Chamber and committees

NHS Scotland National Procurement works with NHS Boards to assess and evaluate all supply requirements, this includes an assessment of product substitution and material choice. Where replacement of a single use item is practical and meets infection control and regulatory requirements, then this is undertaken. Where product substitution is not possible, National Procurement works with manufacturers and suppliers to look at increasing recyclability and circular supply systems, ensuring the value in the material is maintained.

Scottish Enterprise green jobs funding is being delivered through rounds that open and close periodically for fixed amounts of time and from which the best projects will be chosen for support. Details , including eligibility criteria, are published on Scottish Enterprise’s website, at https://www.scottish-enterprise.com/support-for-businesses/funding-and-grants/business-grants/green-jobs .

The HMICS Assurance review of Police Scotland demand analysis and management offers a positive outlook on Police Scotland’s efforts to develop its understanding of demand put on its resources. Its recommendations are for the Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland to consider.

The HMICS Assurance Review - Policing of COP26, published on 26 June 2021, provides a high level of confidence in the preparation and planning to date for COP26 and I have no doubt this work will continue at pace. The single recommendation in that report and the areas for continued development are for Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority to consider and where appropriate, act upon.

Scottish Ministers fully recognise the importance of reliable ferry services to the economic, social and cultural development of island and remote mainland communities.

The recent breakdown of the MV Loch Seaforth, and the impacts felt across the network, caused unacceptable disruption for our island communities. During the disruption, Transport Scotland worked with CalMac and engaged with local stakeholders in order to ensure everything was done to return the vessel to service as soon as possible. CalMac redeployed vessels in order to minimise the impacts across the network and put in place measures to maximise capacity, such as deploying a second vessel on the route from Kintyre to Arran. It is imperative the causes of that breakdown are understood and lessons properly learned so that we avoid this situation arising again in future.

Ferry passengers, whether travelling for tourism or other purposes, can apply for compensation for disruption under Passenger Rights Legislation. No other compensation for travel disruption is available for the tourism industry or wider sectors of the economy. However, Scottish Ministers have provided £3.6 billion of support during Covid to tourism businesses and we are committed to investing at least £580 million in ports and vessels over the next five years.

There is no ring-fenced procurement budget for COP26. The Scottish Government, and relevant agencies / bodies, have procured a number of contracts among suppliers for COP26, with a total value of £416,240 through Scotland-based businesses, and £24,612 through businesses without a base in Scotland, being spent to date. Procurement is in line with relevant legislation and guidance and using existing contracts and frameworks, which include an assessment with environmental, social and/or labour laws.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00633 on‎ 13 July 2021. 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

The information requested is not held centrally. Details of the funding awarded to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is published in annual reports and accounts available at www.sepa.org.uk and www.rbge.org.uk . Details of Scottish Government funding provided to Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) are published in their Annual Financial statements available on their website at www.sruc.ac.uk .

Budget allocations to areas of the Scottish Government are published in annual Draft Budget documents available on the Scottish Government’s website at www.gov.scot .

The Scottish Government expects 81,000 hectares of new woodland to be created over the lifetime of the Parliament; that’s well over 150 million new trees, making a critical contribution to our ambitions to become a net-zero nation.

We are accelerating woodland creation rates, going from the current 12,000 hectares per year to 18,000 hectares of new planting by 2024-25. This is an ambitious and stretching target and will require huge efforts from everyone in the public and private forestry sectors, building on our existing successes. Currently, Scotland produces around 80% of all new woodland creation across the UK, tackling climate change, improving biodiversity and supporting a billion-pound industry.

Furthermore, whilst these are very ambitious plans, we will be looking closely at what more is possible, as part of our commitment to publish a catch-up report on the Climate Change Plan within six months of the 2019 statistics being published.

During the recent debate on the Climate Emergency, on the 9 June, we supported the principle of the next full Climate Change Plan being brought forward as soon as possible during this Parliamentary session. This reflects our commitment to ever increasing action in response to the climate emergency.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00633 on 13 July 2021. 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

A planning application has been submitted by Stonepack Ltd to Scottish Borders Council for a proposed Sand and Gravel Quarry at Slipperfield, West Linton. It is understood that the Health and Safety Executive does not advise, on safety grounds, against the granting of planning permission in this case. As this is a live application it would not be appropriate to comment on the merits of the case.