Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-27757 on‎ 7 June 2024. 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 .

Badgers and their setts are protected under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 as amended by the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011.

NatureScot, the licensing agency in Scotland, may consider issuing licences under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 to undertake actions for a specific purpose, such as to prevent serious damage by badgers to agriculture.

Recent research investigating reports of badger predation on lambs on Scottish farms was undertaken in 2022 and 2023 by Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA), in conjunction with NatureScot, Scottish Land and Estates, and the National Farmers Union Scotland, The research found that whilst the results cannot fully rule out the occurrence of badger predation, they strongly suggest that foxes are most likely to be responsible for the majority of lamb predation events on Scottish farms. A copy of the report of this research can be found at:

https://www.nature.scot/doc/naturescot-research-report-1345-investigating-role-badgers-meles-meles-lamb-predation-scottish-farms

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-27426 on 28 May 2024. 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 .

Through Scottish Enterprise, the Scottish Government has regular discussions with Scotland-based vehicle manufacturers, including bus manufacturers, about opportunities for hydrogen fuel cell and other types of zero emission vehicles in the UK and international markets.

Hydrogen fuel cell buses in Aberdeen supported by grant funding from the Scottish Government were not manufactured in Scotland. State aid and subsequent subsidy control rules mean that grant conditions could not specify which vehicle supplier the bus operator should use.

Since taking up post last year, I have met regularly with Councillor Jane Meagher, the City of Edinburgh Council Housing Convener, with our last meeting taking place on 18 April. The housing emergency has been raised in my discussions with other Housing Convenors and housing and homelessness partners as follows:

• Members of the Cross-Party Group on Housing on 27 February
• Councillor Allan Casey and Councillor Kenny McLean, Glasgow City Council on 13 March
• Jenni Minto MSP, Argyll and Bute Council officials and Argyll and Bute registered social landlords and community trusts on 4 April
• Alison Watson, Shelter Scotland on 16 April
• Members of the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group on 16 April
• Strategic Homeless Action Partnership in Edinburgh on 1 May
• Sally Thomas and Carolyn Lochhead, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations on 15 May
• Councillor Davie McLachlan, South Lanarkshire Council on 16 May
• Councillor Maureen Chalmers, COSLA on 21 May
• Councillor Judy Hamilton, Fife Council on 5 June

There have also been discussions at official level over recent months with other partners, including the Scottish Housing Regulator, ALACHO, COSLA and Homes for Scotland.

These meetings are used to discuss the homelessness pressures and housing supply matters in Edinburgh and other areas across Scotland, including the decisions by councils to declare a housing emergency. Within these discussions, a range of issues are covered, which have their basis in the proposals developed by local authorities in response to the pressures they are facing. Various financial and planning issues and potential regulatory changes have been discussed at these meetings in the context of reducing the use of temporary accommodation and improving housing outcomes for residents.

The waste hierarchy already has provision for different types of thermal treatment technology. For example, while incineration without energy recovery is classed as disposal, energy from waste processes (producing usable electricity and/or heat) can be classed as recovery of energy.

Moreover, there is scope within the waste hierarchy for technologies that produce products to be classed as recycling if appropriate. For example, where the Anaerobic Digestion of food waste is undertaken to appropriate standards to produce a usable product, this is already classified as recycling in the Official Statistics published by SEPA.

We, therefore, are not considering making additional provisions through the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) regulations 2012 (“the PPC regulations”).

The National Cancer Medicines Advisory Group (NCMAG) will review the use of Anastrozole, Tamoxifen and Raloxifene as a preventative treatments for post-menopausal women at a moderate or high risk of breast cancer at a rescheduled meeting in Autumn 2024.

In anticipation of potential NCMAG advice, Scottish Government is considering how these drugs may fit in to a chemoprevention care pathway within NHS Scotland, including patient identification and monitoring.

The Scottish Government participates in the UK Hydrogen Propulsion Manufacturing Taskforce. The taskforce works to develop recommendations on how government and industry can maximise investment opportunities for the UK manufacturing of hydrogen propulsion systems. This has included reference to the opportunities for hydrogen fuel cell buses. The taskforce has been paused during the pre-election period for the UK general election.

As set out in our Hydrogen Action Plan, hydrogen in the transport sector could act as a complementary energy alongside battery electrification, providing an option to parts of the transport sector such as heavy duty vehicles, when battery electrification is challenging. However, it is up to individual bus operating companies to determine what type of zero emission vehicles best suits their particular circumstances, and for manufacturers to respond to that demand in the way that they think is most appropriate.

Scottish Forestry maintains very close working relationships with the relevant Local Authority and timber businesses in this region. Whilst we are aware of the closure of the Aboyne Bridge, and there have been discussions with local forest businesses around the implications of further deterioration on the adjacent Dinnet Bridge, Scottish Forestry has not received a request from the Local Authority for support towards reopening the Aboyne Bridge currently.

Scottish Forestry recently awarded £101,000 from the Strategic Timber Transport Fund to support £202,000 of improvements to the nearby B976 Birsemore to Dinnet Bridge Road through collaboration with Aberdeenshire Council.