Chamber and committees

The requested information is not centrally held. NHS Education for Scotland publishes annual data on joiners/leavers, but this information does not specify start date or professional background of joiners. Information on joiners/leavers by staff group for each financial year can be found on the following link: NHSScotland workforce | Turas Data Intelligence

In October 2021, SG officials wrote to those remaining on the COVID-19 temporary registers with advice on how to view and access NHS Board vacancies, encouraging them to consider returning to the service. Prospective candidates were directed to vacancies hosted by individual NHS Boards, who are fully responsible for local recruitment.

Our overall assessment, from the numbers that remained on the registers and feedback from boards, is that a reasonable return rate would have been in the region of 5-10%; or around 200 doctors, nurses and midwives, allied health professionals and pharmacists (headcount) nationally. However, as candidates were directed to NHS Board vacancies, the Scottish Government does not hold data on the number of returners joining as a result of this measure.

A decision was taken, in discussion with Boards, that monitoring the rate of applicants in autumn and winter who had applied from emergency registers would be a burdensome task for already pressured Health Board recruitment teams.

The remit of the short life working group expressly omits the merits of different models to tackle prostitution .

All 429 of the intelligence reports received between 24 August 2020 and 30 November 2021 via the webform have been assessed, with appropriate actions identified and initiated.

Cyber security issues can result from, or be exacerbated by, human error and it is increasingly important for everyone to be aware of the cyber risks and to be able to mitigate them.

The Scottish Government works closely with partners such as Education Scotland, Police Scotland, Lead Scotland, YouthLink Scotland and Young Scot to raise awareness of cyber risks and of the measures people can take to protect themselves, their families and their communities.

Cyber resilience and broader digital skills are embedded into the Curriculum for Excellence. In 2017, we refreshed the Technologies curriculum to ensure that young people are learning up-to-date computing, digital and cyber resilience skills from early years onwards.

Proof of recovery status was added to the international page of the Covid Status app on 9 January. This is the easiest way for someone to demonstrate they have had Covid in the previous 180 days when travelling to countries where certification is required.

In the absence of the app, the text or email message the person received from test and protect when they tested positive can be used as an alternative way of demonstrating the date they tested positive for Covid.

We are currently exploring other non-digital alternatives for proof of recovery certification for those unable to use the app.

Each country has its own guidance and requirements in relation to proof of Covid-19 status and vaccinations and we would urge people to refer to the relevant countries’ guidance on gov.uk before travelling.

The Scottish Government is aware of the impact the necessary public health restrictions has had on businesses, including tanning salon operators.

We recently announced £375m of support for businesses impacted by measures introduced to control the spread of Omicron and have provided details on how £266m of this will be allocated. This includes £19m for close contact businesses.

This £19m for close contact businesses is targeted at those who have been the most affected by the updated public health guidance introduced from 9 December 2021 to 24 January 2022. Beauty services, hairdressers and wellness services that provide spray and application tanning are eligible, however retail businesses utilising sunbeds are not in scope at this stage.

Decisions on the allocation of the remaining funds will be confirmed following further analysis and consultation with affected sectors on how it can best be targeted.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all people who require stoma care services are able to receive the best possible care and support wherever possible and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put the patient at the centre of their care.

A range of nurses and support workers with mixed responsibilities can support patients who have stomas across health and social care. There are many nurses within differing units and specialities within NHS Boards and social care, including in the community, who are able to support stoma patients alongside stoma clinical nurse specialists.

The focus of the Scottish City Region and Growth Deals carbon management guidance is the minimisation of greenhouse gas emissions, in support of Scotland’s national target to reach net zero by 2045. The guidance is already fully aligned with the Environmental Impact Assessment process, which also addresses adaptation and ensures resilience to the locked in impacts of climate change. This enables the guidance to be used in conjunction with other sources of information (e.g. projections of future changes in climate) to undertake climate change impact assessments in accordance with relevant planning requirements and building standards.

A statutory public inquiry has been established to examine the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland. The inquiry will undertake scrutiny of the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland as a whole and identify lessons and implications for the future.

Audit Scotland will publish its report on Scotland's financial response to COVID-19 in May 2022. This audit is a review of the public sector’s financial response to the COVID-19 pandemic as a whole. It will consider the financial management, governance and oversight arrangements in place for public bodies to quickly distribute funding to those that need it.

In addition, the Scottish Government continues to review on an ongoing basis the support provided to the social care sector to ensure that it remains appropriate. This is undertaken on a collaborative basis with partners across the sector to ensure understanding of the impact of decision making on providers and those receiving care.

Scotland House London is clearly not an overseas office, but is a hub in a crucial city for Scotland. The facility provides a platform to develop trade and investment links, strengthen government to government relations and facilitate collaboration on economic, academic and innovation projects. Through Scotland House we are enhancing the range and depth of engagement with international partners across areas of shared ambition and common challenge, in order to inform and support the delivery of the Scottish Government policy agenda. Scotland House London is a unique collaboration between the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise (including Scottish Development International), VisitScotland and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.