Chamber and committees

Following the Government’s proposal to establish a new National Park in Galloway, NatureScot – in its role as reporter – has been engaging with communities, businesses, public bodies and other interested parties in the Galloway area in order to seek initial views and develop more detailed proposals for consultation.

Today, NatureScot will launch a formal statutory public consultation on the proposal. As well as gauging support for the proposal, the consultation will seek views on options for the possible area, functions, powers and governance of a new National Park.

The consultation process will include a full consultation paper and survey available via the NatureScot website, Have Your Say Today - Information Hub - A Proposal For A National Park In Galloway - Commonplace a survey available both online and distributed to households and businesses in, and near, the area proposed in the nomination, as well as events for businesses including agriculture, forestry and other land-management sectors and activities; and events for under-represented groups and young people. Information about the consultation surveys and events will be published today on NatureScot’s website and the dedicated online engagement hub.

An important part of the consultation process – in addition to the consultation paper and surveys – will be a series of independently facilitated consultation events and drop-in surgeries that will take place throughout the area proposed for National Park status. NatureScot began publicising these consultation events on 1 November, via the NatureScot website National Parks | NatureScot and the Hub Have Your Say Today - Consultation Events - Information Hub - A Proposal For A National Park In Galloway (commonplace.is) and they also intend to promote them in local news outlets and with posters in an effort to make these events as visible as possible.

Attendees at the consultation events will be supported to share their thoughts and opinions in a welcoming environment. There will be sessions within each event asking for responses on different topics, and interactive boards and spaces, as well as opportunities to leave anonymous feedback, and to complete a consultation leaflet in writing.

Additionally, a number of drop-in surgeries, hosted by NatureScot, will also be announced between November and January, with the locations and times publicised via the NatureScot website National Parks | NatureScot in due course. These sessions are aimed at individuals with questions about the consultation. They will complement the more structured consultation events. Completed surveys can also be left with NatureScot at these events.

It is extremely important that we hear from people living and working in the area and that the people of Galloway and South and East Ayrshire have the opportunity to discuss the issues, consider the content of the proposal including the desirability of a National Park in their area and suggest any alternatives.

I recognise the significant public interest in this proposal and am aware that there is both support and opposition. Everyone’s views will be listened to and taken into account and I would encourage everyone with an interest to engage with the consultation process in a constructive and respectful way.

The 14 week consultation period will start today and it will conclude on Friday 14 February. The consultation period has been extended to take account of the festive period and to enable as many people as possible to respond.

All views received will be captured and reported on.

We will carefully consider the outcome of this public consultation and NatureScot’s report before taking any further decisions on the proposal for a new National Park in Galloway.

The Scottish Government national working group set up to improve family support and inclusive family practices across drug and alcohol services, includes members from the following organisations:

Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA)

Aberlour

Care Inspectorate

The Corra foundation

Quarriers

Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs

Circle

COSLA

The Beacons – My Support Day

Alcohol and Drug Partnerships

The total cumulative spend incurred on Waking Watch services in apartment blocks in Glasgow is £2.2 million. Waking Watch costs for one building within the pilot programme were reimbursed by the responsible developer.

Latest published data shows a breakdown of the waking watch grant and contract costs for entries in the pilot in Glasgow to the end of quarter one 2024-25; spend is updated quarterly, the next update will be published in quarter three 2024-25. Single Building Assessment programme: spending information - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The Scottish Government is keen to ensure that local areas provide support at all times and that they assess the needs of people in their areas and work with them to design and deliver services in a way that meets the needs of people impacted by drugs and alcohol, including services being easily assessable and available at weekends.

As well as local contacts, we support national phone lines that are available for anyone to call. Know the Score operate a phoneline which is open until 9pm during the week and then open 10am until 4pm on weekends. This provides free, confidential support for people experiencing issues with drugs, alcohol or mental health.

For families, Scottish Families operate a phoneline which is open until 11pm on weekdays and operates a call back service on weekends. This provides support for anyone concerned about someone else’s drug use with information, advice and linking to local support.

Through our National Mission we are providing an additional £250 million of investment over the course of this parliament to support reduce deaths and improve lives.

The Scottish Government (SG) is aware of the Civil Air Publication to address the design requirements and options for new heliports located at hospitals in the United Kingdom. Any new recommendations will, of course, be considered by Health Boards and organisations with responsibility for maintaining helicopter landing sites.

The SG is also aware that HM Coastguard Search and Rescue has paused helicopter landings at a number of landing sites across the UK.

Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) and Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance aircraft continue to land at helicopter landing sites across Scotland. Should a helicopter landing site not be available for use by one of these assets then another suitable site will be identified. A SAS vehicle will transfer a patient and clinical team to the appropriate receiving medical facility.

In 2023-24, there was a monthly average caseload of 134 young people supported by the service, this included 1818 hours of one-to-one sessions, 1,234 group services, 241 hours in professional meetings with housing, education and teaching. This information can be found in the Scottish Families Affected by Drugs and Alcohol 2023-24 impact statement; Impact Reports - SFAD

Scottish Families Affected by Drugs and Alcohol have an active caseload of 152 young people in East and West Dunbartonshire. They have supported a total of 187 young people.

Each of the six Grow Your Own Routes partnership services has between 27 and 77 young people on their current caseload. The total number of young people being supported by the Grow Your Own Routes partners is 296.

The total number of young people who have ever been supported by Routes across Scotland is 483.

Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs supports young people through the Routes programme in East and West Dunbartonshire. Through Scottish Government funding, Routes has expanded to ‘Grow Your Own Routes’ partnership services at Barnardos in North Lanarkshire, Action for Children in Renfrewshire, Aberlour in Falkirk, Right There in Orkney, ADA in Aberdeenshire and Circle in East Lothian.

Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs are also funding some small Grow Your Own Routes grants of £5K to other areas who want to trial Routes. This has included £5K to South Lanarkshire (My Support Day) and Helensburgh and Lomond (Young Carers).

Our framework Drug and alcohol services - improving holistic family support - gov.scot (www.gov.scot), which was published on 8 December 2021, sets out principles of how we will improve holistic support for families affected by drugs and alcohol by taking a whole family approach and using family inclusive practice.

The framework is supported by investing totalling £6.5 million per year over the life of the Parliament.

We are working with local areas to improve their family support and implement family inclusive practice across alcohol and drug services. This is supported by a national working group.

Since the Scottish Digital Academy was established in 2018, it has recorded 19,209 registrations from people working across the public or third sector.

Young people can be referred to Routes from anywhere but are mainly referred to Routes by schools. Referrals are also made by addiction services, GPs, local authorities, social workers and family members. Young people often refer friends and they can self-refer.