Seòmar agus comataidhean

According to data acquired directly from the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), in March 2023 Aberdeen City Council closed 6 libraries, Cornhill, Cults, Northfield, Ferryhill, Woodside and Kamhill. No other Scottish Libraries have permanently closed in the last 3 reporting years.

The Scottish Government do not hold information on numbers of libraries dating back to 2007-8. The earliest information on library numbers that SLIC are able to acquire from Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountability (CIPFA) begins from 2009-10.

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 reply in writing within 20 days.

The Scottish Government’s commitment to train 500 Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs) by 2021 was met by August 2021.

A total of 734 nurses have completed their Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Nursing Practice (PG Dip ANP).

Our £1 Billion backed NHS Recovery Plan aims to continually increase capacity for inpatient and day case procedures.

We have seen an increase in the level of activity for inpatient / day-cases in the latest quarter (May 2023), which was the highest level of activity in any quarter since the start of the pandemic.

Last year, over 217,000 patients were seen as an inpatient or day case. This reflects a 15.3% increase from the previous year.

Further statistics on additional inpatient and day case activity in 2022-2023 will be released alongside the NHS Recovery Plan update this autumn.

Property owners and landowners have primary responsibility for protection of their land and property from flooding. A range of other bodies have responsibility for different aspects of flood risk management. These roles and responsibilities are clearly set out in Flood Risk Management (Scotland) 2009 Act. The Act creates a joined up and coordinated process to manage flood risk at a national and local level.

Scottish Government oversees the implementation of the Act. Scottish Ministers are responsible for setting the policy framework for implementing how flooding is managed in Scotland including the responsibility for approving the objectives and actions set out in the national flood risk management plans.

SEPA is Scotland’s national flood forecasting, flood warning and strategic flood risk management authority. They produce the national flood risk management plans, provide flood forecasting and warning services, provide flood risk advice to planning authorities and carry out awareness raising activities to increase community resilience.

Local authorities ensure local accountability by leading on the preparation of local flood risk management plans, which supplement the national plans prepared by SEPA and ensure actions are locally targeted and delivered. They also have the ability to make and build flood protection schemes. Local authorities also inspect, clear and repair watercourses to reduce flood risk and routinely maintain road gullies on public roads and highways to ensure adequate road drainage. During severe flooding, local authorities will work with the emergency services and co-ordinate shelter for people evacuated from their homes.

Scottish Water are responsible for the operation of public foul and combined sewers and the public waste water network; managing problems caused by sewers either flooding or becoming restricted due to chokes or collapses; removing foul drainage and the drainage of rainwater from roofs and paved areas, from within the curtilage of premises, on connection to the public sewer.

The Scottish Government continues to liaise with the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit regarding youth violence and funds the Unit to take forward a number of preventative measures, using a public health approach which focusses on the underlying drivers of offending behaviour. These are outlined in the recently published Violence Prevention Framework for Scotland and include targeting weapon carrying amongst some young people; targeting the effects of social media on violence; and helping support more young people with multiple complex issues to engage with appropriate services. The Scottish Violence Reduction Unit will also be one of numerous partners we are engaging with in the forthcoming summit on violence in schools.

Scotland’s national forests and land are important habitats for many species. For example, Scottish crossbills, goshawks and large populations of songbirds and woodpeckers all use Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) plantations. In advance of any tree harvesting operation, an environmental survey is carried out by qualified FLS environment staff. Any active nests are marked on operational maps and mitigation is deployed. Typically, this involves an alteration to the timing of the operation, or the demarcation of a buffer around a nest, wherein no work can be carried out during the nesting period. Furthermore, during harvesting operations, machine operators and site managers remain vigilant, and any additional nests are protected in the same way. Nest of birds listed on Schedule A1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) are protected and retained.

To inform all this work, FLS liaises with stakeholders on an ongoing basis. For example, FLS environment staff have strong links with local Raptor Study Groups (a good number of FLS staff are members), and FLS is a partner in the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme. Invaluable information on raptors is therefore shared freely and raptors are very effectively protected. FLS also works closely with a range of other stakeholders, on a range of other bird species – from nightjars and wood sandpipers to black grouse and capercaillie. Managed plantations are crucial for the forestry sector yet are overwhelming beneficial for woodland birds in Scotland. This is something to celebrate.

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) has the following plans in place to facilitate the licensed management of species on Scotland’s national forests and land in order to carry out their functions:

A. No.

B. Yes. Where necessary, FLS will work under Licence No. 222884.

C. At present FLS have management plans in place for three other protected woodland fauna (Badgers) for the 2023 breeding season.

Scottish Government has not had any recent direct engagement with the UK Government regarding cross-border recognition of powers of attorney granted in Scotland.

However, in previous meetings both parties have agreed the existing legislation allows for automatic recognition of powers of attorney in both jurisdictions. Difficulty in recognition is an issue of the training and knowledge of those being presented with a power of attorney from a different jurisdiction.

The following table illustrates the number of boarding's in Scottish waters by Marine Scotland Vessels each year since 2009.

We are unable to provide the information requested as we do not have access to data on doctors entering training in parts of the UK other than Scotland, or who have left to pursue other careers or overseas opportunities.

From 2010 to 2019 the UK Foundation programme carried out a career destination survey of all F2 doctors. The UK F2 Career Destinations Reports used data collated from an annual UK-wide survey of outgoing F2 doctors. These reports helped to understand career aspirations and career destinations if known. This report was discontinued in 2020 due to Covid-19.