Translocation of seals is not a regularly used tool for seal population management within Scottish waters. Where sick or injured seals are taken to rehabilitation centres, they will be returned to the wild within the same seal management area that they were found. This ensures that population levels and the genetic diversity of seal management areas are maintained. Advice received from the Special Committee on Seals is that rehabilitated seals typically behave like wild seals shortly following release.

This is a matter for The State Hospital. The information requested is not held centrally.

The Scottish Government will continue to work with the UK Government to carefully consider the recommendations made in the report and determine the appropriate next steps.

Until such time as new guidance is produced, ETSU-R-97 should continue to be followed by applicants and used by decision makers to assess and rate noise from wind energy developments.

There are approximately 1.5 million new trees planted alongside the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. No further tree planting is planned other than replacement planting which may be required in future where insufficient numbers of trees have become established to satisfy the environmental objectives and the Indicative Landscape Design.

The Aberdeen Western Peripheral Road/Balmedie-Tipperty (AWPR/B-T) section of the A90 is managed on behalf of Scottish Ministers/Transport Scotland by the Design Build Finance and Operate (DBFO) company Aberdeen Roads Limited (ARL). The associated landscaping areas are included in the Agreement with ARL. Around 1.5 million trees were planted. The project is in year 4 of the 5 year Establishment Period. As the name suggests the Establishment Period is designed to closely monitor plant development and take action if appropriate to address tree plant establishment failures.

During the Establishment Period ARL’s appointed specialist landscape architect is required to undertake inspections of the tree planting 6 times in year one, 4 times in year 2, and 3 times for each of years 3, 4 and 5. On completion of the Establishment Period the landscaping enters the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) phase when annual inspections are required. The O&M period ends in 2047.

Following each inspection the landscape architect makes recommendations which are carried out by ARL and which could include tree tube/guard removal as the trees develop as well as identifying opportunities to enhance biodiversity and reduce pesticide application. Other work carried out over the last 4 to 5 years includes weed control, grass cutting in amongst those trees, pruning of damaged branches and re-staking of trees.

The appointed Contracting Authority (Jacobs consultants) receive annual reports and undertake joint inspections to ensure the contractual requirements are being fulfilled. Jacobs subsequently advise Transport Scotland of progress and discuss any matters as necessary.

All new planting schemes on the trunk road network include a 5-year establishment period throughout which regular inspections are undertaken by professional landscape architects and by the landscape contractor. These inspections assess the establishment of the plants and determine any specific maintenance required, including the replacement of any failed material.

The trunk road operating companies assume responsibility after this period and are required to annually assess and report on all planting and other vegetation within their area of operation and to recommend management interventions as appropriate, such as pruning and thinning etc.

Following completion, all major road schemes are monitored and assessed through the Scottish Trunk Road Infrastructure Project Evaluation (STRIPE) procedure to determine whether the scheme objectives have been met and to assess how well the scheme has been implemented, including the planting element.

The Scottish Driving Assessment Service is the NHS service which covers Scotland, and all driving assessments are carried out at the SMART Centre at the Astley Ainslie Hospital in Edinburgh, which is where the service’s static assessment rigs and fleet of adapted vehicles are based. The Centre is operated by NHS Lothian on behalf of the other NHS Boards.

The Scottish Government is grateful to everyone who takes the time to volunteer to give blood.

The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) adjusted the donor health check questionnaire in April 2022 so that all donors are now asked the same questions.

It is necessary to know if a donor is pregnant to ensure the safety of donors. In addition, if a donor has received certain fertility treatments they are unable to donate for patient safety reasons. Although these questions will not be relevant for many donors – male and female - the donor health check questionnaire is the most practical and appropriate way of asking sensitive questions in a busy donor environment.

In response to some concerns raised about men being asked these questions, SNBTS will be amending the form to make clear that if the pregnancy questions are not applicable then all donors should simply tick ‘NO’. This change is likely to be implemented this summer.

NHS Grampian is the only Health Board to trial technology ahead of the Deposit Return Scheme launch. In total NHS Scotland Assure has provided £1,000 to off-set the costs incurred by the Health Board for the trial.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15683 on 21 March 2023. 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