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Shipping safety is a matter reserved to the UK Government. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is responsible for shipping regulations and safety, including Automatic Identification System (AIS) requirements. The Scottish Government expects the highest shipping safety standard to be applied on those vessels accessing Scotland’s waters and ports.

The Marine Directorate of the Scottish Government uses a range of tools and technologies to support the integrated management of Scotland’s seas, including the use of Vessel Monitoring Systems and Remote Electronic Monitoring on fishing vessels. Data generated from such technology can be used for fisheries management, environmental protection and marine planning purposes.

The Scottish Government’s Fisheries Management Strategy and its Delivery Plan (updated 2025) sets out our policy initiatives to further protect the environment. In 2025, we will be taking forward the outcomes of a consultation on requiring tracking and monitoring technology on all under 12 metre fishing vessels in Scottish waters.

Full details of the Bank’s investment portfolio can be found on its website, including the level of investment committed by the Bank.

Our investment portfolio supports businesses, projects and communities that align with our missions | Scottish National Investment Bank.

The Bank also publishes its Annual Report and Accounts detailing financial performance and financial statements, and an annual Impact Report which illustrates the Bank’s progress against its three missions. The Bank’s investments are made with the intention to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a commercial return.

Our key publications feature insights reports and blogs relating to out core missions | Scottish National Investment Bank.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

The move to the Preference Informed Allocation (PIA) model was supported by the Medical Schools Council, the British Medical Association and all four UK governments. Medical students were extensively consulted on the changes and their impact, with 66% in favour of the change.

2024 recruitment data shows that 75.42% of applicants to UK Foundation programmes received their first choice of foundation school, an increase from the 2023 cycle (pre-PIA) of 71.02%. This has risen further in 2025 to 83.78%, indicating that more applicants are being allocated to their first choice compared with previous years, an improvement that has continued since PIA was first introduced.

The first year of the PIA process has resulted in more resident foundation doctors wanting to train in Scotland being allocated a place in Scotland and has resulted in a more even and equitable distribution of Foundation doctors across NHS Scotland Boards.

More information about the move to the PIA can be found at the following link: https://foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/resources/foundation-programme-allocation-process-stakeholder-engagement/

At the current time the RIFGs remain our chosen mechanism for providing inshore fishers a strong voice in matters which affect them and a forum to discuss fisheries management issues. We will utilise the findings of the review to help address stakeholder concerns. This will complement changes that have been implemented to our Fisheries Management and Conservation (FMAC) group and subgroups following their own review, strengthening our two key stakeholder engagement networks.

In the longer term, the Scottish Government’s Inshore Fisheries Management Improvement (IFMI) programme seeks to transition our inshore fisheries management to a more agile model with co-management at its heart. We recently held a twelve week Call for Evidence to gather the expert input needed to help inform development of this landmark policy. The responses and supplementary evidence received during this call will be considered alongside an internal review of other international models of inshore fisheries management, including the English IFCAs. Together these will inform the development of a new model of inshore fisheries management for Scotland.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

The Scottish Government has not received any direct requests from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) for equipment to deal with wildfires.

The capital budget for SFRS in 2025-26 is £47 million, an increase of £4 million over the previous year to improve facilities for firefighters, and invest in the SFRS asset base across property, fleet, operational equipment and ICT.

This has enabled SFRS to invest in its wildfire strategy which includes provision of equipment such as leaf blowers, brush cutters, all-terrain vehicles, as well as training in subjects such as tactical burning, which is a first for the SFRS. As a result of this investment, additional resources and training, the SFRS are now better equipped and more prepared than ever for responding to wildfires.

SFRS remains fully ready and able to respond to any instance of wildfire that occurs across Scotland.

The Scottish Government does not retain this information.

Public Dental Service Senior Dental Officers (SDO) have varying individual duties across management and outreach responsibilities. The clinical hours required for an SDO will therefore vary within an NHS Board and between the other NHS health boards.

Workforce recruitment within the Highland region is managed by NHS Highland and therefore this information is not held by the Scottish Government.

The information requested is not held centrally.