialist valuer). The valuation rate cards are updated by APHA five times per year (in November, January, March, June and September) to ensure rates are in line with average market values for the types of birds covered.

At an international level, APHA monitors any major, notifiable or new and emerging animal disease outbreaks worldwide on behalf of all GB administrations. We do this as an early warning to assess the risk they may pose to the UK, in particular those diseases which impact on animal health and welfare, international trade, public health or wider society. We assess the risk that diseases might come into the UK through trade in animals or animal products (legal or illegal), through movement of wildlife, or through movement of things such as insects which may carry a disease. We use these outbreak assessments to help us decide how to manage or reduce the risks.

In Scotland (and across Great Britain) the GB Dead Wild Bird Surveillance Scheme, administered by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) on behalf of the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and Defra (England), allows members of the public to report dead wild birds (via a helpline and/or online reporting tool), and for a selection of these birds (based on a triage criteria) to be tested for avian influenza.

The purpose of the scheme is to capture information on the general location and strains of avian influenza that might be prevalent in GB. This data then helps administrations to build up a picture of the current risks, and shapes how they then respond in policy terms. In addition to this, NatureScot have a network of reporters across Scotland who provide early intelligence on unusual mortality levels in wild bird species.

Although the reporting of suspicion of notifiable avian disease in wild birds is not mandatory, legislative changes in Scotland in 2023 made the reporting of suspicion of the virus in mammals a legal requirement. Members of the public are therefore instructed to report such cases to APHA.

The GB Poultry Survey also carries out passive surveillance on poultry premises (including gamebird premises) across Great Britain, on a ‘testing to exclude’ basis.

Underpinning all of this, the avian virology team at APHA Weybridge hosts both the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) International reference laboratory (IRL), and the UK National reference laboratory (NRL) for Avian Influenza (AI). In doing so, APHA brings technical excellence to the global diagnostic field that is supported by active research with both applied and fundamental targets. Together, the influenza team underpin the UK capability and capacity in dealing with potential incursions of influenza with an emphasis on AI virus (AIV) and its potential threat to the UK.

When a notifiable animal disease is confirmed at a premises by the Scottish Government, the Declaration, which legally confirms the premises as an infected one, and applies disease control zones in the area, is posted on gov.scot. The gov.scot avian influenza webpage is also updated. Specific stakeholder communications are also issued to the relevant local authority, relevant MP and MSPs, and to established industry and sector stakeholders, all of whom are encouraged to share established top lines and information on the outbreak.

Registered keepers within the disease controls zones are immediately provided with information on the measures implemented within the zones by text, but then registered keepers in the Protection Zone receive a letter from APHA providing detailed information on the measures in place and are also then visited by APHA to ensure that their birds are healthy. All registered keepers in the Surveillance Zone are contacted by phone by APHA to make similar flock health checks.

To supplement these communication routes, an interactive map is available via gov.scot, displaying every disease control zone in GB, and this is further supported by a range of disease control communications that are issued via the Scottish Government X account (@ScotGovRural/Twitter) and Facebook (facebook.com/ScotGovRural), along with guidance from APHA, in the form of a zone-specific social media flyer, on their social media channels and website Animal and Plant Health Agency - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

In 2024, Scottish Government made it a legal requirement for all poultry and captive birds (with limited exceptions) to register the location of their birds and provide contact keeper details. Keepers are also legally required to update their information on an annual basis, and to report significant changes to their flock within one calendar month.

Due to the reserved nature of telecoms legislation the Scottish Government is unable to intervene in negotiations between housing associations and network operators. Where it is not possible to reach an agreement, operators can seek to have an agreement imposed by the courts using the Electronic Communications Code.

The Scottish Government is supportive of reducing barriers to telecoms deployment and engage regularly with network operators to understand these issues and reflect them in our engagement with the UK Government.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42117 on 11 December 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42117 on 11 December 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.

The Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan (CESAP) was an important springboard for net zero skills planning.

Since its publication in 2020, significant progress has been made to further improve the evidence base, for instance with key reports such as the ‘Green Jobs in Scotland’ report (published in November 2022), the ‘Dynamic Skills Response to Supporting the Transition to Net Zero’ (published in November 2023), and the ‘A more dynamic, responsive skills system: decarbonisation of heat in domestic and commercial buildings’ report (published in December 2024).

In 2023, Ministers agreed not to publish a further standalone CESAP, opting instead to strategically align green skills policy and planning behind our wider net zero and economic growth priorities. It will also be a key consideration as we take forward work on Skills Planning.

The importance of skills and education in green sectors has been extensively recognised, including: the development of sectoral and site Just Transition Plans (various dates),the Green Industrial Strategy (September 2024), the recent Draft Circular Economy Strategy for Scotland (October 2025), the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to 2045 (November 2024), and the Draft Environment Strategy (July 2025), and the upcoming Climate Change Plan (expected in 2026).

The Scottish Government remains firmly committed to embedding green skills and creating green jobs across all its policies to support a just transition to net zero.