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Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) has supported the Scottish Government in the development of the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy (SBS) and Delivery Plan, through participation in official working groups ran by the Environment and Forestry Directorate.

FLS provided written evidence to Scottish Forestry officials on forest policy related actions which subsequently fed into the SBS.

FLS are now discussing internally how to support delivery of the Biodiversity Actions which will be summarised in their next corporate plan.

As Scotland’s largest manager of wild deer FLS provided practitioner input to the development of the SBS reflecting the critical dependency for SBS outcomes to be enabled by proactive deer management by all land managers.

The pilot surveys' purpose was to prove the methodology proposed to be adopted in the more detailed Phase 2 survey programme.

The pilots utilise point cloud technology which creates a digital representation of the area being assessed. This method provides an accurate and detailed picture of the structure's shape and dimensions, including identifying any areas of deflection, sagging, or damage that are not visible to a visual inspection. By comparing point clouds captured at different times, surveyors can monitor any changes in the condition of the RAAC structure over time. This is particularly important for NHS sites, as we will likely be using these sites for many years to come and we want to minimise the time and disruption of each survey.

The result of the point cloud surveys inform the location of intrusive surveys required by the surveying Structural Engineer. Once access has been provide in the required locations the surveying Structural Engineer will conduct their detailed surveys and provide a report on the observations.

Two of these pilot surveys were completed, the third has had a Point Cloud completed but requires a follow-up survey. The two completed Pilot surveys satisfactorily proved the methodology which has been adopted in the procurement of the full Phase 2 survey programme. In the two completed Pilot surveys the Structural Engineers Report has identified remedial actions but nothing critical.

This information is not held centrally.

In March 2024 Processed_and_Ultra-Processed_Foods_-_Board_Meeting_-_2024_March_20_-_240307.pdf the FSS Board agreed the organisational position on processed and ultra-processed foods, based on the SACN review published in July 2023 SACN statement on processed foods and health - GOV.UK. Subsequently, they published a position paper FSS_Advice_-_Processed_and_Ultra-Processed_Food_UPF_-_Position_Paper_-_FINAL_-_August_2024.pdf outlining the evidence in relation to processed and ultra-processed foods and reiterating the advice for healthy and sustainable diets. This was accompanied by consumer advice on the FSS website, summarising ‘five key facts’ Processed and ultra-processed foods | Food Standards Scotland on the topic, alongside social media posts to further raise awareness.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of all people with mental health problems, including those with Huntington disease, getting the right help, at the right time, and in the right place.

The core mental health standards set clear expectations for health boards to ensure referrals to community health teams and psychiatry are equitable, clear and prioritise those most in need. They also require services to reduce barriers to access, provide clear referral criteria, and ensure collaboration between staff and agencies to support individuals with complex conditions like Huntington’s disease.

Decisions on referrals may consider clinical appropriateness and service-specific criteria. Where referrals are declined from general psychiatry or community mental health teams a full explanation should be offered for this decision, and alternative pathways offered wherever possible and appropriate.

FSS collects and monitors Local Authority sampling data and commissions its own national food sampling programmes, which provide assurance on the safety and standards of food sold in Scotland. These include targeted sampling programmes informed by FSS horizon scanning activities, Horizon Scanning | Food Standards Scotland and commodity specific surveys to generate data on the prevalence and levels of contaminants in different foods for the safety assessments that are used to underpin the FSS Risk analysis | Food Standards Scotland. The sampling programmes data is published in FSS’ Our Food Our Food 2023: An annual review of food standards across the UK | Food Standards Scotland; the annual report on food standards in the UK, which is produced jointly with the Food Standards Agency, and DEFRA’s biennial UK Food Security Report 2024 published - GOV.UK. Further information on FSS’s Food Surveillance System can be found on the FSS website: Food surveillance system | Food Standards Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34339 on 28 February 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.

Cases of alleged food fraud reported to Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) by FSS:

2019: 1

2020: 1

2021: 1

Published national statistics on CAMHS waiting times captures children who meet the CAMHS criteria. Children who require neurodevelopmental support are not reported in these statistics unless they have co-morbid mental health issues. We do not currently collect data on length of waits for neurodevelopmental services centrally.

However, the Scottish Government are working closely with NHS Health Boards and Local Authorities to improve services and support for children and young people and their families and will continue to ensure long waits are appropriately addressed, as well as continue to provide tailored support to NHS Health Boards.

Our National Neurodevelopmental Specification Children and young people - national neurodevelopmental specification: principles and standards of care - gov.scot places an expectation on NHS and Children’s Services to work together to provide the support required by children and families, which may include assessment, diagnosis or other intervention. The Specification makes clear that support should be put in place to meet the child or young person’s requirements when they need it and should not be dependent on a formal diagnosis.

This year we have provided health boards with £123 million to support improvements across a range of mental health services, including neurodevelopmental services. We have also provided local authorities with over £65 million since 2020 to fund community-based mental health supports and services for children and young people aged 5-24 (26 if care-experienced) and their families, including supports for neurodiverse children and young people.

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) performs a national lead role in the investigation of counterfeit alcohol products. This is particularly the case when there are concerns over food safety and the contents present a danger to public health. FSS work in partnership with local authorities, other law enforcement agencies, public health, industry and stakeholders, with representation at various strategic and tactical fora to raise public awareness on known risks, coordinate efforts to remove the product from the market and report those found responsible. FSS is a member of the Scottish Multi-agency Tasking and Delivery Board (MATDB), which is a tactical collaboration between Police Scotland and law enforcement partners to address serious and organised crime. FSS has received full support from the MATDB in leading the investigation into the production, distribution and supply of counterfeit vodka nationally.