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I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

SPS now anticipate the publication of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy to be completed by end of October 2023.

Competing priorities impacted stakeholder capacity to contribute within the planned timeframe, and a need to divert SPS resources to support several acute cases of mentally unwell people in SPS care have contributed to a delay in publication. The revised date now reflects the impact of those delays, whilst ensuring sufficient time is allocated in order to analyse the critical evidence gleaned from mental health experts and those in our care with lived experiences.

There is no minimum distance as such in relation to turbines of specified sizes. Development proposals and any potential impacts are considered on a case-by-case basis. All planning applications must be determined in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), adopted in February this year, forms part of the statutory development plan alongside the relevant Local Development Plan.

Part 2 of NPF4 sets out the policy framework for use in the determination of planning applications. Matters concerning project design and mitigation are set out in policy 11(e).

Scotland’s National Water Scarcity Plan (NWSP) sets out how water resources will be managed prior to and during periods of prolonged dry weather ensuring the correct balance is struck between protecting the environment and providing resource for human and economic activity.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA) latest reporting shows that water scarcity is now affecting all of Scotland and the forecasts indicate scattered showers are expected this week but not in quantities across a widespread area to improve the situation. The rainfall at the weekend provided no significant improvement in the conditions.

SEPA’s communications campaign began at the start of May to provide advice to businesses on water efficiency measures. The Scottish Government sponsored Farm Advisory Service (FAS) is also providing information about the current water scarcity situation and implications to the public, farmers and businesses. Scottish Government have reopened the emergency scheme to provided bottled water to affected households.

SEPA are monitoring the situation and coordinating steps to manage water resources. As areas of the country experiencing prolonged dry periods reach significant water scarcity level farms and businesses are contacted ahead of any temporary abstraction suspensions being introduced and guidance provided to minimise water usage.

Loch Maree has been in significant scarcity since 8 June. This is the level which triggers SEPA’s ability to suspend abstraction licences. The environmental impact of the activity in Loch Maree area is not considered by SEPA to be significant as licences in the area already have conditions to protect the environment in the event of low flows. Hence no licences in Loch Maree are being suspended at this time.

Parts of the Esk catchment in Dumfriesshire are also now at significant scarcity level. Like the Loch Maree catchment, licenses in this area are mainly for hydropower which have conditions to protect low flows so suspensions were not required.

Licences holders in areas likely to reach significant in the coming weeks are being contacted to highlight the risks and to understand their upcoming water needs.

On 13 June the Cabinet met with Fraser McKinlay – Chief Executive Officer of The Promise Scotland and Fiona Duncan – Chair of The Promise Scotland and Independent Strategic Advisor for the Promise.

Scotland’s National Water Scarcity Plan (NWSP) published in 2014, and updated in 2020, sets out how water resources will be managed prior to and during periods of prolonged dry weather.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), is monitoring current water levels carefully across Scotland, collating information on the abstractions, and recording feedback on the impact of likely suspensions on business.

In June 2023, SEPA published guidance which clarifies how suspensions will be implemented. If the dry weather continues it may be necessary to reduce or suspend abstractions licences to protect the environment.

Public Water Supplies are largely operating normally and there is no immediate need for water restrictions. Investment in resilience measures over many years means that Scottish Water is able to maintain supplies during prolonged dry periods to all parts of Scotland. There have been challenges in smaller supplies particularly in rural areas and the Scottish Government and Scottish Water are monitoring the situation very carefully.

As committed to in the Policy Prospectus ‘Equality, opportunity, community: New Leadership - A Fresh Start’, the Scottish Government will publish the Rural Delivery Plan within the lifetime of this parliament. It will set out how all parts of the Scottish Government are delivering for Scotland’s rural, island and remote coastal communities.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-16521 on 27 April 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

The member will be aware in March of this year the previous Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care approved the plan for integrated maternity services across the North of Scotland with consultant-led obstetric services at Dr Gray’s Hospital, supporting this with initial investment of up to £6.6m. NHS Grampian and NHS Highland are moving forward with implementation, including progressing local recruitment and marketing, and progressing the NHS Highland Business Case for Raigmore redevelopment. I mentioned in the Chamber on the 31 st May I was expecting to have the revised NHS Highland Business Case which I have now received. I will be considering this carefully and seeking views from the External Assurance panel led by Prof Linda de Caestecker. I have already received specific questions from the Keep MUM campaign group and my officials will be following up on these points.

The Minister does not sit on the stakeholder groups however the Minister does receive updates from the groups.

The Minister chairs the Ministerial Strategy Assurance Group, referred to in answers to questions S6W-18537, S6W-18540 and S6W-18541 on 15 June 2023. The Ministerial Strategic Assurance Group’s purpose is to discuss issues which may need escalated following discussions at the stakeholder groups. The Ministerial Strategic Assurance Groups includes representatives who sit on the individual stakeholder groups to ensure these discussions are joined up.

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

Due to the scope and timeframe of the question, the information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost as this data is not available from a single source.