Chamber and committees

Figure 18 in Revenue Scotland’s Annual Summary of Trends in the Devolved Taxes provides an estimate of the number of Land and Buildings Transaction Tax returns received with Additional Dwelling Supplement declared due by local authority in each year.

The latest publication, covering the period to 31 March 2019, can be accessed at: www.revenue.scot/about-us/publications/statistics .

I understand that Revenue Scotland intends to publish updated figures, covering the period to 31 March 2020, on 29 January 2021.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

However, data is available in relation to the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax Additional Dwelling Supplement, which applies in general terms to the purchase of additional residential properties of £40,000 or more. In this regard, I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-33957 on 22 December 2020. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

On 29 September 2020 I announced £1.1 billion in additional funding for NHS Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships to meet COVID-19 related costs. A breakdown of the initial provision for Boards included for NHS Test and Protect – as included in this funded package – is set out in the following table. Activities and costs remain under close review and funding to Boards will be revised through the year.

The Scottish Government published its final Offshore Wind Policy Statement on 28 October 2020. The Scottish Parliament was informed of the publication via a Government Initiated Question (GIQ).

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-32728 on 28 October 2020. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

The list of respondents to the draft Offshore Wind Policy Statement, of those who gave permission for their details to be published, can be found on our Consultation Hub:

https://consult.gov.scot/energy-and-climate-change-directorate/draft-offshore-wind-policy-statement/consultation/published_select_respondent .

The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014 sets out the legislative framework for integrating health and social care. It requires Integration Authorities to engage and consult with a range of stakeholders, working with local communities and professionals to improve outcomes and sustainability through service redesign. This would include moving primary care medical practices from direct provision to provision by independent contractors.

Prior to the Act, the Scottish Government’s Chief Executive Letter (CEL) 4 (2010) guidance provided advice and direction to NHS Boards to assist them in fulfilling the duties of public involvement set out in the National Health Service Reform (Scotland) Act 2004. It contains principles of good engagement and step-by-step guidance on the process of informing, engaging and consulting people in developing health and community care services.

An expert advisory group, comprising industry and independent acoustic experts, environmental health and government officials, and industry trade representatives, was set up to look at how low level background sound can be safely managed in hospitality, including the issues raised by the member. Following specialist assessment and field studies the group presented its findings and recommendations to Ministers on a qualitative risk assessed approach. This takes account of the wide environmental diversity of hospitality premises and how they may respond to sound. The recommendations were agreed and guidance has been published for the sector on how to manage low level sound in a covid safe manner, with an effective date of 12 December.

This has not been quantified. However, the measure to stop background sound in hospitality was a cautious approach pending a better understanding of how low level sound can be managed safely. An expert advisory group, comprising industry and independent acoustic experts, environmental health and government officials, and industry trade representatives, was set up to look at how low level background sound can be safely managed in hospitality. Following specialist assessment and field studies the group presented its findings and recommendations to Ministers on a qualitative risk assessed approach. This takes account of the wide environmental diversity of hospitality premises and how they may respond to sound. The recommendations were agreed and guidance has been published for the sector on how to manage low level sound in a covid safe manner, with an effective date of 12 December.

An existing core of trained and experienced vaccinators from the flu programme will transition to the Covid vaccination programme during this month and next and we are actively recruiting from NHS Scotland’s accelerated recruitment portal, and drawing from the wider clinical workforce of general practitioners, pharmacists, dentists and optometrists and others who have necessary prescribing authorisation.

The Scottish Government does not provide specific financial support to Integration Authorities which provide direct services in primary care such as GP practices run under 2C arrangements.

Directly run GP practices attract the same share of funding from general practice's "Global Sum" on the basis of their patient lists as practices run by independent contractors.