Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government’s Heat in Buildings Strategy, published in October 2021, committed to establishing a Green Heat Finance Taskforce by the end of 2021. The purpose of the Taskforce is to develop a portfolio of innovative financial solutions involving the private, public and third sectors for building owners in Scotland to ensure that by 2045, our homes and buildings no longer contribute to climate change, as part of the wider just transition to net zero.

The Taskforce will forge a new partnership approach between the Scottish public sector, heat decarbonisation experts and the financial sector to explore potential new and value for money innovative financing mechanisms for individual and community level investment in zero emissions heat. The Taskforce has a crucial role in shaping how the transition to zero emissions heat in Scotland’s buildings is financed, therefore the membership of the Taskforce will be drawn from expertise including green finance, the heat and energy efficiency sector and consumer groups. Further details of the composition of the Taskforce will be provided by the end of 2021.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03853 on 10 November 2021. 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/written-questions-and-answers

Most faults on the ChargePlace Scotland network are transient and in the majority of cases require no physical intervention. This means that a high proportion are closed down swiftly and effectively. On a network of now over 2100 units in size, an average of 30 faults a day are raised, the majority closed within 48 hours.

In addition to adding new sites, Transport Scotland’s grant funding for this year will focus on further network resilience opportunities, with authorities tasked to firstly ensure warranty and maintenance contracts are in place, scope out potential expansion at busy/key charge point sites before adding any new sites to the network.

The Scottish Government’s Heat in Buildings Strategy, published in October 2021, committed to establishing a Green Heat Finance Taskforce by the end of 2021. The Taskforce will forge a new partnership approach between the Scottish public sector, heat decarbonisation experts and the financial sector to explore potential new and value for money innovative financing mechanisms for investment in zero emissions heat. The Taskforce has a crucial role in shaping how the transition to zero emissions heat in Scotland’s buildings is financed, therefore the membership of the Taskforce will be drawn from expertise including green finance, the heat and energy efficiency sector and consumer groups.

The Scottish Government’s Heat in Buildings Strategy, published in October 2021, committed to establishing a Green Heat Finance Taskforce by the end of 2021. The Taskforce will forge a new partnership approach between the Scottish public sector, heat decarbonisation experts and the financial sector to explore potential new and value for money innovative financing mechanisms for investment in zero emissions heat. The Taskforce has a crucial role in shaping how the transition to zero emissions heat in Scotland’s buildings is financed, therefore the membership of the Taskforce will be drawn from expertise including green finance, the heat and energy efficiency sector and consumer groups.

The online self-booking portal for COVID-19 booster vaccinations will open on 15 November 2021.

The online self-booking portal will be open to adults aged 50-59, unpaid carers who are aged 16 or over, and people aged 16 or over who are household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals. This will allow people in those groups to book online for appointments from early December onwards.

It is widely documented that air pollution has a negative impact on health. However air pollution does not cause recognisably distinctive diseases and the sorts of illness that air pollution can exacerbate can also be affected by multiple other factors. The relationship between air pollution and health is extremely complex, and it is not possible to say with any certainty what impact air pollution can have on a specific individual. We do know that the very young, the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions are particularly vulnerable.

We welcome Professor Henshaw’s call for more research into the link between air pollution and child cancer, to further solidify whether there is a correlation.

The Scottish Government welcomes the publication of the report by the Survivor Reference Group and will consider the findings from this. It is vital that survivors of rape, sexual violence, and abuse are listened to and believed by the police and we are determined to improve the justice system to respond better to the needs of survivors of rape and sexual assault in Scotland.

The Scottish Government recognises the key role that advocacy services play in helping victims come forward and engage with the justice process, like those provided by Rape Crisis Scotland, which is why we fully fund the RCS National Advocacy Project.

A single police force has transformed the way rape and other sexual crimes are investigated in Scotland allowing far greater consistency of approach, including the training of police officers and use of specialist officers.

I last met with the Royal College of Nursing on 1 October 2021, where we discussed a range of issues.

The Scottish Government’s position on nursing and midwifery vacancies is set out in my responses to the Member's associated questions: S6W-02826 and S6W-02827 on 21 September 2021.

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/written-questions-and-answers

We want to ensure that wherever women seek menopause support, they get the care that they need. Menopause care is provided in different settings and in a variety of ways, in both primary and secondary care. We do not currently have the data to be able to accurately describe the variety of sources of menopause care in Scotland.

A key aim of the Women’s Health Plan is to ensure that when required women will have timely access to menopause support and services, be that though primary or specialist care.

To help achieve this we will provide access in each primary care team to a healthcare professional who has a special interest in menopause. We will also provide a specialist menopause services in every NHS Board – including a buddy system where sub specialisation is impractical.

We will be working closely with NHS Boards in order to progress these actions which will also enable us to build a comprehensive picture of the delivery of menopause care in Scotland.

Data on the number of people who have attended for menopause care in NHSScotland are not routinely available.