Chamber and committees

Most people were able to access the NHS Scotland Covid Status App without difficulty from launch. Where people experienced difficulties it was when they requested access to their vaccination status through the app after having verified their identity. This process involved the app linking to an existing NHS system. There was an extremely high number of initial users trying to access this NHS system that matched a verified an individual with their health record at the same time. This led to the system being overwhelmed for a short period and a related fault developing in the NHS system that routed these requests. The fault, along with the required fix, was identified within the first 24 hours and the fix successfully implemented on the evening of 1 October. The backlog of health record matching requests had been cleared within 48 hours of the app being launched, during which time people who experienced difficulties at that time could continue to use their paper version, or their PDF downloaded copy.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6F-00531 on
‎ 2 December 2021, which is available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at Meeting of the Parliament: 02/12/2021 | Scottish Parliament Website

The Core Scottish Government has not purchased any standard bicycles since 2007. The Core Scottish Government does not own any standard bicycles.

The Scottish Government holds cycle friendly employer status from Cycling Scotland. The Scottish Government offers a cycle to work scheme which allows staff to hire a bike and safety equipment, paid for through monthly salary deductions.

The only branding that will be required to be changed as part of bringing ScotRail services within the public sector under Scottish Government control is that of franchisee identifying stickers i.e. the small stickers on train doors and stations - “This service is operated by Abellio ScotRail”. It is anticipated that these will be changed through routine maintenance activities with no material additional cost to the taxpayer.

No, the Scottish Government did not have any discussion with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in relation to increasing Scottish Government’s Climate Justice Fund.

To clarify the figures for Scottish Government's Climate Justice Fund, we announced a doubling of it in our Programme for Government; increasing from £12 million to £24 million over the course of this Parliament. During COP, we announced a further 50% rise – from £24 million to £36 million, over the course of the Parliament.

In March 2020, we announced a funding package of £350m for an emergency communities fund to ensure local authorities, community groups, the third sector and social enterprise sector were able to support people and communities affected by COVID-19.

This included the £25 million Third Sector Resilience Fund (TSRF) and the
‎ £40 million Community and Third Sector Recovery Programme (CTSRP).A further £22.5 million was added to the CTSRP fund in 2021-22 to enable it to continue through to late summer.

These funds are now closed however third sector organisations may also contact their local Third Sector Interface for advice and information on funding sources. Here are the contact details for your local interface, Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway: www.tsdg.org.uk

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, SCVO, has a website, ‘Funding Scotland’ offering a one stop shop for information about possible sources of funding for third sector organisations and providing details of possible sources of funding from public sector organisations, corporate and charitable trusts - http://www.funding.scot

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04578 on 10 December 2021. 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.

Future transport investment by the Scottish Government will be set out in the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).

The South West Scotland Transport Study, which included Dumfries and Galloway, cited improving rest area provision for all road users, including hauliers, as one of its 23 recommendations.

Development of a strategy for improving rest and welfare facilities for hauliers across Scotland is a recommendation from Phase 1 of STPR2, published in February 2021. Transport Scotland will scope out a study to undertake baseline review, identify locations, options for intervention, consultation and develop business cases for investment.

The current priority for STPR2 is finalising the Phase 2 appraisal and reporting which builds upon Phase 1. Work on scoping, planning and procurement of this study has just commenced with work due to progress in earnest following publication of Phase 2.

We intend to publish the STPR2 Phase 2 recommendations this winter, thereafter decisions on priorities will be agreed with Ministers.

Grants of legal assistance are recorded against a primary case category code and not by individual subject matters of a grant. SLAB have provided the information requested using category codes, which is the most accurate reflection of numbers of case types available.

Between January 2020 and November 2021, the number of entities submitting these types of intimation or application except where otherwise noted.

i) Claims against public authorities

{includes relevant cases of reparation, judicial review, interdict, breach of contract}

87 firms, 135 practitioners

2 CLAO offices, 1 CLAO practitioner

0 PDSO Offices

ii) Community Care

{includes cases at the Additional Support Needs Tribunal and assessment of need, eligibility / charging for services and direct payments}

13 firms, 23 practitioners

1 CLAO office, 1 CLAO practitioner

0 PDSO offices

iii) Discrimination,

24 firms, 37 practitioners.

0 CLAO offices

0 PDSO offices

iv) Education,

26 firms, 28 practitioners.

0 CLAO Offices

0 PDSO Offices

v) Housing and debt,

247 firms, 447 practitioners

3 CLAO offices, 15 CLAO practitioners

0 PDSO offices

vi) Immigration and asylum and

71 firms, 174 practitioners

1 CLAO office, 1 CLAO practitioner

0 PDSO offices

vii) Family

429 firms, 871 practitioners

3 CLAO offices, 10 CLAO practitioners

0 PDSO offices

Scotland’s next census will be held on Sunday 20 March 2022. This will be the 22nd census to take place since the first in 1801, and the 17th to be managed independently here in Scotland.