Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has fully considered all of the suggestions made by stakeholders alongside all current data, scientific evidence and clinical advice available to us. Based on this assessment, subject to the relevant guidance being in place, our recommendation is that cruise restart when all of Scotland reaches Level 1.

While we would have been keen to provide a date, we need to work with the data available and any date would have been subject to review. This decision has been informed by the combination of risks that exist with both cruises and within the wider travel context, such as: the current trajectory of Covid infections and the unknowns around the new Delta variant, the close-proximity form of leisure that cruises offer that has high risk of uncontained rapid transmission, and, the opportunities to spread Covid through multiple stops in different levels around Scotland. These are only some of the risks, and although some of them could be mitigated through good protocols, it is the compound effect of all the risks involved which has led to this decision.

We are committed to reviewing restrictions every 3 weeks as part of the phased national easing through the Levels. The next review point is scheduled ahead of the planned easing of restrictions from 28 June. Our aim is to enable a restart to cruise as quickly and safely as possible and we are keen to continue to work with the sector on any required guidance ahead of this date.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-00577 on 16 June 2021. 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 removal of all dental charges for NHS dental treatment is a Scottish Government manifesto commitment and will take place in the lifetime of this parliament.

As part of the 100 Days Commitment the Scottish Government, young people with care experience are to be exempted from NHS dental charges. This commitment has now been widened to include all young people between 18 and 25 years of age (inclusive).

To progress the implementation of this policy ahead of August 2023, the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) have agreed a Joint Implementation Plan under which five local authorities will pilot early implementation of this obligation in 2021-22. Those authorities are: Angus; Argyll and Bute; Falkirk; Scottish Borders; and the Shetland Islands. The Scottish Government has committed £3 million to support this early implementation.

We have committed to seek to add further pilots in August 2022 to further inform full implementation of the obligation. Local authorities would be selected based on their suitability for evaluation purposes, and on their readiness to deliver the obligation early. We anticipate that the pilot authorities for 2022-23 will be announced in Autumn 2021 following engagement with local authorities and CoSLA.

The Scottish Government does not hold any official information about the number of persons who may have undergone mesh removal surgery privately in the past and as a consequence, cannot confirm how many people may be eligible for reimbursement under the proposed legislation. The Government believes at the moment that there may be a very limited number of persons who have arranged such surgery in the past. If the Parliament approves the legislation that the Government plans to propose, arrangements will be made and publicised to allow for potentially eligible persons to apply for reimbursement.

The SPCB has agreed to write to all passholders encouraging them to use lateral flow testing as part of a range of measures that will help keep those attending Holyrood and local offices to undertake parliamentary work as safely as possible and help prevent community transmission. 

This will be voluntary.  Anyone who attends Holyrood who has a positive lateral flow test should follow public health advice and also contact the Parliament for any specific advice in relation to their recent visits to the building. Lateral flow test packs can be obtained at testing centres and by requesting a pack via NHS Inform. More information can be found here. 

The previous Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science was in regular contact with both the Employers’ Association and EIS-FELA in relation to the national dispute regarding instructor/assessor roles in the college sector, which has now been resolved.

The Scottish Government has been clear throughout this dispute that both the employers and trade unions must continue with negotiations in an attempt to resolve this situation, which is absolutely not in the best interests of our learners. EIS-FELA have suspended local industrial action at Forth Valley College to allow the matter to be referred to the National Joint Secretaries for review and I urge both sides to resolve this dispute without the need for further industrial action.

The Scottish Government remains firmly of the view that it is for the college unions and the employers to negotiate pay and terms and conditions voluntarily in the spirit of collaboration and co-operation. We do however continue to work with the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), who work closely with the sector, to ensure any actions taken are compliant with the Scottish Public Finance Manual, the SFC Financial Memorandum and are in line with Fair Work principles.

Teachers are not expected to be in contact with SQA, schools, or individual pupils over the summer break. Results will be published on 10 August, and schools are not required to manage handling of any queries and initiating of any appeals processes at a local level until they return from summer holidays.

The Scottish Government works with a wide range of partners, particularly our enterprise agencies and local authorities, who have lead responsibility for local economic development in the area, to deliver investment and support job creation across Scotland, including the Central Scotland region.

We have committed £500 million to the Glasgow City Deal and £50 million to the Falkirk Growth Deal to support delivery of programmes of investment directly benefitting the Central Scotland parliamentary region. This investment will stimulate economic growth and create jobs in the construction phase of projects and beyond.

Scottish Enterprise works with a wide range of local businesses to help them to meet their growth aspirations and support job creation. Since 2019, Scottish Enterprise has invested over £3.35 million in Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) Grants, and almost £12 million in Research & Development (R&D) grants, to support projects that will help create and safeguard jobs in North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire and Falkirk.

Businesses are also directly supported via Business Gateway. Business Gateway, delivered by the local authorities, is Scotland’s first stop shop for businesses seeking public sector support, including how to grow their business and create jobs. Since 2019, Business Gateway has invested over £6 million in supporting businesses across the Central Scotland local authority areas, and through its DigitalBoost programme, delivered over £2.3 million to support companies to develop their digital skills and online presence to reach wider markets.

Additionally, the investment we make in areas such as local government, housing, education and skills, transport and health contribute to job growth. For example, in February 2021 we completed the £1.8 billion Scotland’s Schools for the Future Programme, which saw 117 new schools built or refurbished over the last ten years. Falkirk, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire collectively had 11 schools in the program, benefiting from £160 million investment, and the associated 1,500 construction jobs created by the programme at any one time. On Transport infrastructure, in March 2020 work completed on the £870 million Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme, improving railway infrastructure, rolling stock and service provision throughout central Scotland including Falkirk, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire. Construction supported around 600 jobs across the programme.