Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Scottish Government has previously made clear its willingness to work with communities to explore the creation of new national parks. We have been equally clear that such discussions would only be appropriate where there is strong evidence of local authority and community support and a robust case to justify costs.

Since 2011, there has been a reduction of over 28,000 children being educated in unsuitable schools.

The Education (Scotland) Act 1980 places a statutory responsibility on all local authorities to manage and maintain the school estate across Scotland.

However, the Scottish Government is doing all it can to improve Scotland's school estate. For example, the proportion of pupils educated in schools in ‘poor’ or ‘bad’ condition has fallen from 37% (around 257,000 of all pupils) in 2007 to 15% (around 102,500 of all pupils) in April 2015.

Moreover, since 2007-08, 607 school building projects have been completed during the current administration – almost a quarter of all school premises in Scotland. By comparison, this is 279 more schools than the 328 completed over the preceding 8 year.

The BSS provides maintenance bursaries for further (FE) and higher education (HE) students. The bursaries are worth up to £1,500 per year for FE students and £4,950 per year for HE students. Scottish domiciled HE students studying in the rest of the UK are also eligible for a contribution of up to £9,000 towards the cost of their tuition fees.

The bursaries are provided in addition to the tuition fee and living-cost support that the Scottish Government makes available to all Scottish domiciled further and higher education students.

Education Scotland continue to support all schools to help them improve the quality of PE.

Healthy Living Survey results for 2016 will be published in June 2016.

In 2016-17 NHS Orkney’s resource budget will increase by 4.6% to £43.2 million, an above inflation increase, and in line with the NHS Scotland Resource Allocation Committee target, which reflects our commitment to move all board’s to parity using the ‘differential growth’ model.

NHS Orkney’s funding for 2016-17 is in line with the NRAC target. NHS Orkney’s resource budget will increase by 4.6% to £43.2 million, an above inflation increase, having previously increased by 15.1% in 2015-16.

As part of the Scottish Government’s recent Consultation on Provisions for a Future Islands Bill, views were sought on a range of issues including the concept of island proofing with the flexibility to issue statutory guidance and also councillor representation in island communities.

The findings of the independent analysis of the responses received was published on 14 March 2016 and this will help inform the development of a draft Bill.

Decisions on the introduction of a future Bill will be for the next Scottish Government to determine following the Scottish parliamentary elections in May 2016.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-30399 on 21 March 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.