The Scottish Government expects the outstanding responses by the end of the year.

In relation to both financial years, 2021-22 and 2022-23, the total number of individuals procured to provide specialist services under Service Level Agreements is set out in the following table:

As outlined in my letter of 6 September secure transport is a complex and long-standing issue. Initial discussions have taken place with key partners to consider the registration, regulation and inspection of secure transport provision, most recently on 2 October. Those discussions are on-going and I hope to be able to update Parliament further during the forthcoming stages of consideration of the Children (Care and Justice) Bill.

The Scottish Government holds only relevant information on Service Level Agreements, such as the names of the relevant individuals and organisations to which they belong, providing start and end dates for each Agreement. Whilst we cannot provide a complete picture of all Agreements that have been ended in the past 5 years, our records have indicated however, that from April 2022 to October 2023, 71 Service Level Agreements ended with each of the specialist advisors returning to their respective NHS Scotland health board.

Service Level Agreements (SLA) with other public bodies are a commonly used and effective way to procure specialist advisory services for a defined period. Underpinned in Scottish Procurement law by the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 Regulation 13, the SLA approach is used to deliver a specific service through an individuals’ existing specialist skills and experience and so are commonly used across Health and Social Care Directorates (HSCD) to bring in the specialist, clinical knowledge and experience to enhance our vital services.

An SLA is not, therefore, an employment arrangement as the individuals’ employment contract arrangements remain with their employer. In the case of those individuals brought into HSCD, the service level agreement is between the Scottish Government and the relevant NHS Scotland Board.

The following working groups sit under the remit of the Education and Skills portfolio:

National Response to Improving Mathematics in Scotland Short Life Working Group

National Response to Improving Literacy in Scotland Short Life Working Group

NIF Statutory Guidance Working group

National Transitions to Adulthood Strategy External Strategic Working Group

Scottish Government Cross-policy Working Group on Transitions

Improvement and Regulation Working Group

Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Working Group

Short Life Working Group on Data Sharing in Relation to Student Sexual Misconduct

Access Data Short-Life Working Group

Short Life Working Group on the Scope of the Accreditation and Regulation Function for the New Qualifications Body

Short Life Working Group on Economic and Social Opportunities for Gaelic

As at October 2023, the Scottish Government’s Health and Social Care Directorates (HSCD) have 145 specialist advisors from various NHS Scotland territorial and national boards, procured under a Service Level Agreement, working with Scottish Government officials.

The Review of Purpose Built Student Accommodation has now concluded. The recommendations formulated by the Review Steering Group have been submitted to Ministers for consideration. A Ministerial response to the recommendations will follow in due course.

The Scottish Government has no role in the provision of student accommodation, whether in purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) and university and college halls of residence or the private rented. However, we are determined to improve accessibility, affordability and standards in student accommodation.

Our Review of PBSA, which considered a number of issues including supply and affordability, has now concluded and the recommendations formulated by the Review Steering Group have been submitted to Ministers for consideration.

Although cyber security matters are reserved to the UK Government, the Scottish Government is determined to do whatever it can within its powers to build Scotland’s cyber resilience and to reduce the impact of cyber incidents.

The Scottish Government works with a range of national partners including Police Scotland, the National Cyber Security Centre, Cyber and Fraud Centre Scotland (formerly known as ‘Scottish Business Resilience Centre’), the Digital Office, ScotlandIS, SCVO, Education Scotland and Skills Development Scotland – as part of the CyberScotland Partnership. This partnership aims to manage cyber risks through improving critical security controls across our public, third and private sectors, raising awareness and developing cyber security skills across schools, colleges, universities and the workplace.