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Wildcats are one of Scotland’s most endangered animals. Their conservation and protection is of the highest priority requiring a well-informed and collaborative approach to understanding their ecology to give their remaining populations the best possible chance of recovery.

The Scottish Wildcat Action (SWA) project, led by SNH involves a partnership of over twenty organisations, including Scotland’s foremost conservation bodies and land management organisations. The project is building understanding of Scottish Wildcat populations and has identified six priority areas, including Clashindarroch Forest, where detailed survey work and an extensive feral cat neutering and vaccination programme to preclude interbreeding is being undertaken to protect the remaining wildcats.

FLS (and its predecessor Forest Enterprise Scotland) has worked closely with SWA partners since October 2013 to ensure that the management of Clashindarroch, and other parts of Scotland forests and land, enhances their value as important habitat for wildcats. Wildcats have successfully co-existed with forest management activities at Clashindarroch for many years and FLS’s aim is to ensure that success continues.

The interest and passion that people demonstrate towards Scottish Wildcat is entirely laudable however the campaign and petition are based largely on a presumption that their habitats are under threat from forest operations. FLS’s forest management, including at Clashindarroch, is certified to international standards of best practice. Widely accepted scientific evidence recognises that sustainably managed forests involving well-planned timber production create an ideal mosaic of habitats for wildcats.

The following measures are being, or have been, taken in Clashindarroch Forest:

• During the winter of 2015-16 and again in 2017-18, Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) and Scottish Wildcat Action (SWA) partners employed extensive camera trapping surveys to gain a picture of wildcats presence throughout Clashindarroch Forest.
• All actual or potential wildcat sightings are recorded on the FLS conservation database to inform future management.
• At least six months prior to any tree felling or thinning operation, camera traps are deployed on all operational sites. The cameras are placed at potential den features (e.g. stone dykes, windblown trees or scrub) within each management area.
• Four to six weeks prior to any forest operations, walk-over surveys of each site is carried out by an FLS environment specialist and SWA field staff. If evidence of wildcat presence is found expert advice is sought over appropriate mitigation.
• Pior to operations commencing, all operators are briefed about wildcats being present in the forest, and are provided with an FLS/SWA guidance note.
• Operations such as clear felling, thinning and site cultivation are undertaken out-with the period March to June inclusive in areas where wildcat activity has been previously identified by camera trapping or GPS collar tracking.
• On all thinning and clear fell sites, potential breeding sites or dens (e.g. rock piles) are protected from damage, and all patches of windblown trees are retained as potential future breeding sites and resting places.
• In addition to these measures, FLS is also supporting research on wildcats within Clashindarroch, and more widely in the Scottish Wildcat Action Strathbogie Priority Area, by the University of Oxford Wildlife Conservation Research Unit. This involves fitting GPS tags to wildcats and is resulting in unprecedented knowledge on their use of forest habitats.
• It should be noted that no confirmed wildcats with high genetic purity have been identified in Clashindarroch to date. As a consequence, all the above measures represent a comprehensive, precautionary approach.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving the lives of autistic people in Scotland. We are committed to implementing the priorities as laid out in the refreshed Scottish Strategy for Autism Outcomes and Priorities 2018-2021.

Since 2013-14 the Scottish Government has provided funding of £671,000 to NHS Education for Scotland to support Autism Training resources for NHS professionals.

In 2014 NHS Education for Scotland published Optimising Outcomes: A framework for all staff working with people with Autism Spectrum Disorders, their families and carers . This highlights that training should be appropriately given to health care staff depending on the level of knowledge and expertise demanded by their role.

We continue to commission NHS Education Scotland to engage with NHS Boards on the Autism Training Framework and work continues with a knowledge hub available to all NHS staff ensuring they have the appropriate knowledge of autism relevant to their role. This work is led by a small dedicated team. The team are planning to deliver further training in assessment and diagnostic tools early in 2020.

While the use of hernia mesh remains accepted practice across the UK, the Scottish Government is aware of the concerns that have been expressed by patients and others about the use of mesh in a non-transvaginal setting. As such, the Scottish Government took the action as outlined in response to question S5W-20179 on 21 December 2018.

In addition, the Scottish Health Technologies Group which is part of NHS Healthcare Improvement Scotland has agreed to a request from the Scottish Government to examine the use of mesh in inguinal hernia repair. This will be an extended assessment which will review published information as well as the views of patients, public and clinician representatives. The Group aims to report in January 2020.

The Scottish Health Technologies Group provides advice on the evidence about the clinical and cost effectiveness of existing and new technologies likely to have significant implications for patient care in Scotland. This advice should support the planning and decision making processes in Health Boards. The Group’s meetings are open to members of the public and media to observe. This enables stakeholders and members of the public to understand how evidence is assessed and interpreted, how consultation comments are taken into account and how the Group provides advice.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

Maintenance of the local road network is the responsibility of local authorities to allocate resources on the basis of local priorities. The vast majority of funding to local authorities from the Scottish Government is provided via a block grant and we do not stipulate how local authorities should utilise their individual allocations. It is therefore the responsibility of each local authority to manage their own budget and to allocate the financial resources available to them on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.

The Scottish Government’s available funding in 2019-20 is lower in real terms than in 2018-19. Despite this cut the Scottish Government have continued to ensure our partners in local government receive a fair funding settlement. The Scottish Government is delivering a funding package of £11.2 billion for local authorities, a real terms increase of £310 million for essential public services in Scotland.

Aberdeenshire Council will receive £480.7 million to fund local services in 2019-20. Taken together with their decision to increase council tax by 3 per cent, they will have an additional £23.3 million (5.1 per cent) to support services compared to 2018-19.

The Scottish Government believes strongly in the strategic, system and economic value of pumped storage hydro capacity.

Scotland already has around 30 GWh of pumped storage hydro capability, with more in the pipeline. Alongside the proposed expansion of Cruachan, we have recently consented Glenmuchlock, in Buccleuch Estate, and Coire Glas, near Fort William.

We believe that investment in new and expanded pumped storage hydro in Scotland will greatly enhance the flexibility and resilience of our electricity network and power supplies. These major infrastructure projects will have considerable economic and industrial value to Scotland.

Pumped storage hydro also plays a crucial role in the security and operability of our electricity system. Its flexibility can help balance the variability of renewable output, where needed.

We have repeatedly called, and will continue to do so, for the UK Government to exercise its powers to ensure a viable route to market that will provide sufficient revenue certainty to underpin the investment case for developers of pumped storage hydro projects. We believe this would be of great benefit to GB energy consumers, by ensuring the resilience of electricity supplies, as well as complementing growth in renewable energy generation.

A number of branded tick removers were purchased by Health Protection Scotland (HPS) to aid promotion of the 'avoiding bugs and germs outdoors' webpage on NHS Inform. These have been distributed throughout the summer to organisers of and/or exhibitors at various events including the World Orienteering event in Perthshire, agricultural shows including the Royal Highland Show, science festivals including Glasgow Science Festival, and to those organising educational programmes on outdoor activity in schools.

A quantity were supplied to the National Trust for Scotland for distribution via their Countryside Teams and through their explorer backpack project. A quantity were also supplied to Ramblers Scotland for distribution as part of their Out There Award Scheme.

The Scottish Government continues to engage closely with senior representatives from industry, Government and consumer groups to help achieve our goals as set out in the recently published Networks vision to 2030.

An important part of that engagement will take place through the Energy Networks Group which we aim to have first meeting before the end of the year as part of the revised structure providing support to the Scottish Energy Advisory Board.

We believe that Scotland’s experience makes us well placed to lead on the networks’ role in the energy transition to a net zero economy.

The Scottish Government co-authored a report, in partnership with Scottish Renewables, that details the benefits of pumped storage hydro. This report can be found here: https://www.scottishrenewables.com/publications/benefits-pumped-storage-hydro-uk/ .

The report aims to push the need for a route to market, especially to UK Government, so far, without success.

While we cannot comment on the specifics of the proposed expansion of Cruachan, pumped storage hydro is one of the best proven technologies available at scale to provide the required flexibility our electricity system requires.

Pumped storage hydro can provide a wide range of benefits, including, reliable energy storage, alleviating congestion cost and economical security of supply. The Scottish Government supports its continued development as we transition into a low-carbon energy future.