Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government will review the National Planning Framework (NPF), including the Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) after the Planning (Scotland) Bill has been considered by the Scottish Parliament. Our policy approach to planning for housing is expected to change as a result of the Bill. Our existing guidance - Planning Advice Note 2/2010 - Affordable Housing and Housing Land Audits, will be reviewed in relation to the new policy.

In the meantime, as confirmed in a letter from the Chief Planner issued in November 2017, the policy position on planning for housing is set out in Scottish Planning Policy (SPP), supported by Planning Advice Note (PAN) 2/2010.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-18388 on 20 September 2018. 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

Skills Development Scotland is committed to improving the success of individuals with dyslexia as set out in out in their five year Equality Action Plan, published in December of 2015. The Equalities Action Plan Update Year 2 was published in August 2018:

The update can be viewed at: https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/media/44830/apprenticeship-equality-action-plan.pdf

Skills Development Scotland has a specific focus on the promotion of apprenticeship opportunities to those who influence young people’s career ideas and aspirations, including our careers advisers, education practitioners and parents. This work will consider the differing needs of Skills Development Scotland's customers, including parents of individuals with learning disabilities.

A programme of capacity building for Skills Development Scotland contracted training providers has been developed to help support them in developing their knowledge and ability to recruit and support young people with learning difficulties on their Apprenticeship journey.

Skills Development Scotland has also committed to offer support for Apprentices who have more complex needs and this will include disability awareness training for the employers of these individuals which will be delivered by Open Doors Scotland.

The Additional Support for Learning Legislation has specific provisions relating to transitions. Where a child or young person is expected to leave school (at the end of primary school or when leaving secondary school) the education authority has a duty to request from the appropriate agency or agencies as thought fit, information about provision which the agency/agencies are likely to make for the child or young person on leaving school. Appropriate agencies may include social work services, health boards and Skills Development Scotland. This should take place no later than 12 months before the expected leaving date.

The Scottish Government aims to ensure that all young people have a positive destination when leaving school. It is important that the assessment information gathered by staff in school over the year is given to the young person and their family and that they understand the value of the report so they can use this when discussing their support needs in post school situations.

The Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit helps teachers and practitioners meet the needs of pupils with dyslexia. This online national tool identifies best practice for all education staff in schools including post school transitions.

In our Programme for Government last year, we committed to providing access to free sanitary products in schools, colleges and universities and in the majority of local authorities this is being delivered on educational establishment premises. While the numbers of home schooled children are not centrally held by the Scottish Government, we have stated in our new Programme for Government that we aim to increase the number and range of places where sanitary products are available for those who need them.

I have not met, nor have any current plans to meet Engender to discuss planning matters, but I have noted their correspondence relating to the Planning Bill. My officials met with Engender on 18 May 2018 and are arranging to do so again this autumn, following Stage 2 of the Planning Bill.

As an employer, the Scottish Government does not make determinations about whether the nature of a complaint constitutes a sexual assault as that is rightly a matter for Police Scotland to determine. We do not therefore have a record of any complaints that have been recorded as “sexual assault”.

In response to part (a) between 1999 and the end of 2017 the Scottish Government holds no recorded complaints of this nature against Ministers.

In January 2018, the Scottish Government received two harassment complaints relating to the former First Minister, Alex Salmond. These complaints were considered under a Scottish Government procedure for Handling Harassment Complaints Involving Current or Former Ministers https://beta.gov.scot/publications/handling-of-harassment-complaints-involving-current-or-former-ministers/ . For legal reasons the Scottish Government cannot provide further information.

In response to part (b) a system to report aggregated data about formal employee relations cases and complaints was introduced in 2007. The Scottish Government has no recorded complaints in relation to Special Advisers in the period from 2007 to the present.

In response to part (c) a system to report aggregated data about complaints recorded against employees was introduced in 2007. Since 2007, a total of 11 formal complaints of this nature have been received by the Scottish Government. Given the statistically low number, the supplementary information requested cannot be provided as this may risk disclosing personal information. However we can confirm that these cases were dealt with in line with the relevant internal procedures.

Note:

This covers staff employed on Scottish Government Main and Scottish Government Marine terms and conditions of employment and senior civil servants in the following areas:

• Scottish Government Core Directorates
• Accountancy in Bankruptcy
• Disclosure Scotland
• Education Scotland
• National Records of Scotland
• Office of Scottish Charity Regulator
• Scottish Housing Regulator
• Transport Scotland

The Scottish Public Finance Manual provides guidance on accountability arrangements for the use of public resources, such as grant payments. It requires that certain conditions should be satisfied before grant funding is awarded, including the standing and relevant experience / expertise of the prospective recipient and any delivery partners.

The Manual sets out that; ‘Grant funding provided by the SG must be subject to the lead business area being satisfied as to the standing and relevant experience / expertise of the recipient and any delivery partners.’

Workers have the right to attend their work without fear of harassment, bullying or physical harm, and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect at all times. Therefore, we would also expect any recipients of Scottish Government funding or grants to have in place robust governance processes that protect individuals’ health, safety and wellbeing in the workplace.

We are fully committed to Fair Work and endorse the vision set by the Fair Work Convention for fair work to be embedded in all workplaces by 2025. To that end, we have committed to publishing a Fair Work Action Plan before the end of this year. Legislative powers of the labour market are reserved but the action plan will set out how we plan to use the levers we do have to deliver Fair Work in workplaces across Scotland.

We have made absolutely clear the commitment of this government to promoting children’s health and wellbeing.

This year’s Programme for Government includes a commitment to invest in school counselling services across in Scotland. This will create around 350 counsellors, ensuring that every secondary school has access to counselling services, whilst also improving the ability of local primary and special schools to access counselling.

We will begin to work to implement this commitment quickly in partnership with local government. We intend to build from the work already in place in schools, and to enable those who already have arrangements in place to benefit from this commitment also.

Increasing participation in the Scottish Cervical Screening Programme is a key objective for the Scottish Government and we are continuing to carry out a range of work to encourage women to attend their screening appointments. This includes a series of national marketing campaigns – the most recent of which particularly targeted younger women, where we know uptake is lower.

We are also investing up to £5m of funding from the Cancer Strategy 'Beating Cancer: Ambition and Action' 2016 in our screening programmes, including cervical screening, to reduce inequalities and encourage participation, especially amongst those least likely to participate.

Scottish Government officials meet cervical screening coordinators from all NHS Boards on a quarterly basis to discuss a range of issues relating to the national screening programme, including promoting screening services and initiatives to improve uptake.