Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government’s Fisheries Management Strategy, published in December 2020, sets out a clear vision for delivering accountability and confidence in our sea fishing activities, and in ensuring that we have the right data and knowledge available on which to base management decisions.

Our approach to sea fisheries compliance and science is already world-class. The introduction of Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) to key fishing fleet segments will enhance our capabilities, building on the solid foundation we already have in place.

In relation to the inshore fishing fleet, 30-40% of Scottish scallop dredge vessels are currently fitted with REM systems, including cameras. Voluntary installations are ongoing around Scotland and our intention is to lay legislation this year, making the technology mandatory for scallop dredge vessels. In addition, to inform the wider deployment of REM technology across inshore vessels, around 40 creel boats have been equipped with a low-cost device as part of our Outer Hebrides Inshore Fisheries Pilot. The REM device reports vessel position and provides feedback that assesses fishing activity, testing our ability to manage creel fishing effort within a significant area of sea. The Pilot project reflects the aspirations of our Fisheries Management Strategy for the network of Regional Inshore Fisheries Groups to take a lead role in proposing and developing fisheries improvement projects that will benefit communities while fulfilling our environmental obligations.

We will shortly consult on mandatory rollout to the scallop and pelagic sectors, along with consideration of further rollout to other fleet segments using a proportionate and risk-based approach. It is important to have a level playing field and we will ensure this is delivered through legislation, meaning that any vessels fishing in Scottish waters must also comply with these rules. We are tailoring the deployment of REM across our fishing sectors to reflect the varied nature of fishing activity, a blanket approach is not appropriate. Hence, we do not have a fixed timescale for delivering REM, given the complexities of installation and lead in time needed, particularly for the international fleet. However, it remains a key priority as part of our 10 year delivery plan under the wider Fisheries Management Strategy.

The Scottish Government provides a range of grants and loans to help deliver energy efficiency improvements and support investment by owner occupiers, private and social landlords. Last year we introduced a new loan scheme for private landlords to support achievement of minimum energy efficiency standards. We review the guidance for all of our schemes each year and currently have no plans to change the grants available to private landlords owning multiple properties.

General Practice in Scotland is funded through a "Global Sum" which is divided between all practices on the basis of their share of the estimated workload (the Scottish Workload Formula). All patients, whether resident in Scotland or living across the border, count towards practices' share of the Global Sum.

Although the funding formula is different in England, the model is the same.

Data relating to homelessness and the use of temporary accommodation is collected on a local authority basis. Since the South Scotland region does not align with local authority boundaries it is not possible to provide the number of children in temporary accommodation for this region.

The Scottish Government does however routinely publish the number of children in temporary accommodation by local authority. The most recent figures for children in temporary accommodation as at 30 th September were published in the ‘Homelessness In Scotland: update to 30 th September 2020’ publication on 23 rd March 2021. The publication is available here:

Homelessness in Scotland: update to 30 September 2020 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The Energy Investment Fund, and its predecessor Renewable Energy Investment Fund, has made investments of £90.4 million to date.

The 119 Freephone COVID testing helpline was made available to callers from Scotland on Friday 23 April 2021. The 119 Freephone service provides callers the option to report lateral flow device (LFD) test results, and can also be used to:

• order LFD test kits for home delivery
• provide support when booking a PCR test
• report test kit problems
• provide translation services

This number will run alongside the original 0300 303 2713 helpline number (which charges from some networks) until further notice. Both numbers reach the same call handlers.

LFD test results can also be reported online at GOV.UK. Reporting LFD tests results online or via the 119 service helps us to find community outbreaks, understand infection rates across Scotland and enable contact tracing.

We do not support the UK Government’s refusal to participate in Erasmus+. Although we are working on a new programme, this will not be able to replicate in full the benefits of Erasmus+.

In-line with our manifesto commitments, we remain committed to both Erasmus+ and to international exchange. In the interim to securing our place back in Erasmus+ we have begun to consider options regarding a Scottish mobility programme. We are currently undertaking the necessary analysis that will inform our decisions relating to such a scheme.

Our view is that people across Scotland, in all education pathways, should have access to the benefits that international exchange provides. We will announce further steps in due course.

Luss Bay has a designated Bathing Water and is given special protection to ensure it is safe for people to swim in during the bathing season, which normally runs from 1 June to 15 September. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has determined the current bathing water quality classification at Luss Bay as 'sufficient" and reports that there has not been any significant deterioration in annual trends at this location. The storm rainfall event last summer on 5 August 2020, did result in a poor water quality, but this was predicted by SEPA, and an appropriate poor water quality warning to the public was in place via SEPA’s real time electronic signage.

The public sewerage network in Luss, including Luss Bay, is a relatively small catchment and there are no combined sewer overflows from Scottish Water’s network in this vicinity to Loch Lomond. The Luss public sewerage network drains to Scottish Water’s Waste Water Treatment Works (WwTW). During the bathing season, to protect bathing water quality, Luss WwTW uses ultraviolet treatment to disinfect the sewage effluent. Scottish Water works with SEPA very closely and through regular monitoring has not found issues with respect to its discharge in the area. The final effluent discharge from the WwTW is sampled on a regular basis and Scottish Water is not aware of breaches of its license parameters.

Overall, SEPA classifies the environmental water quality of Loch Lomond as good for the north area and moderate for the south due to impacts from agriculture. Through River Basin Management Planning, carried out by SEPA on behalf of the Scottish Government, measures are planned to address the impacts from agriculture to ensure Loch Lomond can recover to good water quality status. SEPA and Scottish Water have also worked together to inspect the sewer network along the beach area at Luss Bay and no issues have been discovered.

Of course, the Scottish Government will continue to work together with stakeholders to ensure bathing waters reach the best possible status.

The Out of Home sector has an important role to play in providing access to affordable, healthier food and in helping people make informed choices.

Our 2018 Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan includes specific actions to help families make healthier choices, including when eating out. As part of this, we are considering consulting on mandatory calorie labelling for food and drink purchased out of home.

The Delivery Plan is at https://www.gov.scot/publications/healthier-future-scotlands-diet-healthy-weight-delivery-plan/ .

The Rent (Scotland) Act 1984 made it an offence to charge or receive any premium or require the making of any loan in addition to rent and a refundable deposit of no more than two months’ rent as a condition of the grant, renewal or continuance of a tenancy. This was further amended in 2011 to place beyond any doubt that such fees were illegal premiums. This position is reiterated in the statutory Letting Agent Code of Practice which came into force on 31 January 2018.

Prospective tenants who think they have been charged an illegal premium can refuse to pay, where tenants think they have paid an illegal premium they can raise an action to recover any fee paid through the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber), there is no charge for this, or report the matter to Police Scotland.

In addition, where the person charging a fee is a letting agent, tenants can make an application to the Tribunal in relation to a breach of the Code of Practice. Where an agent is found to have breached the Code of Practice the Tribunal can issue a Letting Agent Enforcement Order that could include provision for the return of any prohibited fee.

Letting agents are required to be registered and to comply with the Letting Agents Code of Practice, which sets out the standards on how they manage their business and provide their services. This includes complying with relevant legislation and to have in place a complaints procedure. Concerns about a letting agent can be raised with the Letting Agent Registration team at the Scottish Government.