Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Scottish Government has not provided specific guidance on producing public sector investment net present value calculations. The Scottish Government does produce a carbon assessment of its capital spend in the Scottish budget which shows that for Budget 2021-22 around 37% of SG capital investment is low carbon. Work is continuing on the Joint Budget Review with Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee, building on the recent public consultation on a new approach to carbon assessing infrastructure. The Scottish Government recently strengthened reporting requirements of public bodies’ climate change duties, to include how they will align their spending plans and use resources to contribute to reducing emissions. Updated guidance on the new regulations will be published by the end of April.

Local communities have a vital role in the management of Scotland’s land and natural capital, both in our response to the climate crisis, and in supporting a green recovery from COVID-19. Land use change at the required scale will provide green economic and employment opportunities, help to address rural depopulation and provide social benefits to communities across Scotland. This will help secure a just transition to a sustainable and low carbon future.

The Scottish Government recently announced five Regional Land Use Partnerships pilot areas across Scotland to help national and local government, communities, land owners and stakeholders work together to find ways to optimise land use in a fair and inclusive way – meeting local and national objectives and supporting the journey to net zero

Peatland restoration can make a direct and meaningful contribution to achieving a Just Transition to net zero. It is a key nature based solution to the twin challenges of the climate emergency and loss of biodiversity and is a labour intensive process with the potential to support hundreds of direct and ancillary jobs in communities across rural Scotland.

On forestry, we are developing and enhancing opportunities for individuals, families and communities to make use of woodlands on public and private land, leading to benefits for local economies, health and wellbeing and engage with proposals for woodland creation and management of existing forests. Forest and Land Scotland is supporting community schemes through its Community Asset Transfer Scheme; for example, the Inverarish Hydro Scheme on Raasay to provide income and renewable energy for the community.

We are taking a co-development approach to agriculture, working with farmers, crofters and land managers to identify practical ways they can play their part in cutting emissions, addressing climate change and delivering wider biodiversity and environmental benefits. We will work with the sector to ensure farmers crofters and land managers as well as the wider rural and island communities share the benefits that come from the opportunities arising from land use change.

The Scottish Government has and continues to strongly support community land ownership across Scotland. Since its establishment in 2012, the Scottish Land Fund (SLF) has provided over £39 million of support to more than 240 community groups enabling them to acquire land and land assets. The Scottish Land Fund is a national fund and is demand led and available for communities from anywhere in Scotland. In 2017 we published the Scottish Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement, the first of its kind anywhere in the world. It actively supports a Scotland with a strong and dynamic relationship between its land and people, where all land contributes to a modern and successful country, and where rights and responsibilities in relation to land are fully recognised and fulfilled. It is founded on six principles that should underpin every decision about land including a call for a more diverse pattern of land ownership and tenure, increased community ownership and that the holders of land rights should exercise these rights in ways that take account of their responsibilities to meet high standards of land ownership, management and use.

The Scottish Government has an unwavering commitment to land reform and supporting community ownership and engagement on land and land use decision-making across Scotland. Our land reform legislation provides communities across Scotland with various rights to buy assets and land, including a right to buy land to further sustainable development (‘Part 5’). In addition, the Scottish Government has and continues to support the Scottish Land Fund which provides communities with finance for acquisition of land and assets.

The Scottish Government recognises that properly-verified offsetting can be an important means of mobilising private investment but only where the projects are in addition to actions to reduce emissions, and not instead of it.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

The responsibility for prisoner healthcare, including COVID testing, lies with individual health boards and since May 2020, all relevant NHS Health Boards have tested individuals in custody who are showing signs of Covid-19.

Lateral flow testing is not used in prisons.

The safety and wellbeing of all those living and working in our establishments remains our priority and, as such, individual establishments may put measures in place to restrict visits in line with public health advice.

At the moment, in person visits can take place, particularly where there are compassionate grounds. These can include;

• if you have any concerns about the wellbeing of an individual in our care;
• where the visit involves a child under 18 who is visiting a parent, grandparent or sibling; or
• where the visit involves an individual in our care who is under 18

Virtual visits continue to be available in all establishments.

We take seriously the concerns raised by The Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC) and the treatment, safety and human rights of those who live and work in our prisons in response to COVID-19 remains a priority. The Scottish Government has regular engagement with the Scottish Prison Service to discuss prison conditions.

I responded to SHRC on 29 January 2021 and we will continue to closely monitor these matters. With thanks to the work of prison service and NHS staff, they have remained settings of low infection rates, with independent inspection reports showing prisons have remained safe and stable during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

The position in our prisons remains dynamic and while there are no current plans for further emergency release the need for further use of those powers is kept under continual review.

It is recognised that it may be particularly difficult for some to carry out their civic duty on a jury during the Covid-19 pandemic. That is why the Scottish Government fully supports the approach adopted by The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service whereby the Clerks of Courts will be as sympathetic as they can to requests for excusal, while at the same time balancing the need to have sufficient numbers of prospective jurors from which to ballot a jury. This is considered a better way of dealing with genuine difficulties rather than by taking substantial categories of people out of those eligible for jury service.

The group has made positive progress. A Visitor Management Strategy for the 2021 season has been agreed and focuses on 3 areas: Education and Marketing, Investment and Infrastructure, and Prevention, Regulation & Reassurance.

An announcement will be made ahead of the 2021 season outlining steps taken.

It should be noted though that although some progress has been made by the Scottish Government and its partners, this will not resolve all the issues. This will require an ongoing partnership approach from relevant authorities and communities. Littering, roadside dumping and antisocial behaviour should continue to be tackled through enforcement. The ultimate responsibility for adequate service provision also remains the responsibility of local and national park authorities.

The group has made positive progress. A Visitor Management Strategy for the 2021 season has been agreed and focuses on 3 areas: Education and Marketing, Investment and Infrastructure, and Prevention, Regulation & Reassurance.

An announcement will be made ahead of the 2021 season outlining steps taken.

It should be noted though that although some progress has been made by the Scottish Government and its partners, this will not resolve all the issues. This will require an ongoing partnership approach from relevant authorities and communities. Littering, roadside dumping and antisocial behaviour should continue to be tackled through enforcement. The ultimate responsibility for adequate service provision also remains the responsibility of local and national park authorities.