Chamber and committees

We know from research carried out in 2018 that barriers to completing an online application include people preferring paper, or having no computer or no broadband.

Each year we work with area offices and the RPID customers who continue to return paper applications to encourage more of them to submit their applications online. Each year, more are doing so.

We have written to everyone continuing to submit paper applications that they will only be able to submit their SAF online from 2022 and provided guidance on how to get online and how to submit their application form.

We will continue to support such customers to move to applying online for the 2021 and 2022 SAF window, using Digital Assist appointments, clear guidance, and contacting affected customers early, setting out what support is available.

Our key priority at this time remains protecting the lives of everyone in Scotland as we continue to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. However, where it is possible to do so, our consultants continue to advance design work on the A96 Dualling programme, whilst complying with the Government’s physical distancing guidance. While we continue to progress as much as we can during this time, it is not possible to progress some preparatory work, such as public engagement events and site surveys.

In terms of the Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass) scheme a Public Local Inquiry took place in October / November 2018 to consider objections received and not withdrawn. The Reporters submitted their report to Scottish Ministers in October 2019 and this is under active consideration.

The Preferred Option for the Hardmuir to Fochabers section was announced at a series of public exhibitions in December 2018 with the detailed development and assessment of the preferred option ongoing. In October 2019 two ground investigation contracts were awarded on the scheme, each worth £1.2m, which will help inform the development of the preferred option. Ground investigation site work has temporarily been ceased due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Route option assessment work on the section between East of Huntly and Aberdeen is also well underway. Once the current pandemic crisis is over and we can return to business as usual, we will re-evaluate the arrangements and timescales for identifying a preferred route option on this section.

Construction of the schemes that make up the programme can only commence if each scheme is approved under the relevant statutory procedures and thereafter a timetable for their progress can be set.

The Covid-19 regulations in Scotland have not yet changed with regard to lifting restrictions on returning to work. For now, the advice in Scotland continues to be “stay at home, except for essential purposes”.

We need to be confident that community transmission is under control before we consider changes to the current restrictions.

Local authorities are continuing to take decisions about critical childcare provision for key workers in line with national guidance agreed between the Scottish Government and local authority partners. Key workers who cannot fulfil their critical functions if they do not have childcare may qualify for critical childcare provision. If one parent is a key worker but the other is not then critical childcare will generally not be available to families.

On 21 May the Scottish Government published a routemap setting out our phased approach to easing lockdown measures in line with our framework for decision making published on 23 April.

We are working with local authorities, employers, trade unions and other partners to plan for ways of restarting the economy and looking at the implications of this for issues such as childcare. As part of the routemap we have published our assessment about a phased return to school for all children and young people guided by the considerations of our Education Recovery Group.

Existing guidance and materials are widely available and remain relevant for anyone walking outdoors – they can be accessed at https://www.nhsinform.scot/bugs-and-germs . There has not been any new guidance produced recently, as the Scottish Government’s focus has been on supporting the Covid-19 response.

Together with Food Standards Scotland, we are currently reviewing the contents of the grocery boxes provided to those who are shielding from Covid-19 to ensure they are continuing to meet the nutritional and other needs of recipients.

The Scottish Government issued a tweet to raise awareness of Lyme Disease Awareness Month in May 2019 as a reminder to walkers when out and about in the countryside https://twitter.com/scotgovhealth/status/1126059581346603008

The material from the social media campaign the Scottish Government, along with key partners, ran throughout the summer of 2018 to encourage young people to enjoy the outdoors, whilst promoting outdoor health messages such as checking for and removing ticks safely is still available and can be reused by anyone wishing to highlight the need for vigilance when outdoors using the tags @ramblersscot, @youngscot, @nature_scot #TopTipsToFightTicks, #HealthyOutdoors #AGreatDayOut.

The COVID-19 pandemic – and the consequent lockdown and social distancing guidelines we have implemented – have resulted in some restrictions on the types of work that telecommunications suppliers can do at this time. However, guidance for councils and operators has meant that a limited amount of build of new infrastructure has continued (for example to NHS sites and in more rural areas), as well as critical maintenance and repairs to our existing telecommunications network. We are also working closely with the UK Government, Ofcom and industry to ensure adequate support is available for anyone struggling in the current climate. On 29 March, a series of welcome measures were introduced, including the removal of data caps for fixed line services and increased data allowances at lower costs for mobile service, to keep customers connected during these difficult times.

With regards to the R100 programme, we continue to work with BT on the Central and South contracts, final surveys are being undertaken to assess updated speed coverage templates and we know the intention is to look to accelerate build wherever possible. However, Aberdeenshire sits within the North lot, and I remain unable to comment on progress for this specific contract, due to the ongoing legal proceedings which we must respect. As regards the North lot, I will seek to update Parliament, as soon as possible, once those proceedings have concluded.

Of course, despite all regulatory and legislative responsibility for telecommunications resting solely with the UK Government, the Scottish Government has taken action to greatly improve digital connectivity in Scotland – the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband (DSSB) has delivered transformative results across all local authorities, including Aberdeenshire, where more than 73,000 properties are now able to access superfast speeds of 30 Megabits per second (Mbps) as a result of Scotland’s £400 million Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband programme (DSSB).

However, I recognise the vital importance of good quality digital connectivity. This is why we made our commitment to ensure 100% of premises could access superfast broadband services, and, aside from some ongoing, legacy DSSB activity delivered via the ‘Gainshare’ mechanism, this commitment will be delivered through three strands of activity: firstly, through the three Reaching 100% programme (R100) contracts, in the North, Central and South lots; secondly, through a Scottish Government funded nationwide, superfast broadband voucher scheme aligned to our R100 programme, which will ensure that everyone has an opportunity to access superfast broadband by the end of 2021 where R100 itself is known in some localities to be scheduled to deliver to their specific premises after December 2021, or where their premises are not among those cited within the successful bid for the Lot in question; and, thirdly, through continued commercial coverage. As you may be aware, the Scottish Government is funding £579 million or 96.5% of the £600 million R100 contracts with the UK Government contributing 3.5% of funding (£21 million).

To enable prospective purchasers to make informed decisions, it is vital the Home Report provides accurate information about the condition and value of a property. If a property was placed on the market before the lockdown period and has not been withdrawn from the market for a period exceeding four weeks, the Home Report will remain valid until the property is sold.

Scottish Government is actively considering how it can best support the housing market when current movement restrictions are relaxed, and whether any additional measures are required to facilitate transactions, in liaison with industry and other stakeholders.