Chamber and committees

We do not have similar figures in Scotland because we do not hold data on whether a care home has unionised staff. There are no plans to collect that information, however in May 2021, the Care Inspectorate published a report analysing different factors affecting Covid-19 care home deaths (e.g. care home size, care home provider).

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-08300 on 12 May 2022. 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

Single Building Assessment applicants are supported through the process to complete the application form and commission professional services ahead of receiving the final survey report. 15 pilot blocks are within the Application Phase. 10 pilot blocks are within the Delivery Phase. One additional block is existing within the new approach where we direct commission those professional services on behalf of a building.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-08300 on 12 May 2022. 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

Within our pilot model, applicants are required to obtain up to three quotes to participate in the Single Building Assessment programme.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) uses the national waiting times warehouse to collect electronic patient records covering the waits that patients experience waiting for treatment as an inpatient or day case under the Treatment Time Guarantee. This data source can be used routinely to identify the specialty of treatment. However, although the records are designed to collect coded information on the procedure that is planned for the patient, this information is often either incomplete, lacking in essential detail and/or its accuracy cannot be assured. In addition, for patients who have completed their wait, the procedure(s) that was planned may not always reflect that actually performed after they were admitted for treatment. The latter is not captured through the warehouse. Consequently, PHS is not currently able to report accurately on waiting times to this level of detail. More detailed information on the procedure(s) that is planned or undertaken for a patient will be held locally by NHS Boards.

Statistics relating to the waits patients experience for inpatient or day case treatment at specialty level are published up to 31 December 2021 and can be found using the link below:

https://publichealthscotland.scot/media/11657/ipdc_feb22.xlsx .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05015 on 7 January 2022. 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

It is for Police Scotland to decide how best to engage with non-governmental organisations in the context of an international deployment. I can, however, confirm that Police Scotland discussed this particular deployment with a Scottish-based NGO which has a strong track-record in Colombia. Police Scotland has also held discussions with representatives from indigenous communities in the country. This approach has helped to ensure that officers are aware of human rights concerns and that there is transparency in relation to the purpose of the deployment. Doing so reflects a human rights-based approach and is consistent also with Police Scotland’s Code of Ethics.

The Scottish Government is committed to align with or exceed the standards of the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive including banning oxo-degradable plastics under Article 5 of that Directive.

Oxo-degradable plastics were included in the suite of impact assessments performed for the creation of the Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Scotland) Regulations 2021.

However, this is an area of significant complexity and rapid change and it is important that we make a decision based on the most up to date information.

Therefore, we have commissioned James Hutton Institute to undertake further analysis to demonstrate environmental impact of oxo-biodegradable products. This research is expected to be completed shortly and will help inform the scope of the planned ban on oxo-degradable plastic products in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is proud to be increasing our International Development Fund by 50%, over this parliament, at a time when the UKG has reduced its bilateral programmes for the most vulnerable communities in the world by 53%.

Our first uplift towards that commitment to a £15 million per annum International Development Fund was introduced from April 2022, an additional £1.5 million this financial year, as announced in the Scottish Government Budget.

We have agreed a 1 year extension period with the majority of our cohort of competitively awarded Zambia and Rwanda projects (2017-22), to now take them also to a new finish date of March 2023. We are also discussing with our partner countries additional funding to support their sustainable recovery from COVID, including on areas like vaccine equity.

We are also currently considering our programmes in the light of the findings of our Review into our approach to International Development, working towards new Programmes commencing in 2023. We will provide further details to the Parliament in due course.