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A Scottish Avian Influenza in wild bird Task Force was established in 2022, which brought together colleagues from Scottish Government, NatureScot, the RSPB, the British Trust for Ornithology, Public Health Scotland, and Local Authorities to coordinate a joint response to the outbreak in wild birds. On 11 August Ministers launched the Scottish Wild Bird Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Response Plan that sets out how the Scottish Government and its partners will respond to any further outbreaks of HPAI in wild birds in Scotland. The NatureScot Avian Influenza sub-committee recently highlighted the limited options that are available to authorities in dealing with HPAI in wild birds.

The Scottish Government has published guidance on gov.scot for pet dogs and working dogs. Scottish Government has also worked with the game industry to develop standing guidance on avian influenza and game birds, whilst Scotland’s HPAI Task Force has provided guidance to land managers.

In the previous avian influenza outbreak season (October 2022 to September 2023) 31,570 gamebirds have either succumbed to avian influenza or have been humanely culled for animal welfare and disease control reasons, due to being present at an infected premises. 19,570 of these birds were pheasants, and 12,000 were partridges. There have been no instances of gamebirds infected with HPAI in the current AI outbreak season which began on 01 October 2023.

The Scottish Government works closely with the game sector to encourage best practice biosecurity measures by keepers of poultry and other captive birds. Advice has been issued frequently through a number of formats including webinars, emails, regular interface with stakeholders such as game industry representatives, and publication of online guidance.

A Scottish Avian Influenza in wild bird Task Force was established in 2022 to coordinate a joint response to the outbreak in wild birds. On 11 August Ministers launched the Wild Bird HPAI Response Plan that sets out how the Scottish Government and its partners will respond to any further outbreaks of HPAI in wild birds in Scotland.

Communications have also included guidance on gov.scot for pet dogs and working dogs. Scottish Government has also worked with the game industry to develop standing guidance on avian influenza and game birds.

In Scotland (and across Great Britain) the GB Dead Wild Bird Surveillance Scheme, administered by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) on behalf of the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and Defra (England), allows members of the public to report dead wild birds (via a helpline and/or online reporting tool), and for a selection of these birds (based on a triage criteria) to be tested for avian influenza. The purpose of the scheme is to capture information on the general location and strains of avian influenza that might be prevalent in GB. This data then helps government build up a picture of the current risks, and shapes how they then respond in policy terms.

In addition to this, NatureScot have a network of reporters across Scotland who provide early intelligence on unusual mortality levels in wild bird species. It is also recognised by Scottish Government that managers of grouse moors in Scotland may regularly carry out their own health checks of wild grouse across the summer months.

In 2023 six game bird premises were declared with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Scotland. These were:

• Near Portsoy, Aberdeenshire, confirmed 08 August 2023 (AIV 2023/29)
• Near Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, confirmed 14 August 2023 (AIV 2023/41)
• Near Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, confirmed 14 August 2023 (AIV 2023/42)
• Near Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway, confirmed 14 August 2023 (AIV 2023/43)
• Near Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway, confirmed 17 August 2023 (AIV 2023/44)
• Near Forfar, Angus, confirmed 18 August 2023 (AIV 2023/45)

The purpose of the Scottish Dental Access Initiative (SDAI) is not for the recruitment of dentists, but to improve access to NHS dental services by encouraging dentists to set up a new practice or extend an existing practice in areas where access to NHS dental services is challenging.

Since 2007, there have been seven dental practices in Dumfries and Galloway that have been provided with SDAI grants.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. However, dental registration statistics, including the percentage of adults who are registered with a NHS dentist in the Dumfries and Galloway area, are published by Public Health Scotland and can be viewed online at: Publications - Public Health Scotland .

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. I would advise the member to contact the NHS Health Board to obtain this information.

Payment reform will be implemented on 1 November 2023. Therefore, it is not possible at this stage to make an assessment on the impact of payment reform on the recruitment of dentists in Dumfries and Galloway and the level of deregistration of adult patients from NHS dental services.

The main purpose of payment reform is to improve access to NHS dental services and thereby reducing the number of deregistrations. This will be done by replacing the existing care and treatment fees with a new set priced at levels that we believe will incentivise dentists to provide a full range of NHS care and treatment.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-18928 on 21 June 2023. 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 .