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All Covid-19 or presumed Covid-19 deaths where the deceased may have contracted the virus in the course of their employment or occupation or where the deceased was resident in a care home when the virus was contracted fall to be reported to COPFS. A specialist Covid-19 deaths investigation unit has been set up and continues to receive and consider all such reports and direct further investigations, where appropriate, into the circumstances of each death.

It would not be appropriate, at this stage, to comment on the potential outcome of its investigations or the course which those investigations will take. This includes any individual or collective actions or otherwise of those involved in Covid-19 deaths. However, in appropriate cases where criminal proceedings are in contemplation, all relevant charges will be considered.

No assessment has been undertaken by the Scottish Government or VisitScotland.

VisitScotland does not create driving routes but rather, promotes successful ones on its website. Its website outlines that the route begins over the Border. VisitScotland is not however responsible for signage for such routes which is managed by the relevant authority. In the case of local roads, this falls to local authorities.

VisitScotland does not hold information on visitor numbers to businesses based outside of Scotland. VisitEngland may however hold this data.

VisitScotland’s summary of statistics in relation to pre-pandemic visitors to Dumfries & Galloway can be found here: Dumfries & Galloway - Tourism Statistics & Research | VisitScotland.org

In relation to (a), (b) and (c)(i), the Care Inspectorate does not hold data in relation to care homes that have closed. However, the number of adult care home services in the public, private and third sectors which have had their registrations cancelled in each of the last five years is in the following table:

COPFS collates data based on reports to each Procurator Fiscal (PF) office, not by local authority area and so, based on geographic proximities, for (a) South Ayrshire the relevant PF office is Ayr and (b) East Ayrshire, the data is based on reports received at PF office Kilmarnock.

COPFS can provide the number of charges reported to COPFS and of those, the number that were convicted. A further breakdown of charges convicted excluding any with a disposal of prison sentence has also been provided.

Although most charges were prosecuted with the majority convicted, others resulted in no conviction or no further action and a number are still live and ongoing.

Other charges received an alternative to prosecution such as diversion to social work department or referral to children’s reporter or were marked “no action” for example, in cases where there was insufficient admissible evidence.

The information requested is provided in the following table: -

COPFS collates data based on reports to each Procurator Fiscal (PF) office, not by local authority area and so, based on geographic proximities, for (a) South Ayrshire the relevant PF office is Ayr and (b) East Ayrshire, the data is based on reports received at PF office Kilmarnock.

COPFS can provide the number of charges reported to COPFS and of those, the number that were convicted. A further breakdown of charges convicted excluding any with a prison sentence has also been provided.

Although most charges were prosecuted with the majority convicted, others resulted in no conviction or no further action and a number are still live and ongoing.

Other charges received an alternative to prosecution such as diversion to social work department or referral to children’s reporter or were marked “no action” for example, in cases where there was insufficient admissible evidence.

The information requested is provided in the following table: -

Our Fisheries Management Strategy contains a range of actions to support more sustainable and responsible fisheries management in Scotland. Policies, such as the Future Catching Policy and the introduction of Remote Electronic Monitoring to key parts of the fishing fleet, will support increased sustainability of practice, and will increase accountability and confidence that we are fishing at sustainable levels. These consultations are open until 07 June 2022.

In addition, the Bute House Agreement aims to deliver on our shared commitment to achieve and maintain good environmental status for all of Scotland’s seas. The agreement includes a commitment to consult on a cap on inshore fishing activity, as well as implementation of Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) which will provide additional protection for some fish nursery areas, both of which will help to improve fish stocks.

As a guiding principle we will follow the scientific advice and take a Precautionary Approach with regards to management of our pressure stocks, in line with the Fisheries Act of 2020.

Finally, we will continue to work closely with our network of Regional Inshore Fisheries Groups, and are already using learning from our Outer Hebrides Inshore Fisheries Pilot which commenced in November 2020. This Pilot is trialling pot limitation in order to inform sustainable management options for other discrete inshore fisheries to ensure that our fish stocks are sustainably managed.

The Scottish Government is absolutely committed to reaching net zero by 2045. The decarbonisation of our infrastructure will be central to this goal.

Our five-year Infrastructure Investment Plan published in February 2021 includes details of around £26 billion of major projects and national programmes with more to be confirmed in future years.

The Plan delivers our National Infrastructure Mission and sets a long-term vision of infrastructure supporting an inclusive, net zero carbon economy in Scotland.

The £26 billion pipeline of major projects and national programmes includes almost £9 billion for environmental sustainability and the transition to net zero emissions, including over £280 million to support 18,000 hectares of forestry and restoring peatlands.

We are committed to a Just Transition, reducing emissions from our homes and buildings in a way that leaves no one behind. Planned actions that will support a wide range of households, including young families, to invest in home renewables and make sustainable lifestyle choices include:

• Introducing a standalone grant through the Home Energy Scotland support scheme, giving young families and other households more flexibility to tailor support for home renewables to their needs
• Collaborating with a range of partners through the Green Heat Finance Taskforce on innovative mechanisms needed to ensure an affordable transition to zero emissions heating, for example, ‘heat as a service’ models
• Developing a specific Heat in Buildings Public Engagement Strategy that will increase awareness and understanding of the heat transition and the benefits it can deliver.

Heat in Buildings Strategy: https://www.gov.scot/publications/heat-buildings-strategy-achieving-net-zero-emissions-scotlands-buildings/

The Scottish Government, through the Home Energy Scotland (HES) provides interest-free loans and grant funding to improve the energy efficiency of homes in Scotland.

Funding is available in the form of interest-free loans with up to 75% cashback for eligible renewables measures, 40% cashback for eligible energy efficiency measures and in the form of grants through our Warmer Homes Scotland fuel poverty scheme.

Funding is available to all households who meet the eligible criteria.

To further support households to make their homes greener, HES also provide:

• free, impartial advice through Home Energy Scotland, including specialist home renewables advice;
• the Green Homes Network which allows households to find out about the experience of others who have already installed measures; and
• the Renewable Installer Finder Tool which helps households find installers and suppliers in their area.

Under the HES Loan and Cashback scheme, homeowners can borrow up to £17,500 for a total of two renewables measures (attracting up 75% cashback). For energy efficiency measures, loans of up to £15,000 is available (attracting up to 40% cashback).

Warmer Homes Scotland (WHS) is the Scottish Government’s national fuel poverty scheme, designed to make homes warmer for those living in fuel poverty or at risk of fuel poverty through installing insulation and heating measures into individual properties.

Home owners and private rented sector tenants struggling to heat their homes may benefit under the Warmer Homes Scheme. Heating measures are available to those in receipt of certain benefits and who are pregnant or with children under the age of 16 years.

Full details of both schemes can be found on the Home Energy Scotland website.

The NTC locations are:

Golden Jubilee, Clydebank – Eye Centre and Surgical Centre

NTC Forth Valley – Forth Valley Royal Hospital, Larbert

NTC Fife – Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy

NTC Highland - Inverness

NTC Grampian - Aberdeen

NTC Tayside – Perth Royal Infirmary

NTC Ayrshire & Arran – Carrick Glen Hospital site

NTC Lanarkshire – Cumbernauld

NTC Lothian – St John’s Hospital

NTC Lothian Eye Centre – Edinburgh Royal Infirmary campus