Seòmar agus comataidhean

NatureScot previously requested that carcasses from licensed control should be submitted for independent post mortem on a voluntary basis in order that aspects of beaver health and welfare could be monitored.

As set out in my previous answer to you in Parliamentary Question S6W-17320 on 2 May 2023, NatureScot now require that all carcasses from licensed control must be submitted for independent post mortem, as part of the licensing conditions, except in exceptional circumstances where a carcass cannot safely be retrieved. Compliance with these licence conditions is a legal requirement. Non-compliance may also lead to further licence applications being refused.

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 recognise that biologically diverse seas and healthy, functioning marine ecosystems are vital to underpin a wide variety of marine industries and interests. It is important that we manage our marine environment in such a way as to ensure sustainable use, allowing future generations to enjoy and benefit from a healthy resource. Therefore, I am pleased to announce that we will be undertaking a public consultation on potential measures to manage fishing for sandeel in Scottish waters, bearing in mind our environmental protection objectives.

Sandeels aid the long-term sustainability and resilience of the marine ecosystem and are an important food source for many species, including marine mammals, seabirds and predatory fish.

Measures to restrict fishing for sandeels in Scottish waters could also deliver benefits to seabirds which have been impacted by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza as well as providing greater resilience to seabird populations, some of which have faced declines in recent decades.

Launching in summer 2023, this consultation will seek the public’s views on potential measures for the sandeel fishery in Scottish waters, to help achieve the Scottish Government’s vision for clean, healthy, safe, productive and diverse seas which are managed to meet the long term needs of nature and people. This consultation will also seek the public’s views on a number of key documents including environmental and business regulatory impact assessments.

This consultation aligns with the overarching Scottish Government position, which is reflected in Scotland’s Fisheries Management Strategy, not to support fishing for sandeel in our waters. For this reason, sandeel quota has not been allocated to UK vessels since 2021.

As set out in our refreshed social security programme business case, published on 7 February 2023, the Scottish Government plans to introduce Pension Age Disability Payment with a pilot and phased approach in Autumn 2024 and national launch in early 2025.

A key principle at the heart of our second Benefit Take-Up Strategy, published in October 2021, is communicating and engaging effectively. Evidence-based communication and engagement strategies are developed for each of our benefits and paid-for tailored marketing campaigns for different payments are targeted at eligible audiences at relevant times throughout the year to make sure we are reaching the right people at the right time.

Social Security Scotland is currently running a national marketing campaign to encourage disabled people and people with long-term health conditions to check if they’re eligible for Child or Adult Disability Payments. Other recent Social Security Scotland marketing campaigns have focused on Scottish Child Payment’s extension to under 16 year olds, Young Carer Grant and Funeral Support Payment.

On 27 April 2023 the National Incident Management Team (NIMT) met to discuss the latest position on COVID-19 in Scotland. In the light of their latest assessment the NIMT has proposed, and the Chief Medical Officer has agreed, that they will no longer meet. As the WHO has made clear, the COVID-19 pandemic is not over but our view is that it does now appear to be in the calmer phase of the pandemic which was discussed in COVID-19 Scotland’s Strategic Framework Update published in February 2022. Scotland no longer produces a separate threat level for COVID, and the UK no longer produces an alert level. Public Health Scotland now reports on COVID-19 alongside its surveillance of other respiratory disease pathogens. Other countries have also recently moved away from emergency responses standing apart from normal measures to protect public health.

COVID-19 has not gone away, and we continue to encourage the Scottish population to take sensible precautions, including taking up the offer of vaccination when invited, to protect themselves and others. As part of our enhanced surveillance system we continue to monitor, assess and be ready to respond to COVID-19 and other threats to the health of the population of Scotland.

Survival analysis using the Scottish Government Quality Improvement Indicator dataset is undertaken to enable monitoring and to support continuous improvement in cancer care. The regional cancer networks are subsequently able to reflect and act on these indicators to ensure equitable treatment and care across Scotland.

This analysis predates improvement work that has been undertaken across all cancer regions, but the situation clearly requires continued prioritisation and close attention.

The study was discussed at the last meeting of the National Cancer Quality Steering Group in March. Immediate and medium term actions were presented to the group in an aim to drive improvement and close the observed difference in survival between cancer networks.

We will discuss these actions with the regional cancer networks, and local boards where required, seeking assurance that actions are well focussed and advancing.

We are working closely with the Board and a Task Force has been set up to help the Board address local access issues. Unregistered patients will continue to be able to access emergency and urgent care via the Public Dental Service.

Scottish Government has also put in place a set of recruitment and retention incentives which pay £25,000 over a two year period to newly qualified dentists and those returning to the workforce after a five-year period, who wish to provide NHS dental care in Dumfries and Galloway. Grant funding of up to £100,000 is available to dentists that wish to establish a new, or expand or purchase an existing, NHS dental practice within the Board area.

We are also working apace on payments reform which will comprise a new, modernised system that will provide NHS dental teams with greater clinical discretion, and transparency for NHS patients. We are confident that this will help to sustain and increase NHS dental access as we move forward.

Telecommunications is reserved to the UK Government. Security and resilience of sub sea telecommunication cables, as well as the whole network, is therefore UKG responsibility. UKG are aware of the incident and the cause. As noted in the responses to your previous questions S6W-12519 and S6W-12628, The Scottish Government received confirmation from the UK Government’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency that a UK registered fishing vessel was the cause of damage to the subsea cable affecting telecommunications on Shetland.

The Scottish Government and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) remain committed to using the latest scientific consensus of established evidence to inform our view on ultra-processed foods.

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) considered ultra-processed foods at a meeting in June 2022. SACN is now carrying out a scoping review of the evidence on processed foods and health. I understand SACN aims to publish a position paper on processed foods and health this summer.

Scottish Government and FSS await the outcome of this evidence review.

The following table provides how many unclaimed deposits are currently in each of Scotland’s rental deposit schemes, and what their financial value is at end February 2023.