The Student Finance and Wellbeing Study (academic year 2023-24) will gather data from college and university students in Scotland on their level of study, the number of hours they have worked in the last week, the sector that their job(s) is/are in, and whether the paid work they are doing is supporting the development of skills related to their course. It will not collect information on where the paid work is carried out (on location/ employer). The extent to which the Study will be able to report on the experiences of work of postgraduate students will depend on sample sizes being large enough to report on.

The Scottish Government does not hold a list of how many GP surgeries have closed.

Health Boards are responsible for managing GP contracts.

Public Health Scotland publishes quarterly information about GP practices in Scotland.

Gathering Views | HIS Engage

The findings from the Student Finance and Wellbeing Study are due to be published in a Scottish Government Social Research report in late summer 2024.

The Scottish Government allocated £281,606 to the Cairngorms Trust from the 20220-23 Rural Community Led Local Development (CLLD) fund.

The objectives of the funding were; 

• Rural communities will have the opportunity to try out different approaches to local community development;
• Groups and organisations will build connections with the LAG network and the business sector;
• Rural groups and organisations will work in partnership to make positive changes in their communities;
• A body of evidence, insights and learning will be collated to help inform ongoing rural Community Led Local Development policy and programmes. 

No other funding was provided to the Cairngorms Trust directly from Scottish Government in the 2022-23 financial year.

The Scottish Women's Convention was awarded funding of £196,666 per annum for the period from 1 October 2021 to 30 September 2024 from the Scottish Government Equality and Human Rights Fund. This is a competitive fund, administered by Inspiring Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government which aims to embed and mainstream equality and human rights within policy and practice in Scotland. While we do not specifically set objectives for the funding to the Scottish Women's Convention, we do set the following outcomes for the Equality and Human Rights Fund:

• People have greater access to their human rights and how to access them.
• People with protected characteristics have increased access to remedy where their rights have not been upheld.
• People with protected characteristics have increased participation in public life.
• People with protected characteristics have increased influence in decisions that affect them.
• The Scottish Government has better access to data and depth of information about the experience of people with protected characteristics.
• Actors in civil society increasingly use Scotland's domestic and international E&HR framework to influence and effect change.
• The experience of people with protected characteristics is increasingly used to inform the policy and practice of public bodies.
• Public services increasingly embed equality and human rights in their strategic planning and their day-to-day functions.

As part of the assessment process, organisations applying for funding were invited to demonstrate how their proposed activities would deliver the fund outcomes. Those organisations awarded funding, including the Scottish Women's Convention, report on their activities and how these contribute to the fund outcomes every 6 months.

On 26 October I met with trade union representatives from the culture and arts sector to hear the opportunities and challenges facing the sector. Funding for Creative Scotland was also discussed at this meeting.

The Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture has not met with trade union representatives.

There has not been a reduction in the Scottish Government's funding awarded to Creative Scotland. Over the last five years, the Scottish Government has provided over £33m to Creative Scotland to compensate for the continuous reduction in National Lottery funding.

As a result of rising costs and pressure on budgets across government, we are unable to make up the ongoing shortfall this year.

The Creative Scotland Board agreed on 27 September to use Creative Scotland’s National Lottery reserves of £6.6m to ensure all RFO payments are met in full as provided for in the 2023-24 Funding Agreement.

Subject to the usual Parliamentary processes we will provide the National Lottery Shortfall funding of £6.6m to Creative Scotland in 2024-25.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Data at procedure level is held by Health Boards individually.

The Scottish Government is deeply concerned about the impact that scams can have on individuals, including those who are vulnerable to the activity of online romance scammers.

While we have not held any direct discussions with Police Scotland about romance scams, we continue to work with partners on scams prevention and to support the publication of a regular CyberScotland Bulletin (available at cyberscotland.com) which provides information on the latest cyber threats, scams and news. We also supported a media campaign run by Advice Direct Scotland last year to raise awareness around romance and companionship scams.

I would urge anyone who becomes aware of any suspicious activity relating to romance scams to contact ADS on 0808 164 6000 and urge anyone who feels they’ve been a victim of online romance scammers to report it to Police Scotland by calling 101.

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) are in the process of undertaking a policy review on whether home slaughter by an itinerant slaughterer for the purposes of private domestic consumption could be undertaken legally under current food hygiene legislation. Subject to the outcome of this policy review, FSS may consult with relevant stakeholders on next steps in due course.  

Under any revised home slaughter policy, it would not be possible for the meat from home slaughtered animals to enter into the food chain, as this is not permitted under existing food hygiene legislation. Only meat that has been slaughtered in an approved slaughterhouse can be legally placed on the market. There are currently no plans, therefore, to trial the use of itinerant slaughterers on island communities to produce meat that can be placed on the market.

We continue to work with HSCPs to implement the guidance. Chief Officers have been reminded of their duties and we are currently establishing a short life working group. This group will support implementation and ensure adequate provision of equipment, including short-term wheelchair loans, is available.