Seòmar agus comataidhean

Scottish Government do not hold this information centrally, however, a scoping exercise into the availability of services within NHS Boards for miscarriage and unexpected pregnancy complications is underway. The results of this exercise will be analysed over the summer and will inform improvements to miscarriage services.

As outlined in the Programme for Government 2021 – 22 A Fairer, Greener Scotland: Programme for Government 2021-22 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) published in September 2021, the Scottish Government is committed to establishing a dignified and compassionate miscarriage service. As part of this, the Scottish Government wants to ensure that NHS Boards are able to provide dedicated facilities for women who are experiencing unexpected pregnancy complications.

A scoping exercise into the availability of services within NHS Boards for miscarriage and unexpected pregnancy complications is underway. The results of this exercise will be analysed over the summer and will inform improvements to miscarriage services.

As outlined in the Programme for Government 2021 – 22 A Fairer, Greener Scotland: Programme for Government 2021-22 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) published in September 2021, the Scottish Government is committed to establishing a dignified and compassionate miscarriage service. As part of this, the Scottish Government wants to ensure that NHS Boards are able to provide dedicated facilities for women who are experiencing unexpected pregnancy complications.

A scoping exercise into the availability of services within NHS Boards for miscarriage and unexpected pregnancy complications is underway. The results of this exercise will be analysed over the summer and will help to inform improvements to miscarriage services, including timescales.

Local authorities are responsible for the provision of local waste services and are, therefore, best placed to comment on the detail of contractual arrangements for residual waste treatment.

Based on information provided by local authorities, the majority of local authorities have residual waste arrangements in place that extend beyond 2025. However, although significant work is in progress, I understand that 12 local authorities currently do not yet have contractual arrangements beyond 2025 for the treatment of their residual waste which comply with the forthcoming ban on landfilling biodegradable municipal waste.

Based on information provided by local authorities, these are: Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, West Lothian Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council, Perth and Kinross Council, Clackmannanshire Council, Stirling Council, Argyll and Bute Council, West Dumbartonshire Council, Inverclyde Council, South Ayrshire Council, East Ayrshire Council, and Falkirk Council.

Through Zero Waste Scotland, Scottish Government is providing additional support to help remaining local authorities secure appropriate residual waste contracts in preparation for the forthcoming ban. This includes the provision of additional technical, legal and procurement advice.

Local authorities are responsible for and best placed to take decisions on contractual arrangements for the provision of waste services. The independent review of the role of incineration in the waste hierarchy recommended that when negotiating contracts for residual waste management, local authorities should specifically address the risks of lock-in.

Through Zero Waste Scotland, Scottish Government is providing additional support to help remaining local authorities secure appropriate residual waste contracts in preparation for the forthcoming ban on landfilling biodegradable municipal waste. This includes the provision of additional technical, legal and procurement advice.

Responsibility for the maintenance, upkeep and management of burial grounds in Scotland rests with the relevant burial authority: in the case of Ayr and Troon cemeteries, this is South Ayrshire Council. The Scottish Government has no locus to become involved in operational matters.

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) has confirmed that local authorities are the lead regulator for new burial grounds or extensions to existing burial grounds. SEPA’s role is to provide advice to the local authority on environmental risks during the planning consultation process.

SEPA has no direct role in the maintenance or safety of burial grounds and local authorities are not required to consult with SEPA once planning permission has been granted. SEPA can provide technical advice to the local authority should they request it.

The Scottish Government remains committed to ensuring the respect and dignity of the deceased and the bereaved and will continue to engage with South Ayrshire Council on these matters and on what steps can be taken to avoid similar situations from occurring again.

Responsibility for the management of the police estate sits with the Scottish Police Authority and the Chief Constable.and as such are the holders of this information. The SPA’s Chief Executive, Lynn Brown, can be contacted at The Scottish Police Authority, 1 Pacific Quay, Glasgow, G51 1DZ.

The Police Scotland Estate Strategy, approved by the SPA in May 2019, provides a framework for planning the future of the police estate to support the long term vision of policing which includes enhanced partnership working, and seeks to respond to the changing needs of communities while maintaining public visibility and confidence.

The Scottish Government expects the Bank to publish its Gender Equality Strategy later this summer. As part of a wider Equality Strategy, we expect this to set out the Bank’s approach to advancing equality in Scotland across its activities and in line with legislative requirements, including those of the Scottish National Investment Bank Act.

The additional revenue funding provided to local authorities under the Bellwin Scheme in each year since 1998-99 is set out in a document that has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, Bib number 63530.

Scottish Government does not hold information on flytipping incidents in each local authority. This detailed information can be obtained by contacting local authorities directly.

There is no single dataset of all flytipping incidents in Scotland, as there is no legal requirement for duty bodies or landowners to report on flytipping externally.

The recent National Litter and Flytipping Strategy consultation covered proposals to improve data collection and reporting mechanisms, including mandatory reporting of flytipping incidents for statutory bodies. We are analysing responses in advance of publishing a final National Litter and Flytipping Strategy later this year.