Chamber and committees

The Covid-19 Education Recovery Group, which brings together councils, teachers’ representatives, parent bodies and trades unions, continue to meet to discuss the next steps as we plan for the safe re-opening of schools and on the 30th of July we published detailed guidance for the full time return to schools in August.

This guidance applies to all local authorities and schools under their management, including special schools, and is also expected to be used by grant-aided schools and independent schools to support their recovery efforts.

The guidance sets out clear requirements around infection prevention, including enhanced hygiene, environmental cleaning and ventilation, arrangements to minimise contacts between individuals, and use of PPE and face coverings where appropriate. Arrangements for enhanced surveillance, testing and outbreak management will also be in place. The guidance includes specific considerations for children with additional support needs, which local authorities and schools will be expected to implement appropriately in their settings.

Crown Estate Scotland has engaged extensively with the Scottish Government over recent months on how the ScotWind leasing round can support the development of the offshore wind supply chain.

The Scottish Government aims to publish the final Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy later this year. It will provide the spatial framework for developments coming forward under Crown Estate Scotland’s ScotWind leasing programme. A Social and Economic Impact Assessment (SEIA) was undertaken as part of this work and it includes an estimate of potential impacts on supply chain and employment. The SEIA can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/draft-sectoral-marine-plan-social-econimic-impact-assessment/pages/1/ .

The Supply Chain Development Statement process is not prescriptive as to the detailed scope of the work however, geophysical surveys are typically carried out during the development stage of the application process.

Comments on the supply chain development statement process from all stakeholders, including trade unions who represent seafarers is encouraged by 29 July 2020 https://www.crownestatescotland.com/maps-and-publications/download/478 .

Crown Estate Scotland has committed to sharing final supply chain development statements with the Scottish Government and enterprise agencies, in addition key information on the supply chain development statements will be published.

Scottish Ministers see trade unions as a partner in the process to maximise an indigenous supply chain for Scotland to support growth of this sector. Crown Estate Scotland has requested feedback from all stakeholders on the proposed supply chain development statement process by 29 July 2020 and will consider this prior to finalising the arrangements. https://www.crownestatescotland.com/maps-and-publications/download/478 .

Companies are required to register their interest in ScotWind leasing by 5 August 2020. https://www.crownestatescotland.com/maps-and-publications/download/476 . Crown Estate Scotland will publish information on Scotwind leasing awards once agreements are in place.

We are working on the development of a Recovery and Rehabilitation Framework, which will align with Scotland’s Re-mobilise, Recover, Re-design: The Framework for NHS Scotland’. It broadens the traditional understanding of “rehabilitation” to encompass a wider range of conditions and behaviours, that will support people to recover from the current pandemic and build resilience in the population against future pandemics. This draft Framework will put in place clear principles, priorities and objectives to support planning to meet increasing demand and to provide high quality person-centred rehabilitation in different settings, including prioritising the development of digital and online resources. We expect this to be published in August 2020. Nationally, the Scottish Government and local providers have taken action to:

• ensure the workforce is able to maintain virtual communications to work seamlessly in their peer teams, with the ability to share files in a safe and secure way
• provide a platform that clinicians can use to deliver services remotely and directly either with individual patients or in small groups. This has been facilitated by the rapid roll out of NHS Near Me (Attend Anywhere)
• increase the social media presence of Allied Healthcare Professionals to share learning, good practice and solutions
• We therefore recognise that people affected by coronavirus (COVID-19) can benefit from providing care and support in different ways including online rehabilitation services.

Such a step would be in contravention of conditions for Scotwind leasing which is designed to be compliant with State aid, procurement and competition regulations.