Seòmar agus comataidhean

NatureScot consulted on and produced an Environmental Report on the principle of beaver translocation to the river Beauly catchment in 2022. A copy of the report can be found on NatureScot’s website at

https://www.nature.scot/doc/beaver-translocation-consultation-river-beauly-catchment-environmental-report

NatureScot also carried out a Habitats Regulations Assessment for the River Beauly catchment area. A copy of the assessment can be found on NatureScot’s website at

https://www.nature.scot/doc/beaver-translocation-consultation-river-beauly-catchment-habitats-regulation-appraisal-hra-possible

The licence application was assessed against the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations which also assesses environmental benefits and risks. NatureScot’s decision documents on Glen Affric and Abriachan sets out how the licence applications were assessed. Copies of these documents can be found on Naturescot's website at

https://www.nature.scot/doc/beaver-decision-document-licence-application-283801 and

https://www.nature.scot/doc/beaver-decision-document-licence-application-296282

The Scottish Government takes the issue of RAAC very seriously and over the past two years has been actively supporting efforts to address RAAC in residential settings. This has included:

• convening the RAAC Cross Sector Working Group and the RAAC in Housing sub-group,
• working closely with the Scottish Housing Regulator,
• engagement with the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS); and
• pressing the UK Government for cross-UK action.

I am of the view that public representatives in local authorities, Scottish and UK Governments need to work together and reach resolutions for people affected by RAAC. To that end, I convened the first meeting of the RAAC in Housing Leadership Group on 4 September, which brings together senior leaders and officials of Local Authorities and Registered Social Landlords that are affected by RAAC to specifically address issues relating to RAAC in residential settings, to share knowledge and best practice and to be solutions focused.

Management of the Police Scotland estate, including assessments of the condition of its buildings, is an operational matter for the Chief Constable under the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority. The Scottish Government supports Police Scotland’s commitment to providing a safe environment for officers, staff and the public.

The Scottish Government recognises the hazard of asbestos and the risks to health that it poses, however the management of asbestos in buildings is a reserved matter for the UK Government, and the Health and Safety Executive has UK wide responsibility for enforcement of the legislation and regulations.

We are investing a record £1.64 billion in policing in 2025-26. This includes £70 million of capital funding for investment in police assets, including the police estate.

The former Minister for Housing, Paul McLennan MSP, made several representations to UK Ministers asking for a dedicated RAAC Remediation Fund for Scotland, but the UK Government has refused to do so.

In June I wrote to the UK Government Deputy Prime Minister stressing the need for the UK Government to take the lead in putting in place financial arrangements on a cross-UK basis for RAAC remediation, noting this issue has its origins in the pre devolution era. Regrettably, the reply from the Deputy Prime Minister reiterated that the UK Government had no plans to set up any RAAC scheme or fund to address RAAC in residential settings.

Following the UK Deputy Prime Minister’s resignation from government I will be engaging with her replacement as Housing Secretary.

The presence of RAAC across the nations of the UK emphasises the need for a UK wide approach to this issue, and I continue to urge the UK Government to set up a national RAAC remediation fund.

We provided £750,000 to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency’s Flash Appeal for Gaza in November 2023. The funding was spent on food and non-food items, shelters, primary health care, fuel for water and health services, and mental health and psychosocial support.

As is standard practice for UN Appeals, UNRWA is not required to submit tailored financial information to each contributor. Instead, they publish an Annual Operational Report which provides details on all funding raised and dispersed by the appeal. The 2023 Annual Report which the covers the £750k contribution from Scottish Government can be found on the UNRWA website.

The Scottish Government understands the importance of Scotland’s hills and mountains and provides investment to help Scots and visitors to Scotland to enjoy them safely.

In addition to the Scottish Government’s annual grant of £300,000 to Scottish Mountain Rescue, sportscotland annually invests around £2million of Scottish Government and National Lottery funding to help ensure the safety of mountain users. This includes investment into Glenmore Lodge, sportscotland’s Avalanche Information Service (SAIS), and the Mountain Weather Information Service.

In 2025-26, sportscotland is investing up to £274,446 into Mountaineering Scotland, the sport’s governing body, which helps to support work on mountain safety. Mountaineering Scotland offer training and information to mountain users to promote safety, self-reliance, and the enjoyment of our mountain environment. They also chair the Mountain Safety Group, which was established to monitor and review mountain safety strategy, collaborate with partners, and provide leadership across mountain safety.

Sportscotland investment in Mountaineering Scotland over the previous five years is as follows:

2020 – 2021- £268,850

2021 – 2022 - £226,260

2022 – 2023 - £244,300

2023 – 2024 - £254,260

2024 – 2025 - £252,050

There were no Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) issued under the Marine Scotland Act 2010 in the past five years. FPNs were issued under Nature Conservation Orders which are enabled by the 2010 Act.

The number of FPNs issued under Nature Conservation Orders were 2019 X3, 2020 X1, 2021 X1, 2022 X0, 2023 X1, 2024 X0. All vessels were UK vessels because the Marine Scotland Act and associated orders apply to Territorial and Inshore waters where generally only UK vessels are permitted to fish.

We are aware that there have been calls for a ban on sale of Rhododendron ponticum, most recently in the Woodland Trust’s 2021 Rhododendron in the Rainforest report. However, there are challenges associated with such a ban.

The taxonomy of invasive rhododendron is complex. Rhododendron ponticum is used as a root stock and sold as different domesticated varieties; it is not known to be particularly invasive. The invasive rhododendron in the countryside and older garden plantings is thought to be the result of hybridization with the Appalachian species Rhododendron catawbiense. A significant amount of genetic research would be required to define what the hybrid is before its sale could be prohibited and to develop a reliable genetic test that could be used in inspections and enforcement. It is believed currently that only a small proportion of the plants sold as Rhododendron ponticum are thought to be invasive hybrid rhododendron.

In addition, the UK Internal Market Act 2020 would have potentially raised questions as to the legal effect of any Scotland-only ban.

Within the policies we set, NHS Boards have responsibility for the design and delivery of services to meet the needs of their local populations and deliver safe, high-quality care. NHS Boards may commission local reviews of services to support them in the design and delivery of safe, sustainable services which best meet the needs of their local populations and geographies.

If Scottish Ministers have concerns about local services they would discuss these with the Board as they are responsible for local service delivery, following which Ministers may decide to commission an independent review. There are no set criteria for such decisions as it will depend on the circumstances of the issues under consideration and the most appropriate response.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) undertakes independent inspections of obstetric maternity units in Scotland through its Maternity Inspection programme. The inspection programme launched in January 2025 and details of the inspection methodology are made publicly available on the HIS website, along with inspection reports and NHS Board improvement plans. Crucially, HIS maintains independence in its scrutiny activity, including in its inspection programme. HIS takes decisions around inspection activity using a risk-based, proportionate and data- and intelligence-led approach.

Links:

https://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.scot/inspections-reviews-and-regulation/safe-delivery-of-care-in-maternity-units-inspection-programme/

https://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.scot/inspections-reviews-and-regulation/inspections-of-nhs-hospitals-and-services/hospital-and-services-inspection-reports/

To maintain a safe and secure prison estate, the Scottish Government increased Scottish Prison Service (SPS) investment by 10% to £481.5m in 2025-26. SPS has invested in a range of initiatives aimed at tackling violence across the prison estate, including body worn cameras, a revised control and restraint model, and body scanners. SPS are also working to mitigate the risks presented by the threat of drones and uses various technologies and intelligence - such as advanced scanners, detection technology, window grilles and sniffer dogs – to prevent illegal substances entering prisons.

The Scottish Government has also increased 2025-26 funding to the Scottish Recovery Consortium to embed a person-centred recovery focused approach in prisons and have supported the National Prison Care Network to develop a Target Operating Model for healthcare delivery in prisons. This sets out a nationally consistent service model for the delivery of the range of clinical services provided in prisons, including drugs and alcohol services.

Future resource and capital funding for the SPS is being considered as part of the annual budget process and the Scottish Spending Review, due to be published alongside the 2026-27 Scottish Budget.