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The most recent mountain hare population estimate that NatureScot has available was published in 2018 (Mathews et al) which gives a figure of 132,000 (with a possible range of 79,500-516,000) and comes prior to the March 2021 amendment of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Since 2021, NatureScot have been running (in partnership with the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), the Mammal Society and the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT)) the Volunteer Mountain Hare Survey (VMHS) https://www.nature.scot/scotlands-biodiversity/biodiversity-what-can-you-do/volunteer-mountain-hare-survey. The survey encourages hill-goers and other interested volunteers to participate in citizen science mountain hare surveys in order to improve our understanding of mountain hare distribution, but there aren’t sufficient data as yet to generate any meaningful population trends.

There is some current trend information available via the BTO Breeding Bird Survey mammal data. Based on these data the 5 year trend from 2018 -2023 shows a statistically significant 50.51% decline for Scotland. However, due to the natural cycling that occurs within many mountain hare populations (typically occurring over approx. 10 year periods), it is unclear whether this reflects a genuine long-term downward trend or is indicative of the downward phase of a population cycle.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-40154 on 17 September 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.

We continue to take forward work to protect, promote and improve gender equality in Scotland, working with the First Minister’s National Advisory Council on Women and Girls (NACWG). The Scottish Government accepted the NACWG’s 21 recommendations for systemic change and has begun implementing them, including publishing the first annual statement on gender policy coherence.

Intersectional gender equality considerations will continue to be recognised in the Scottish Government’s policy and practice, including our forthcoming high-level action plan in response to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Right’s recent Concluding Observations. This plan will serve as an important milestone in our work to strengthen transparency and accountability around the implementation of human rights and we intend to publish our response later this year.

Beyond this, our draft mainstreaming strategy will intend to set out an ambitious and progressive agenda to further embed equality and human rights in all we do.

a) In the past three years the Scottish Government has spent the following on peatland restoration. Figures below include capital and resource:

• 2022-23: £17.3m
• 2023-24: £26.2m
• 2024-25: £24.6m

b) The Scottish Government is working with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) to support full implementation of its wildfire strategy this year. SFRS continues to invest significantly in equipment, vehicles, and training to strengthen its response to wildfires, particularly in rural areas. Over the past three years, planned spend of around £1.6 million has supported the roll-out of the Service’s wildfire strategy, including:

• Specialist wildfire PPE (400 sets): £300,000;
• 10 All-terrain Vehicles (ATVs) with specialist firefighting fogging units: £334,500;
• 10 ATV trailers: £76,700;
• 10 4x4 towing vehicles for ATVs: £440,500;
• 4 dedicated 4x4 wildfire support vans: £318,800;
• Specialist wildfire equipment: £134,190; and
• This is also supplemented by the creation of 14 wildfire tactical advisor roles around Scotland.

Alongside this, SFRS has delivered a comprehensive programme of specialist training to ensure crews are fully prepared to tackle wildfires safely and effectively. This includes:

• Tiered wildfire training through Learning Content Management System (LCMS), classroom sessions, and practical instruction;
• Specialist equipment training covering ATVs, fogging units, suppression tools, leaf blowers and brush cutters;
• Driver and operator training for 4x4 support units, trailers, and ATVs;
• Prescribed burning training provided by external partners (approx. £180 per person); and
• Wildfire tactical advisor training delivered in collaboration with Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service (Level 3 and 4 courses, approx. £2,000 per person).

Thriving businesses are key to Scotland’s prosperity, and their success is critical to delivering the First Minister’s priorities.

The statistics for Scotland’s gross domestic product (GDP) cannot be split precisely into separate contributions from the public and private sectors. This is because they are produced using data classified by industry and there are public sector bodies in many part of the economy. As an approximation, the contribution to GDP growth over the last two years from the public sector dominated industries of public administration and defence, education, health and social work is presented in the following table. Note that there are some public sector bodies in the rest of the economy, and the education, health and social work industries also contain private sector businesses and organisations. These contributions are calculated using the latest quarterly GDP statistics available at https://www.gov.scot/publications/first-estimate-of-gdp-2025-q2/.

As you are aware, the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry (The Inquiry) has examined the planning, design and construction of the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and the Department of Clinical Neuroscience (RHCYP DCN) in Edinburgh. In March this year, Lord Brodie, Chair of the Inquiry, published his findings in the Inquiry’s interim report. The report details 11 recommendations based upon the research and evidence supplied in document and oral testimony at the inquiry.

Once again, I would like to express my gratitude to Lord Brodie and his Inquiry team for their dedication and diligence in gathering evidence and producing a report that has provided important lessons for those undertaking health infrastructure projects in the years ahead. I would also like to thank all the witnesses who contributed their time and effort to providing evidence to the inquiry.

The Scottish Government has, and continues to, make improvements to policies and practices, alongside our NHS partners.

One such improvement is the establishment of NHS Scotland Assure. NHS Scotland Assure provides a coordinated approach to the improvement of risk management in new buildings and health infrastructure projects across the NHS in Scotland. NHS Scotland Assure also provides assurance that the healthcare built environment is safe and fit for purpose and has improved support to Health Boards on technical matters. Their work also includes a programme of learning that is intended to enable Health Boards to assist NHS Scotland Assure in how it can better support other health boards about to go through the same process.

NHS Scotland Assure has implemented a “Key Stage Assurance Review” process, which recognises the importance of having detailed specifications, which comply with relevant Infection Prevention and Control guidance. The specifications of projects are checked and validated before any approval can be given. Now a new healthcare facility or major refurbishment cannot open unless it has received NHS Scotland Assure’s sign off.

To achieve greater clarity, NHS Scotland Assure is also standardising the approach to health infrastructure projects and associated processes, and is now preparing a consultation with health boards on the proposed changes.

I acknowledge that that process will take time and is demanding to complete, but this work is firmly rooted in the prioritisation of improvements to the outcomes and quality of health capital projects.

As part of its 2023–2026 strategy, NHS Scotland Assure is developing a framework of training and lessons learned that will be accessible to all Health Boards via a shared intranet site. This supports the Inquiry’s recommendation for more accessible, specific training and guidance to aid NHS Boards in their daily activities. The framework aims to provide expertise and evidence-based advice that helps reduce risk, supports the delivery of a sustainable healthcare service, and improves the healthcare experience across Scotland.

In addition, Infection Prevention (IPC) Workforce Strategic Plan now supports the development of a skilled and sustainable workforce; particularly in relation to Infection, Prevention and Control specialists. Alongside this, the Scottish Government have also published role descriptors for IPC staff and are engaging closely with NHS Education for Scotland and NHS Boards to support the continued development of their IPC staff.

I am also able to advise that an additional phase for the requirement for validation for revenue-funded projects means that for any future revenue-funded project, the Scottish Government will include a provision that strengthens the healthcare provider’s power to ensure that the completed facility is fit for purpose and constructed in accordance with the healthcare provider’s requirements. For capital funded projects, contracts for the construction of new hospitals now allows for validation, which will be undertaken on behalf of the health board in accordance with technical guidance.

The Scottish Government also recognises the need for a risk assessment to be implemented should there be a change in the arrangements for funding a project. The procuring NHS body, working in conjunction with the Scottish Government, will assess whether work done on the project up to that point is suitable for the revised project. The rationale for decisions taken will be formally submitted to the NHS Capital Investment Group for approval. The Scottish Government will also adjust its procurement process to accommodate a gateway meeting prior to Financial Close at which a common understanding of the health board's brief is agreed and recorded.

I agree with Lord Brodie’s recommendation that communication between Health Boards and its patient groups should be improved. I can confirm that discussions between the Scottish Government and NHS Boards are actively taking place to identify any gaps in communication planning and consider if national guidance is required. I understand much of the communication will be delivered on a one to one basis by healthcare staff direct to patients or their families. These communications plans should work effectively alongside the internal communications processes that each local health board has in place to brief staff and ensure accurate and timely information sharing.

I acknowledge the huge amount of work which is already underway by the Scottish Government and its NHS partners. I am confident that we can continue to grow and improve the areas which still require refinement so that patients and families can always feel safe in our hospitals.

The OECD report “Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence: Into the Future” commissioned by Scottish Government and published in 2021 commented that “significant efforts have been made to engage stakeholders throughout CfE’s lifecycle, which have contributed to successes with CfE.” (OECD Report, (p90) and also reported strong public confidence and interest in education (104).

The report by Professor Kenneth Muir “Putting Learners at the Centre” (published March 2022) conducted public consultation across a range of questions. That report commented that “just over half (58%) of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the existing vision for CfE reflected what matters for the education of children and young people in Scotland” (“Muir Report, p17). However, the Muir report (at pages 17 – 19 in the report) also identified a number of points that respondents to that consultation thought should be changed in order to further improve overall confidence in CfE.

The further National Discussion report (All Learners in Scotland Matter - national discussion on education: final report – May 2023) commented that based on its engagement with a range of people and organisations there was “general support for CfE” (p59 National Discussion Report) but also pointed to a range of comments on how to improve the curriculum.

It is important for the curriculum to retain strong confidence and support from pupils, parents, teachers/practitioners and the wider public. As the Member will be aware, the curriculum is currently being reviewed through the Curriculum Improvement Cycle to ensure that our 3-18 curriculum remains relevant, clarify the role of knowledge, declutter the curriculum and help to improve progression. Further information is available via the June 2025 publication “Curriculum, Qualifications and Assessment Reform: progress to date and next steps” and via Education Scotland’s Curriculum Improvement Cycle website.

Anyone who wishes to control mountain hares must apply to NatureScot for the appropriate licence.

The Scottish Government does not expect all persons or businesses conducting peatland restoration work will be required to control mountain hares, therefore, in these instances, an application to NatureScot for a licence would not be required.

Guidance on Mountain Hare licensing, which includes licensable purposes, is published on NatureScot’s website at Mountain hare licensing - Guidance for applicants | NatureScot

Scotland’s Natural Capital Market Framework sets out our principles for responsible investment in natural capital. These include the principles that investment should deliver public, private and community benefit, and that investment should support diverse and productive ownership. The Framework includes public sector actions to implement the principles, however, the apportionment of any financial benefits arising from investment in carbon sequestration and other ecosystem services is negotiated on a case-by-case basis.