Oliver Mundell

Answer · Gillian Martin · 11 Mar 2026

In Scotland, onshore wind farms in excess of 50 MW, like the Sanquhar II Wind Farm, require consent from Scottish Ministers. Deemed planning permissions accompanying such consents contain conditions which require pollution prevention plans to be approved by planning authorities and to be adhered to by the developer.SEPA has received notifications of potential pollution affecting the Scaur Water and is undertaking an active investigation. They continue to monitor the development closely to ensure that all appropriate pollution mitigation measures in place are robust.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop · 18 Feb 2026

Transport Scotland officials met with representatives from Amey and Dumfries and Galloway Council on 14 January 2026. At this meeting, Transport Scotland reiterated to the Council its statutory responsibilities for litter management under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.Transport Scotland will continue to work collaboratively with the Council, sharing forward works programmes to help coordinate traffic management where possible and to support efforts to address the litter issue.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop · 10 Feb 2026

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities in Scotland have a statutory duty to clear litter from all verges and roads, including trunk roads such as the A75. Transport Scotland, through its trunk road Operating Companies, is responsible for clearing litter from motorways and special roads.Transport Scotland and its Operating Companies regularly meet with local authority officials to discuss trunk road related matters. The trunk road network is inspected on a weekly basis and where littering and litter collection is identified as an issue – or where complaints are received by members of the public – our Operating Companies report these to the appropriate local authority for their attention. If the issue relates to litter on a motorway or special road, the operating company actions the appropriate response.To ensure our Operating Company contracts deliver value for money, Transport Scotland has in place the Performance Audit Group who audit, monitor and report on the financial, technical and performance aspects of the Operating Companies to ensure standards are being met.

Answer · Gillian Martin · 18 Nov 2025

Responsibility for private water supplies rests with those who own or operate them, with statutory duties set out in the relevant regulations. Local authorities have duties to monitor supplies, provide advice where standards are not met, and take enforcement action where necessary to ensure owners and users meet their statutory responsibilities.Where a private supply is consistently failing, it is for the owner or operator to decide whether to apply for a connection to the public water mains. Applications are made through Scottish Water’s standard process and are subject to technical feasibility. There is no separate prioritisation for these cases, and applicants for all connections applications are liable for the associated costs.

Answer · Natalie Don-Innes · 13 Nov 2025

I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:The Disclosure Scotland helpline received 129,575 calls over the past 12 months. Customers waited an average of 16 minutes and 18 seconds to speak to an advisor, with the longest recorded wait time being one hour, 49 minutes and 32 seconds. Call volumes to the Disclosure Scotland helpline usually range between 6,400 to 10,400 per month. From April to July 2025, Disclosure Scotland experienced higher than normal call volumes, which reflects the application volume peak during this period and has increased overall average wait time in the 12 month period.Monthly calls received and wait times are provided in the following table:Activity periodTotal calls receivedAverage wait time (hours:minutes:seconds)November 2024844600:00:47December 2024644000:01:32January 2025809200:00:59February 2025773200:00:59March 20251042700:01:54April 20251422100:06:44May 20251926200:23:14June 20251739300:31:20July 20251133400:27:22August 2025803200:38:36September 2025737000:42:17October 20251082600:19:51

Answer · Jenni Minto · 16 Oct 2025

The Scottish Government recognises the significant challenges faced by children and young people with cancer, particularly those living in rural and island areas. We are committed to ensuring equitable access to healthcare and support for all patients, regardless of geography.While there are currently no plans to expand the eligibility criteria for the Young Patients Family Fund, which is designed to support families of young inpatients, additional support is available through NHS Boards’ patient travel reimbursement schemes. Boards have the flexibility to consider individual circumstances and make decision in the best interests of patient care and wellbeing.These schemes provide financial assistance for eligible patients and authorised escorts, including for outpatient appointments and day treatments, and apply to travel both within and outside Scotland. All eligible patients aged 16 and under automatically qualify for an escort.