Chamber and committees

We published our Test and Protect Transition Plan on 15 March 2022. This states that from mid-April in place of a population wide approach, we will use asymptomatic testing for COVID-19 on a targeted basis. This includes testing to support patient care and protect higher risk settings.

Regular asymptomatic testing will continue for parts of the health and care workforce primarily in settings which are still considered high risk and/or where those using services are deemed to be at a higher risk of hospitalisation from COVID-19.

In social care, the priority will continue to be testing in long stay settings and services for elderly people such as residential care homes, care at home and adult day care. There will also be a continuing priority to support testing for hospital based staff to reduce the risk of infection spread in our hospitals.

LFD tests will continue to be made available for eligible unpaid carers, personal assistants and anyone visiting a care home or hospital, this will be kept under regular clinical review.

For any purpose for which COVID-19 testing (PCR or LFD) continues to be advised we will ensure that these tests remain available free of charge.

The Government’s response to the Working Group’s report will be published later today.

Our response sets out the immediate action the government will undertake in advance of consulting on draft legislation.

The “Beyond the Glen” strategy for the Scottish venison sector included an action to establish a “go to” Venison Hub for market research and industry technical advice. The Scottish Venison Association has taken on the role of the Venison Hub.

The “Beyond the Glen” strategy for the Scottish venison sector is an industry-led strategy, the implementation of which is being co-ordinated by the Scottish Venison Association (SVA). The action with regard to a deer monitor farm is the joint responsibility of the SVA, as the Industry Hub, and the Industry Leadership Group.

Work on implementation of the strategy, including with regard to a deer monitor farm, has been impacted by the Covid pandemic and EU exit. New interest in deer farming is currently limited because of the challenges faced by the industry. We will continue to liaise with the SVA on progress with the strategy actions.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of strip searches carried out by Police Scotland. This information is held by Police Scotland.

Data Publication - Police Scotland .

The Stop and Search Code of Practice stipulates that a record must be made of any search in the exercise of any power to which the Code applies. The Code also sets out what information must be recorded, including whether a search was a standard search, a strip search within a police station, a strip search outwith a police station, or an intimate search. Police Scotland publish this data quarterly on their website:

Additionally, section 7 of the Code of Practice outlines additional considerations that should be taken when a search involves a child or a young person, requiring Police Officers to ensure that their actions are fully compatible with the young person’s human rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of strip searches carried out by Police Scotland. This information is held by Police Scotland.

Data Publication - Police Scotland .

The Stop and Search Code of Practice stipulates that a record must be made of any search in the exercise of any power to which the Code applies. The Code also sets out what information must be recorded, including whether a search was a standard search, a strip search within a police station, a strip search outwith a police station, or an intimate search. Police Scotland publish this data quarterly on their website:

Additionally, section 7 of the Code of Practice outlines additional considerations that should be taken when a search involves a child or a young person, requiring Police Officers to ensure that their actions are fully compatible with the young person’s human rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

We recognise that rural communities face particular skills challenges, which the Scottish Government is proactively working to address.

This includes: setting up the independent Commission reviewing land-based and aquaculture learning; developing skills and talent through our Skills Action Plan for Rural Scotland; giving people age 13 and over already working, retraining or studying in land-based sectors direct funding to get the right training for them through the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Practical Training Fund; providing high quality, largely free, advice through the Farm Advisory Service; and committing £400,000 to support upskilling women in the industry. In addition, support will continue to be provided by the Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund which is offering £1.6M this financial year to promote skills development and innovation in agricultural sector.

The “Beyond the Glen” strategy for the Scottish venison sector is an industry-led strategy, the implementation of which is being co-ordinated by the Scottish Venison Association.

In common with other food and related rural businesses, the Covid pandemic has caused major uncertainty and market disruption in the last two years and has impacted on producer confidence and price. EU exit has also impacted on exports. Work on the strategy has been impacted but despite this, some good progress has been made, for example in exploring new routes for local chills, processing, and supply; developing market insight; and deer health research. Scottish Government funded £60,000 of online marketing in spring 2021 to support Scottish producers and processors. £80,000 has also been made available through the Covid Recovery Plan Opportunities Fund to create new local chill and processing units for wild venison.

The Scottish Prison Service carries out ‘rub down searches’ or ‘full body searches’ rather than strip searches. These are performed in line with SPS search procedures, and are not recorded. Information on the number of body searches carried out is not collated centrally.

The Care Inspectorate is responsible for the regulation of care services for children and young people in Scotland, and assessing safety is a key element of inspection.

Within secure care, this extends to considering how the service protects children and young people from unsafe and unknown articles being brought into the service. The Care Inspectorate require each secure care service to keep records if a member of staff needs to search any person or their property. The service’s record should identify reasons for a search , the person authorising, staff involved and any subsequent action arising. The Care Inspectorate does not hold aggregated or centralised data.

Scotland’s secure centres all subscribe to the October 2020 secure care pathways and standards, co-designed with young people who have experience of secure care. All secure centres have written search policies reflecting the expectations set out in those standards. There is no central data on the number of strip searches carried out in each independent secure unit.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the social care workforce and as part of this we have engaged with both COSLA and Scottish Care on this matter. COSLA has informed us that they would expect those working in a local government setting will receive the full 45p per mile rate set by HMRC. We will continue to engage with partners on this emerging issue.