As highlighted in the answer to S6O-02060 on 23 March 2023, the river basin management plans set out our long-term aims for improving our water environment. The plans are supported by Scottish Water’s Improving urban waters route map, which commits up to £500 million of investment to improve wastewater treatment works, address unsatisfactory discharges and increase monitoring. Scottish Water published its first annual report on progress against the route map in December 2022 at https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/help-and-resources/document-hub/key-publications/urban-waters-improvements .

All answers to Oral parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the Offical Report can be found at Meeting of the Parliament: 23/03/2023 | Scottish Parliament Website

Comprehensive and rigorous monitoring of Scotland’s water environment is already undertaken by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). This monitoring shows that 66% of Scotland’s water environment as a whole is assessed as having ‘good’ status and that 87% of Scotland’s entire water environment is assessed by SEPA as having a ‘high’ or ‘good’ classification for water quality.

In its improving urban waters routemap, Scottish Water committed to installing 1,000 new CSO monitors by the end of 2024.

Humza Yousaf MSP, the then Cabinet Secretary, wrote to the profession on 7 February 2023 providing an update on the new Determination 1 and indicated the direction of travel for dental reform: Letter to NHS dental teams from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care | Scottish Dental

On 27 July 2023 I provided a further update to the profession on the Scottish Government’s payment reform, which included the revised item of service fees, and will launch on 1 November 2023: PCA(2023)4 – Fees for Determination I | Scottish Dental

It is difficult to make accurate estimates of the proportion of palm oil imported into Scotland that is from sustainable sources. There is no reason to believe that the proportion is significantly different from that for the UK as a whole. The most recent Annual Progress Report from the UK Roundtable on Sourcing Sustainable Palm Oil states that "since 2010, the proportion of UK imports of palm and palm kernel oil that can be reported as certified sustainable has increased from 16% to 72% in 2021, with the vast majority of remaining imports likely to be sourced through a form of assurance." The UK Government has consulted about regulations to introduce due diligence on forest risk commodities, which are planned to place new obligations on businesses that import large volumes of commodities that can be grown on newly cleared forest land. Businesses will be required to demonstrate that production of these commodities has respected local laws.

Decisions on oil and gas exploration and licensing remain reserved to the UK Government. However, the Scottish Government does not support the UK Government’s approach to oil and gas policy.

The unlimited extraction of fossil fuels is not consistent with Scotland’s ambitious climate obligations. Our focus must be meeting our energy security needs, reducing emissions and ensuring a just transition for our oil and gas workforce as North Sea resources decline. The Scottish Government remains absolutely committed to a Just Transition.

Through our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, we have consulted on a clear pathway to deliver on global climate commitments while capitalising on the enormous opportunities offered by becoming a net zero economy. This approach aims to ensure we take workers with us on our journey to net zero.

The Scottish Government last met the Society of Chief Officers of Environmental Health in Scotland on 28 July 2023 and the next meeting is scheduled for the 25 August 2023.

The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested. There are an estimated 47,000 listed buildings in Scotland. If listed building consent is required for building alterations associated with energy improvements, this is done through local planning authorities.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-20292 on 14 August 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/questions-and-answers .

The number of patients waiting for first appointments with specialist chronic pain services and the length of wait they experience is published by Public Health Scotland. The latest report can be found here: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/chronic-pain-waiting-times/ .

The national data collection and the statistics published on completed waits focus on the waits of those patients who attended a consultant-led clinic. This is in line with the current national target for waiting times for new outpatient appointments.

Some Health Boards have introduced new pathways that offer patients alternatives to being seen at a consultant-led outpatient clinic. Patients are given the opportunity to opt-in to these new pathways, and they are considered as no longer waiting once they take up this offer. Alternatively, patients can choose to remain on the waiting list for a first appointment at a consultant-led outpatient clinic.

National data on those waiting to access Chronic pain services includes patients who may choose to opt-in to these new pathways. The data shows a recent increase in the number of patients following these new pathways. In the most recent publication, the impact of these new pathways on published statistics is discussed in the full report on pages 12, 13 and 17. The publication includes a description of some of the new pathways that Health Boards have shared with Public Health Scotland. However, detail of pathways provided by individual Health Boards is a matter for the Board and is not information held centrally by the Scottish Government.

The details of the current fee codes can be found in the Statement of Dental Remuneration and the discretionary fee guide. Copies of these documents are available online at:

• Statement of Dental Remuneration (scottishdental.org)
• Discretionary fee guide | National Services Scotland (nhs.scot)

We intend to introduce the 45 new fee codes for general dentistry from 1 November. A copy of the revised Determination I can be found online at: PCA(2023)4 – Fees for Determination I | Scottish Dental.

Our priority with payment reform was to ensure that we have set the fee levels to encourage the dental sector to increase NHS provision, whilst ensuring that patients can access the full range of NHS care and treatment.