Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-39215 on 30 July 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 Scottish Government’s guidance on Welfare at the time of Killing in Salmon Farming is based on the recommendations made by the UK Government's Animal Welfare Committee and developed in conjunction with the Scottish farmed salmon industry, Animal Plant and Health Agency (APHA) and animal welfare organisations.

The Scottish Government takes the welfare of farmed fish at the time of slaughter very seriously. This welfare is assured by the requirement at Article 3.1 of retained Council Regulation (EC) 1099/2009 that ‘animals shall be spared any avoidable pain, distress or suffering during their killing and related operations’. We have no current plans to introduce further legislation.

The Scottish Government’s guidance on Welfare at the time of Killing in Salmon Farming, published on 17 July 2025, is based on the recommendations made by the UK Government's Animal Welfare Committee and developed in conjunction with the Scottish farmed salmon industry, Animal Plant and Health Agency (APHA) and animal welfare organisations.

The Scottish Government takes the welfare of farmed fish very seriously and the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing is assured by the requirement at Article 3.1 of retained Council Regulation (EC) 1099/2009 that ‘animals shall be spared any avoidable pain, distress or suffering during their killing and related operations’. We have no current plans to introduce further legislation.

I visited the site of a wildfire in Carrbridge on 17 July and I appreciate the concerns about muirburn licensing scheme with regard to fuel loads. I would like to repeat my thanks to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the gamekeepers, land managers, volunteers, partners, landowners, extended local community, wider land management sector and indeed to everyone who played a part in getting the recent wildfires under control.

Muirburn continues to be permitted and under the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 a licensing scheme will come into force on 01 January. The introduction of the licensing scheme has been delayed slightly, which will allow time for us to better understand the circumstances and effect of the wildfires that have occurred this summer.

The purpose of the muirburn licensing scheme is to minimise risk of damaging effects and address potential benefits such as the reduction of fuel loads. It will ensure that muirburn is being undertaken in an environmentally sustainable manner, with due consideration of all the possible consequences. If muirburn is undertaken without due consideration of all the possible consequences, it undoubtedly has the potential to have a serious negative impact on wildlife and the wider environment. However, the Scottish Government is aware that muirburn can also have a positive impact, creating beneficial habitats for certain species or helping reduce fuel loads and lower the risk of wildfires.

I recognise that there are still some concerns over licensing and fuel load management, and we continue to discuss how best to implement the licensing scheme effectively with practitioners and the agencies involved. Everyone understands there are real benefits to the licensing scheme, from creating beneficial habitat to ensuring safe and responsible practices and where muirburn is taking place which is helpful in ensuring it is being done with due consideration.

Bullying, harassment and unacceptable behaviour of any form cannot be tolerated within society or within policing. Police officers do an incredibly difficult job and the vast majority conduct themselves with integrity and professionalism. However, when things do go wrong, it is essential there are robust, clear and transparent mechanisms in place to investigate complaints or other issues of concern.

The new Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Act, which became law in March, introduces several measures to improve the police complaints and misconduct systems and enhance the accountability of officers. It will allow for gross misconduct proceedings to continue or commence following an officer’s resignation or retirement and ongoing vetting throughout officers’ careers. The Scottish Government is also consulting with policing partners on proposals for further changes to police conduct regulations.

Ensuring public trust in police officers is vital and this legislation is building on the range of changes already delivered since Dame Elish Angiolini’s independent review of policing in November 2020.

The Scottish Government has prioritised action on marine litter through the Marine Litter Strategy for Scotland. We published our refreshed Strategy in September 2022, which sets out a co-ordinated approach to address the amount of litter entering the marine environment and supports the removal of debris that is already there. The Strategy contains multiple actions on the most problematic types of marine litter, including sewage-related debris and wet wipes. We are working across the four nations to put an end to pollution caused by wet wipes containing plastic, with legislation forthcoming. Scottish Water are a valued member of our Marine Litter Strategy Steering Group, which oversees the work of the Strategy.

No powers are available to the Tribunal or any relevant body to secure compliance with a property factor enforcement order that a property factor has already failed to comply with.

However, Section 23 of the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011 (“the 2011 Act”) requires the First-tier Tribunal to serve notice on the Scottish Ministers where they have determined that a property factor has failed to comply with a property factor enforcement order.

Failure to comply with a property factor enforcement order, without a reasonable excuse, is a criminal offence under section 24 of the 2011 Act which can be reported to Police Scotland. A person found guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

In respect of the actions that the Scottish Ministers will take when receiving a notice from the First-tier Tribunal, I would refer to the answer to question S6W-39119 on 29 July 2025.

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

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.

Public Health Scotland collects data provided by NHS Health Boards on child health reviews as part of the Universal Health Visiting Pathway. These reviews, which take place at 13-15 months, 27-30 months and 4-5 years, cover the following domains:

1.Speech, language and communication development

2.Emotional/behavioural development

3.Personal/social development

4.Fine motor development

5.Gross motor development

6.Vision

7.Hearing

8.Problem solving development

The 4-5 year review was first introduced in April 2017 and implemented by Health Boards between April 2017 and 2020. Therefore, data is only available for all Health Boards for the past 5 years. The latest available data is published by Public Health Scotland here: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/early-child-development/

Coverage for the 4-5 year review has increased substantially, from 23% in 2017-18 to 76% in 2023-24. Therefore, comparisons between these time periods need to be made with caution.

Further detail on the Universal Health Visiting Pathway is available here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/universal-health-visiting-pathway-scotland-pre-birth-pre-school.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-39113 on 29 July 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-39113 on 29 July 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.