Seòmar agus comataidhean

The 2021-22 season has seen the UK’s largest outbreak of avian influenza to date, which has affected commercial flocks of poultry and other captive birds as well as wild birds. While maintaining high levels of biosecurity among domestic flocks helps protect against disease, addressing the disease among wild birds can pose significant challenges.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) carries out year-round avian influenza surveillance of dead wild birds reported to Defra’s GB national helpline. As of 24 June 2022, 490 wild birds from multiple locations across Scotland, consisting of 24 species, have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1. Findings of HPAI in wild birds are published weekly by APHA and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/avian-influenza-in-wild-birds

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with a range of partner organisations to monitor and respond to the situation where action can be taken, recognising the importance of communication and coordination in preparedness and responses.

We continually review our response planning to current and future avian influenza outbreaks based on the latest scientific advice and existing disease control measures. This includes quantifying the impacts of such outbreaks on our wild bird populations, including seabirds. We will also be identifying with partner organisations what else can be done to respond to the outbreak and improve resilience of our internationally important seabird populations.

The 2021-22 season has seen the UK’s largest outbreak of avian influenza to date, which has affected commercial flocks of poultry and other captive birds as well as wild birds. While maintaining high levels of biosecurity among domestic flocks helps protect against disease, addressing the disease among wild birds, including our internationally important seabird colonies, can pose significant challenges.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with a range of partner organisations to monitor and respond to the situation where action can be taken, recognising the importance of communication and coordination in preparedness and responses.

Avian influenza is a highly infectious disease, and while there is little that can be done to limit the spread within seabird colonies, action can be taken to reduce the risk of onward transmission from infected colonies to other locations, and to minimise additional stress on potentially infected birds. To that end, NatureScot has suspended all ringing research activities within seabird colonies for the remainder of the breeding season to mitigate these risks. Surveys of some seabird colonies are also ongoing to monitor bird numbers, and any mortality events.

Furthermore, the Scottish Government has published advice for local authorities, landowners, wildlife rescue centres and members of the public regarding reporting, collection and safe disposal of dead wild birds. We will keep our guidance under continuous review as the situation develops.

It is too soon to determine with any certainty the impact of the current outbreak on seabird populations. NatureScot, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, RSPB Scotland and BTO Scotland are working towards collating colony level data and identifying how these data can be analysed to offer information on population level impacts. However, some internationally important seabird colonies have clearly been affected by the current outbreak. Therefore, the developing Scottish Seabird Conservation Strategy is critical in ensuring that any actions identified are timely and effective to help optimise the conservation prospects of seabirds in Scotland from existing and emerging threats, including disease threats such as avian influenza.

The Scottish Government has supported businesses with more than £4.7bn since the start of the pandemic. All funds have been allocated and no payments remain to be paid out by the Scottish Government. All Covid-19 business support funds have now closed.

The UK is currently experiencing the largest outbreak of avian influenza with commercial flocks of poultry and other captive birds, as well as wild birds, affected.

The disease control response to the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak is coordinated across the four UK administrations, with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) leading on triage, and testing and monitoring the spread in the UK. Dead wild bird findings (suspected of HPAI) in Scotland, England and Wales are reported to Defra’s national GB helpline. This information is then given to relevant teams in APHA to triage the collection of samples for testing, where required. The Scottish Government continues to work closely with the other UK administrations (Defra (England), the Welsh Government and DAERA (NI)) on the disease control response.

The Scottish Government is also working with a range of partner organisations to monitor and respond to the current situation where action can be taken, recognising the importance of communication and coordination in preparedness and responses.

We continually review our response planning to current and future avian influenza outbreaks based on the latest scientific advice and existing disease control measures. This includes quantifying the impacts of such outbreaks on our wild bird populations, including seabirds. We will also be identifying with partner organisations what else can be done to respond to the outbreak and improve resilience of our internationally important seabird populations.

The number of daily Ministerial journeys for the period of 23 May 2022 to 18 June 2022 are provided in the following table.

Applications to the Business Ventilation Fund were declined if the business did not meeting the eligibility criteria for the Fund such as being in an eligible sector, claiming for eligible items by the fund deadline or meeting the fund business rules.

This includes claiming for premises which are registered for non-domestic rates, being classed as a small or medium enterprise and having purchased or carried out works between 23 November 2021 and 31 March 2022.

The majority of businesses declined in Aberdeenshire either weren’t in a eligible sector or had made duplicate claims. Additionally, a number of applications were closed when the deadline for claims had passed and no claim had been submitted by the business. Businesses had been notified that they were able to make a claim and for what and the deadline for this as part of the application process.

The infrastructure works currently being undertaken at Uig harbour are being led by Highland Council.

I fully appreciate that concerns remain around the impact of the berth closure on local communities and businesses. I have not yet given approval to the works to begin and have instructed Transport Scotland officials to look, again, at all viable mitigations which could be brought to bear with all relevant stakeholders.

The Scottish Government is developing a new Disability Equality Strategy, working in collaboration with Disabled People’s Organisations. The development process provides the opportunity to consider the priority issues affecting disabled people in Scotland, including accessibility.

Everyone should have access to the toilet facilities they need. Under the Equality Act 2010, individual businesses and organisations are responsible for ensuring that they make reasonable adjustments to meet the needs of disabled people. Responsibility for oversight of compliance with the 2010 Act rests with the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

In 2019 we revised Scottish building standards and introduced a requirement for Changing Places Toilets (CPTs) to be installed in certain types of large new non-domestic buildings (for example large retail buildings; secondary schools providing community facilities; hospitals; and passenger stations for air, rail, road, or sea travel). CPTs are facilities suitable for use by people whose care needs are more complex. In addition to standard facilities, they provide additional space for assistants, an adult-sized changing bench, and a hoist.

The Scottish Government committed in our 2021-2022 Programme for Government to invest £10 million in Changing Places Toilets over this parliamentary term. This will increase the number of Changing Places Toilets across the country, and support mobile changing places to allow people easier access to events and outdoor venues around the country.

These facilities will make a real difference to disabled people and their families. The first phase of this work is underway to establish the application and assessment criteria, to ensure the Changing Places Toilets which are delivered are fit for purpose.

The Scottish Government is in regular contact with SEPA, the independent regulator, concerning SEPA’s regulatory role in relation to industrial sites in Scotland, including the Grangemouth complex. Whilst we understand the concerns around flaring, it is an essential safety mechanism. Improvements driven by SEPA have reduced the overall frequency and duration of flaring at the Grangemouth complex, and the planned installation of totally enclosed ground flares will further reduce the noise and light disturbance experienced by communities.

Four authors, who are subject matter experts in peace processes and international law, are undertaking the necessary research to inform the thinking on Scotland’s Peace Institute. The research commission was put out to competitive tender at the start of the year and following assessment of the bids received we awarded the contract to the successful consortium of researchers. The total cost of the contract is £30,000.