The Scottish Government continues to call on the UK Government to overturn their decision to limit eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments.

The decision was taken without consultation and has forced us to review the way in which the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP) will be delivered.

Nonetheless, the PAWHP will make a significant contribution towards the heating expenses of low-income, pension-aged island households.

Since December 2022, we have also provided £3.4 million in support of island households through the Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund.

Since the establishment of the Practical Training Fund for Women in Agriculture, the Scottish Government has distributed approximately £600 in support of women and girls aged 13 and over who are living on islands and sought financial support for travel and accommodation costs to attend courses on the mainland.

Following extensive engagement across the regions, each Regional Land Use Partnership (RLUP) captured a range of views from farmers, land owners, land managers and communities, on the regional priorities for land use.

Many of these priorities recognised the role of land use in addressing the climate and biodiversity crises, through measures such as tree-planting, increased renewable energy and sustainable agriculture. More information on these is available on the respective RLUP websites:

• South of Scotland region: Delivery & Strategies | South of Scotland Regional Economic Partnership (southofscotlandrep.com)
• North West Highland region: Land+ Project | NORTHWEST2045
• Cairngorms National Park region: Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan 2022-27 - Cairngorms National Park Authority
• Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park region: Read The Plan - Here. Now. All of us. - Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park (lochlomond-trossachs.org)

The Regional Land Us Frameworks (RLUFs) developed as part of the Regional Land Use Partnership (RLUPs) pilot programme have captured a range of land use priorities for each region including, but not limited to, native woodland expansion, flood mitigation and community wealth building. More information on these is available on the respective RLUP websites:

• South of Scotland region: Delivery & Strategies | South of Scotland Regional Economic Partnership (southofscotlandrep.com)
• North West Highland region: Land+ Project | NORTHWEST2045
• Cairngorms National Park region: Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan 2022-27 - Cairngorms National Park Authority
• Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park region: Read The Plan - Here. Now. All of us. - Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park (lochlomond-trossachs.org)

Community views are an essential part of informing future service options. The community feedback gathered at engagement events in Kilcreggan on the 1st of October, Dunoon on the 2nd of October, and Gourock on the 3rd of October, along with the online user survey outcomes, is currently being analysed as part of the appraisal of the possible options. No decisions on the future service design of the Gourock-Dunoon and Gourock-Kilcreggan routes have been made at this stage.

Scotland Food & Drink Partnership has been awarded £10 million to support its national strategy. It sets out short- to long-term objectives developed in partnership with food and drink producers throughout Scotland, including those in the Highlands and Islands.

Spend is not disaggregated on a regional basis.

At this time we cannot provide an update further to that of S6W-26556, as we await the publication of the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission’s (SAWC) Responsible Cat Ownership Working Group report.

We do not yet have a timescale for publishing the Fisheries Climate Change Action Plan. Further work is required, in partnership with stakeholders, to develop a clear plan of actions which will support fisheries in the drive to net zero.

Many of the actions that are required will need to be developed and initiated by the fishing industry and others in the private sector (for example vessel designers). Regulators and policy makers will also need to identify and remove barriers where this is possible.

All long waits are regrettable, and we continue to work with Health Boards, including NHS Western Isles, to drive improvements in waiting times.

Public Health Scotland publishes data on NHS Waiting Times across NHS Scotland quarterly. This can be accessed using the following link: Stage of treatment waiting times - Inpatients, day cases and new outpatients quarter ending 30 June 2024 - NHS waiting times - stage of treatment - Publications - Public Health Scotland. The data for NHS Western Isles show:

Inpatient/Day-Case:

Ongoing waits: 371

Over 52 weeks: 1

Over 78 weeks: 0

New Outpatient Appointment:

Ongoing waits: 1,518

Over 52 weeks: 14

Over 78 weeks: 2

I understand from NHS Western Isles that 70% of Inpatient/Day-Case patients are currently listed within 12 weeks. However, a small number of patients are waiting longer due to medical unavailability or due to the timetable for visiting services.

NHS Western Isles expect to clear the majority of their backlog for New Outpatients in November 2024.

The Scottish Government applies fixed fees for its processing of Harbour Orders in Scotland. These are as follows:

• £2,000 for an order the sole purpose of which is to amend the borrowing powers of an existing authority;
• £4,000 for any other order that would not empower an authority to undertake works;
• £6,000 for an order which expressly empowers an authority to undertake works where an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is not required; and
• £10,000 for an order which expressly empowers an authority to undertake works where it is decided that an EIA is required.

As this proposal does not involve works, the fee paid by Argyll and Bute Council to the Scottish Government for the Argyll and Bute Council (Oban) Harbour Revision Order application is £4,000.