Chamber and committees

In January 2021 I announced that £50 million would be allocated to support the justice system “Recover, Renew and Transform Programme”, which includes addressing the national requirement for a higher number of both sheriff and summary sheriff roles to manage the backlog in the sheriff courts that occurred due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

To support this programme of work, the Lord President made a formal request to Scottish Ministers for 15 fee paid sheriffs and 15 fee paid summary sheriffs to be appointed by the end of 2021. In April 2021, Scottish Ministers formally requested the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland (JABS) begin the recommendation for appointment process to fill these roles. Subsequently recommendations for appointment are expected to be received from JABS in November 2021.

The Scottish Government welcomes the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care’s report: Every Story’s Ending. This report provides a helpful insight into the experiences that people and their families have at the end of life in Scotland.

The findings of the report will be helpful in shaping the work to take forward our commitment to produce a new palliative and end of life care strategy over the course of the coming year.

Following the allocation of £2.1 billion provided to date to NHS Boards and Integration Authorities to support additional COVID-19 costs, a further £482 million is now being provided to NHS Boards and Integration Authorities in 2021-22 to meet ongoing costs associated with Covid-19. This includes funding for PPE, Test and Protect and delivery of Covid-19 vaccinations.

The Scottish Government will continue to ensure that our health and care services have the funding that they require to respond to this pandemic.

Details of funding allocations to NHS Boards and Integration Authorities are set out in the following table:

Our colleges and universities have been vital in our efforts to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. The decades to come will bring further significant change at pace – shifts in automation, digital developments and artificial intelligence, the move to net-zero, changes in the world of work and study, global competition for talent and resources and our future demographic, health and social care needs.

That is why we asked the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) to review how it could best fulfil its mission of achieving coherence, quality and sustainability in tertiary education and research. SFC’s report - Coherence and Sustainability: A Review of Tertiary Education and Research - was published at the end of June 2021.

Our full response was published today and is available at https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781802015041 . The Scottish Government broadly accept the Review’s recommendations. We recognise that, given the breadth of recommendations, some require a Scottish Government lead, others are for SFC and its Board to consider further, while we expect the sector itself to respond across a number of key areas. In addition, some recommendations will require further development for consultation.

As a government, our ambition is to create the best possible environment for colleges and universities, students and employers to thrive, now and into the future. I look forward to working with them to achieve our ambitions for Scotland’s tertiary education and research system.

There are a number of subsidised training schemes provided by Scottish Government in regards to HGV and Bus Driver training including: Employability Fund, Modern Apprenticeships, National Transition Training Fund and Individual Training Accounts

A summary table has been provided, showing the number of people supported through the various schemes in relation to HGV and Bus driver training. To ensure consistency, we have provided figures based on financial years 2019-20, 2020-21 and Quarter 1 of 2021-22.

There are a number of subsidised training schemes provided by Scottish Government in regards to HGV and Bus Driver training:

• Employability Fund - offers employability and skills training for unemployed individuals across Scotland. HGV driver training is available to eligible individuals through this fund.
• Modern Apprenticeships – learn on the job to gain the experience you need and work towards a recognised qualification. The Freight Logistics framework applies to HGV/LGV. As part of this framework apprentices will be offered the opportunity to study SVQ Driving Goods Vehicles at SCQF Level 6.
• Individual Training Account – to help people develop the skills they need for work. Up to £200 contribution towards a training course, which can include HGV and Bus driver training.

On 2 September 2021, the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture announced that £250,000 would be made available from the Scottish Government’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund (HEF) to provide critical help for the people of Afghanistan.

The Scottish Government is in close contact with the charities involved in the HEF to determine how support could be delivered safely and effectively.

All members of the HEF Panel are obliged to comply with the HEF Operations Manual, which includes financial, safeguarding and fraud guidelines. Furthermore, project implementing partners are required to sign a grant offer letter with the Scottish Government before funding is released. Our grant conditions require all grant-holders to keep open and transparent records for all Scottish Government funds.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03745 on 26 October 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

The Programme for Government 2020-21 commits the Scottish Government to consult on legislation to extend the new framework that came into force on 1 September for the licensing of animal welfare establishments, dog, cat and rabbit breeding and pet sales to performing animals and animal care services.

We plan to bring forward consultations in this area in due course after allowing a period of familiarisation with the recent licensing changes, so that the practical experiences of local authorities in implementing these can be considered in any future proposals.

As we set out in our recent Programme for Government, we are committed to delivering the recommendations of the independent Grouse Moor Management Group review (the ‘Werritty Review’) as a matter of urgency.

This will include tighter regulation, including licensing, and oversight of muirburn, and a ban on burning on peatland (expect in very limited cases as part of an approved habitat restoration programme).

We will also undertake a review of the current definition of peatland, taking expert advice on whether it should be revised and a stricter definition imposed.

The timing of the legislation will depend on the future legislative programme for the Parliament, which will be set out in due course.