Chamber and committees

Our review process has been informed by the latest evidence from public opinion as well as the clinical and scientific literature, and from international experience. We published an updated evidence paper on the COVID-19 status certification scheme on Friday 19 November 2021.

Understanding the effects of the scheme, and how it is being implemented, requires data about the use of the technology, vaccinations, and the impact on society and the economy. However, it is challenging to isolate the effects of any one element of the Covid response.

Vaccine uptake has slightly increased since the scheme was announced, although it is not possible to directly attribute rises to the introduction of certification. The proportion of those aged 12+ with a first dose rose from 86.0% to 90.5% and a second dose rose from 77.6% to 82.2%.

The majority of Lateral Flow Tests are distributed through the UK 4 nations National Testing Programme and a detailed breakdown is not available. Information on the number of Lateral Flow Tests used and reported in Scotland is published weekly by Public Health Scotland.

The First Minister updated Parliament on 23 November confirming that people attending venues or events covered by the Covid Certification scheme now have the option of providing either a record of their recent negative test, or vaccination. This change will came into effect from Monday 6 December. No further changes to the scope of the scheme are proposed at this stage but this is kept under review.

Decisions are taken, and reviewed on the latest data and clinical evidence. Our review process includes consideration of the impact assessments, including the Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment.

The NHS Scotland Covid Status App was updated on 26 October (to version 2.1.0) to disable the ability to take a screenshot on Android devices. This cannot be achieved in the same way directly via Apple iOS without disabling the app as a whole, so is therefore not disabled for Apple devices. However, the shimmer feature on the app can immediately alert someone who is visually checking Covid status apps if it genuine or if a screen shot.

It is not possible for the Scottish Government to quantify nor confirm the total mileage of all roads constructed anywhere and by anyone for these purposes in each of the last ten years. However, on Scotland’s national forests and land, Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) constructs roads for use on a multi-purpose basis e.g. timber transport, tree planting, environmental improvement works, recreational access. FLS does not hold data that ascribes a particular use to sections of forest road, nor does it hold specific data as to what lengths of road have been constructed by windfarm developers. Over the past ten years levels of forest road construction by FLS have been as follows:

2012: 46 Miles

2013: 52 Miles

2014: 43 Miles

2015: 34 Miles

2016: 37 Miles

2017: 37 Miles

2018: 44 Miles

2019: 32 Miles

2020: 27 Miles

2021: 24 Miles

The consultation on the National Care Service closed on 2 November 2021. We are currently analysing the consultation responses and will develop specific policy proposals, including on commissioning, once that analysis has been completed.

There is a commitment to co-design of a future National Care Service with people with lived and living experience of social care support, including those who access care, carers and care workers. The geography and demography of Scotland, including the unique circumstances of islands, will need to be central to that future co-design process.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

The following table provides the number of SPS issued mobile phone handsets that have been confiscated at HMP & YOI Grampian, each month, from 1 September 2021 to 10 December 2021:

We have committed to increase multi-year funding for the third sector and where possible we will do so. However, our ability to fulfil our devolved responsibilities remains hampered by a centralised UK budgeting approach that gives little fiscal flexibility.

Spending plans were contained in the Scottish Budget published on 9 December 2021. As set out in Programme for Government we will double investment in sport and active living to £100 million a year by the end of the Parliament ensuring more people can enjoy active lives as we recover, improving physical, mental and social health. We are working with the National Agency for Sport, sports cotland and other partners to consider how that money can best be invested to deliver against our priorities.

Ministers are not notified of every patient death by suspected hospital acquired infection, due to the possibility of patient identifiable information.

However, Ministers are routinely notified of incidents of hospital infection outbreaks (involving two or more patients) with management information regarding the organism of infection, number of patients involved in the outbreak, investigations and any suspected deaths associated with the outbreak.