Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has passed to the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland all concerns it has received about the commission's proposals for Argyll and Bute, including about the proposed loss of the name of Cowal for an electoral area.

The placement in wards of patients recovering from surgery is a matter for NHS boards. Whilst the Scottish Government has not produced any guidance on this matter it recognises the importance of patients being accommodated in wards where their recovery can best be enabled. In addition, the Scottish Government and NHS Education for Scotland work with NHS boards as part of Scotland's second dementia strategy and the ten dementia care actions in hospital to ensure that patients with dementia are not stigmatised and they are treated in a safe and therapeutic environment. Learning resources have also been produced on the prevention of, and response to, stress and distress of people with dementia.

The Scottish Government has not commissioned research on the impact on patients of being placed in small wards with disruptive patients who have dementia. Significant work has been undertaken to improve the care of people with dementia in acute hospitals as part of Scotland's second dementia strategy. This includes minimising and responding appropriately to stress and distress of patients with dementia.

Recent work undertaken by the Non-Native Species Action Group has included guidance for zoos and wildlife parks on preventing the escape of potentially invasive non-native species. The current focus of the group’s work is on determining management and prevention priorities for non-native species as regards Scotland.

The distribution of the plant is recorded in a number of ways. The Botanical Society of the British Isles periodically publishes a complete atlas of plant distribution, based on records gathered by volunteers. Records of giant hogweed are also collated and made available on the National Biodiversity Network and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency is developing a tool on Scotland’s Environment Web that will use that data to show changes in the distribution of invasive species over time. The group will put in place arrangements to ensure that these, and other records, are monitored regularly.

A note of group meetings is available on the Biodiversity Scotland website

http://www.biodiversityscotland.gov.uk/doing/scottish-biodiversity-governance/invasive-nonnative-species-group/.

There are many diverse environmental risks to health which may result in injury, including a number of garden plants, and it is not possible for all such types of injuries to be coded precisely. There are no plans to introduce coding for injuries caused by giant hogweed into the NHS Accident & Emergency data systems.

Any abuse of power by any company or organisation would be a matter of serious concern for the Scottish Government. The legal situation relating to powers of entry for energy companies is very clear: companies must have either the owner’s permission or an appropriate warrant from the courts. The only exception to this is in an emergency – where there is reasonable cause to believe that circumstances exist which are likely to endanger life or property.

We are not aware of any specific reports or instances relating to abuse of right of entry powers by energy companies. However anyone who does suspect such an abuse of these powers should contact the company concerned directly or raise the matter with the regulator Ofgem. Of course if any criminal activity is suspected, the matter should be reported to the police.

If the Member wishes to provide the Scottish Government with any more detailed information we would be happy to look into this further or facilitate contact with the relevant organisations as appropriate.

We have made enquiries and are not aware of any examples of international research regarding optimum pupil-teacher ratios in immersive language education.

The 11 control programmes are led by the Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland. They are evaluating those programmes and a draft of their evaluation is currently out for review. I have been advised that a report will be available toward the end of 2015.

The survey of Local Biodiversity Action Partnership officers was an informal information gathering exercise carried out by the local government representative on the non-native species action group. Eight local authority responses were received and are set out below:

Information on the plans of the regional groups listed in the answer to question S4W-27272 is not held by the Scottish Government. I will arrange for the relevant information to be collected and published on the Scottish Government non-native species webpages.

A breakdown of relevant funding is given in the table below, including funding from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). This covers projects which are led by fisheries trusts, local authorities, community groups and others and which include some element of giant hogweed control. The majority of these projects also include control of other bankside plants such as Japanese knotweed, Himalayan balsam and rhododendron.

*SEPA committed £645,000 from the Restoration Fund between 2008-09 and 2010-11.

**SRDP funding is given in calendar years.

The Scottish Government is committed to protecting rural schools and supporting their role in preserving, supporting and developing rural communities.

The legislative responsibility for the provision of education in Scotland rests with individual local authorities, including decisions relating to catchment areas and the provision of school transport. In meeting these responsibilities, we would encourage authorities to take account of any national or international best practice that may be of benefit to the communities they serve, including initiatives such as Sweden's Turn the School Bus Around.

Pupil teacher ratios are not stipulated either in legislation or in teachers' terms and conditions of service. Class size limits for P1-P3 are set in statute and all other class size limits are set in teachers' terms and conditions of service. Neither the legislation nor the terms and conditions of service differentiate between the class size limits that apply in Gaelic medium units and those that apply in mainstream English language primary schools.

The issue of lower class size limits for Gaelic medium was explored in the 2010 consultation on class size limits. Based on the outcome of that consultation ministers concluded that differential class size limits for Gaelic medium units should not be introduced. However, the government acknowledges a wider need for statutory guidance on Gaelic medium education, and this is currently being prepared.