Seòmar agus comataidhean

This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who will reply in writing within 20 days

We have no plans to gauge public support for this Order. Any environmental impact will be managed under the prior notification procedure.

Permitted development rights do not allow for increases in biomass, that process is regulated by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). Increases in fish farm biomass require an application to be submitted by the operator to vary the Controlled Activities Regulations (CAR) licence. As part of the determination undertaken by SEPA the application would be advertised for consultation.

Changes to travel restrictions affecting Manchester City Council and Salford City Council were notified to Parliament by answer to question
S6W-00856 on 17 June 2021, and announced to businesses and the public through a media briefing by the First Minister, a news release, and updated guidance on the Scottish Government website. 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 Scottish Government provided a progress update on major capital projects, including NHS infrastructure projects, to the Public Audit Committee by letter dated 23 June 2021. In relation to funding for a replacement eye hospital for NHS Lothian, I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-00975 on
‎ 23 June 2021. 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 provision of speech and language therapy services is the responsibility of NHS Boards for children and adults with communication and swallowing difficulties and also Education Departments in Local Authorities for Children and Young people.

The Allied Health Professional (AHP) National Lead for Children and Young People at Scottish Government is working with NHS Boards across Scotland and speech and language therapy leads to support a joined up approach to service design and delivery.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Speech and Language Therapists (SLT) have continued to offer digital support, advice and interventions for adults, young people and children, their families and carers where possible through the use of NHS Near Me. SLTs have also prioritised promotion of resources and tools to support wellness and self-management where appropriate.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and SLT services have adapted their service delivery methods to ensure compliance with local and national restrictions while continuing to establish and maintain contact with those who need support, including children and adults. Digital services have been key to enabling person centred care and continuity of care in current circumstances. Where it has been safe to do so, face to face contact has remained in place guided by stringent risk assessment.

The Scottish Government is committed to introducing new and innovative treatment practices to address problem substance use, based on strong and sufficient evidence.

We have had discussions with a number of external stakeholders as well as internal policy and analytical teams to help inform our position on NET. As a result of these discussions we were advised that before Neuro-Electric Therapy (NET) could be made available as a treatment option through the NHS, it must be researched according to current guidelines and NHS ethics and be registered, as a licensed medical device, with Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency ( MHRA). Until this happens the device can only be used in experiments or medical trials.

These discussions also concluded that as Scottish Government does not directly fund clinical trials or literature reviews into the efficacy of specific treatment interventions, we should recommend that NET RECOVERY Corporation- the company that manufactures NET device - should explore funding streams available through a number of open and competitive funding channels including Medical Research Council and the CMOs Chief Scientist Office.

The Scottish Government is guided by the best available scientific evidence in our response to the global climate emergency. That evidence is absolutely clear, climate change is one of the greatest threats facing the world’s population.

The latest independent expert assessment of the impacts of climate change, published by the UK Climate Change Committee on 16 June 2021, identifies key areas of both risk and opportunity for Scotland. The inclusion of potential opportunities in this assessment reflects the fact that the impacts of climate change are inherently complex and vary across both space and time. Also, if we consider the mitigation - as well as adaptation - aspects of the response to the climate emergency then there will be significant economic opportunities for those, like Scotland, who are leading the transition to a global net-zero economy.

Nonetheless, the balance of the impacts set out in the Committee’s independent assessment is clear – with 53 of the 61 identified areas being classified as risks (entirely or partly). The Committee’s overall advice is that the overall landscape is one of a “worsening reality of climate risk” and all of its recommended areas for priority action relate to managing specific risks, rather than exploring potential opportunities.

‎The Scottish Government is committed to building resilience to the impacts of climate change as part of Scotland's just transition to a net-zero economy and society. We will be responding to the Committee’s updated risk assessment through the development of a new statutory adaptation programme, which is due for publication in 2024.

The safety of fans attending the fan zone is paramount, that is why we have worked closely with Glasgow City Council and a range of partners to deploy a range of interventions to reduce the risk of transmission at the fan zone.

Whilst we have seen an increase in test positivity of younger males, Public Health Scotland’s analysis of the Test & Protect Case Management System data reveal that between 11 to 28 June 2021, only 55 of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Scotland reported attending the Glasgow Green Fan Zone, This amounts to 2.8% of the overall 1,991 confirmed cases associated with EURO 2020-related events. This low number is testament to the approach and effort of partners to deliver such a large scale event during these challenging times.

This report can be found at: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/media/8300/21-06-30-covid19-publication_report.pdf .

It is for local authorities to process an application to withdraw a child from school, and the home education guidance advises local authorities to note that home education is a key aspect of parental choice, and that consent to withdraw a child from school should not be unreasonably withheld.

The review of the home education guidance will emphasise the importance of all parties working together to develop mutual trust and respect, and a positive relationship that functions in the best interest of the child. This is inclusive of the process around requests to withdraw a child from school.

The data requested is published by HESA in their Open Data Student release available here: HE Student Data | HESA