Chamber and committees

The £10m Scottish Hydrogen Innovation Fund is part of the Scottish Government’s Emerging Energy Technologies Fund. It aims to support Scottish researchers and innovators to drive technological progress and advance innovation to improve the cost-competitiveness of renewable hydrogen produced in Scotland. It will support Scottish companies to benefit from and contribute to the global research and innovation network through international collaboration.

Hydrogen policy officials are currently finalising the development of the Scottish Hydrogen Innovation Fund and have invited views from stakeholders on the scope of this Fund.

Views can be provided at https://consult.gov.scot/energy-and-climate-change-directorate/hydrogen-action-plan/ .

Further details will be provided in early 2022 as part of the Emerging Energy Technologies Fund.

We published an updated evidence paper on the Covid 19 status certification scheme on Friday 19 November 2021.

Public Heath Scotland also publish a weekly COVID-19 statistical report which includes the number of times the NHS Scotland COVID Status App has been downloaded. As at 15 November 2021 this is 1.5 million times. The statistical information for the app is provided by Apple and Google and we do not receive a breakdown by age or demographic.

Our COVID-19 Status Certification scheme already recognises people who have been vaccinated outwith the UK and Common Travel Area. People who want to attend a venue or event covered by the certification scheme should obtain proof of vaccination status from the country in which they received their vaccination.

If the person lives in Scotland they can upload their official proof of vaccination from that country to their Scottish vaccination record. This will mean they will have a combined fully vaccinated status to show for travel or domestic purposes. Further information on this is at NHS Inform: Request an update to your coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination record This process will also update their record for the purposes of using the app.

If the person is visiting Scotland from outwith the UK and the EU, provided they have evidence of having had a MHRA approved vaccine that can be used for domestic certification in Scotland.

The Scottish Government have published ‘ Vaccine certification scheme – information for business and event organisers ’ and ‘ Vaccine certification scheme – information for customers ’. This provides guidance so both people attending events and the venue staff are fully aware what can be accepted.

As set out in the Programme for Government 2021 - 22, published on 7 September 2021, the Scottish Government is committed to establishing a dignified and compassionate miscarriage service by the end of 2023. This commitment includes ensuring women’s services have dedicated facilities for women experiencing unexpected pregnancy complications.

As part of delivering on this commitment, we will carry out a scoping exercise to establish current service provision across all 14 Health Boards and host a series of roundtables to discuss with stakeholders what more can be done to improve miscarriage care and support for women who experience complications during pregnancy. The first roundtable will take place in early 2022.

ScotWind leasing is managed by Crown Estate Scotland and any conditions on a seabed lease are a matter for Crown Estate Scotland.

We are continuing to make progress within this age cohort. With 582,135
people aged 18-29 (70%) having their second dose of the COVID -19
vaccination, and 659,241 people aged 18-29 ( 79%) having their first dose
of the vaccine, as at 30 November.

The latest figures on vaccinations are published and can be viewed at: https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/phs.covid.19#!/vizhome/COVID-19
DailyDashboard_15960160643010/Overview

We have encouraged uptake by utilising a range of communication channels,
including TV, radio, digital and social, to encourage younger people to get
vaccinated and we have also shared messaging and resources with
organisations, such as Young Scot and the Scottish Professional Football
League (SPFL).

The full contract notices are published on Public Contracts Scotland. See https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=NOV432052 and https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=NOV432062 . I also refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03620 on 17 November 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 .

The primary objective of the booster programme is to maintain protection against severe COVID-19 disease, specifically hospitalisation and deaths over winter 2021-22, and is aimed at maintaining protection in those most vulnerable, and to protect the NHS.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) reviewed all the currently available evidence and data in respect of the newly emerging Omicron variant of COVID and has concluded that a COVID-19 booster vaccination should not be given within three months of completion of the primary course. They have advised that the booster vaccination should now be offered in order of descending age groups, with priority given to the vaccination of older adults and those in a COVID-19 at-risk group.

We will continue to work at pace to deliver booster doses in line with this new JCVI advice.

The Royal Society of Edinburgh have provided a full list of 2021 RSE Saltire Research Awards on their website. This includes 13 Scottish higher education institutions, across the 93 awardees:

• Edinburgh College of Art
• Glasgow Caledonian University
• Heriot Watt University
• Queen Margaret University
• University of Aberdeen
• University of Dundee
• University of Edinburgh
• University of Glasgow
• University of St Andrews
• University of Stirling
• University of Strathclyde
• University of the Highlands and Islands
• University of the West of Scotland
  

The Scottish Funding Council Saltire Emerging Researcher Scheme awarded 9 Scottish university consortia funding to promote mobility between Scotland and European research partners:

• EaSI-CAT (East of Scotland Industrial Catalysis) Doctoral Training Programme
• Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities
• Scottish Graduate School of Social Science
• SAGES – Scottish Alliance for Geoscience, Environment & Society
• SICSA – Scottish Informatics & Computer Science Alliance
• ScotCHEM – Scottish Universities Chemistry Research Pool
• SULSA – Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance
• SUPA – Scottish Universities Physics Alliance
• MASTS – Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland

Although final figures are not yet confirmed, we know up to 9,000 people have benefited from NTTF skills support in year one. Many year one courses were delivered by colleges and universities over the academic year from September 2020 to July 2021 so it is not possible to disaggregate figures to the end of March. Final figures for year one training will be published early in 2022 following verification of data.

Training opportunities were managed and delivered by a wide range of partners, including the Scottish Tourism Alliance, Creative Scotland and the National Manufacturing Institute for Scotland, alongside Scotland’s colleges and universities. Courses and placements were of varying length and cost but no direct award of funds to meet the cost of training courses were made to individuals.