Chamber and committees

The funding allocated to the National Wellbeing Hub was £141,759 in financial year 2020-21 and £203,362 in financial year 2021-22.

We are fully supportive of the need to properly maintain and invest in our existing estate. This is why we are committed to doubling our annual funding for maintenance over the capital spending review period. This means that we will invest around £1 billion in enhancing or refurbishing existing health facilities, and updating and modernising medical equipment that is essential for delivering high quality medical services. However, it is for NHS Boards locally, to determine how that resource will be invested and it is for them to decide how they will manage property on the Buildings at Risk Register.

The Scottish Government delivers support for the historic environment through sponsorship of Historic Environment Scotland. This support allows Historic Environment Scotland to publish advice and guidance on its website which enables the owners of traditional and historic properties in Scotland to make informed choices about the options available to them.

The following table sets out how many training places were advertised per year from 2018-2022, the number of posts which filled successfully, the fill rate (%) and the number of unfilled posts.

We want all children and young people, including those with dyslexia, to receive the support they need to reach their full potential. The Additional Support for Learning Act places duties on education authorities to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their pupils. We are committed to supporting teachers and school staff to meet these needs.

We have provided a range of free professional learning opportunities for teachers aimed at supporting practitioners to further develop their knowledge, understanding and skills in supporting learners with dyslexia, and reduce barriers to learning. This includes the Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit and identification pathway, launched in 2017, and the Dyslexia and Inclusive Practice online professional learning modules, which enable staff to gain professional recognition in this area.

We are committed to ensuring that every child has access to a device by the end of this Parliament, in 2026. We are working with COSLA and local authorities to plan and deliver this programme, ensuring it meets the needs of all learners.

Scotland is home to several vibrant, growing and dynamic technology sectors, and the Scottish Government recognises their importance to our current and future economy. Our 10-year National Strategy for Economic Transformation seeks to strengthen Scotland’s position in new market opportunities, and specifically cites enabling technologies, like photonics and quantum, that have close links to the semiconductor industry. Our Technology Sector Export Plan will also develop the export capacity and capability of our enabling technologies sectors.

Scotland has considerable photonics expertise, being home to approximately 60 companies, and the only Fraunhofer Research Centre in the UK - the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics. In December 2021, I announced £6.5m of funding to support the next phase of its applied photonics research and innovation activities. The development of our quantum sector is supported through institutions such as the University of Glasgow’s Quantum Technology Hub, while Technology Scotland have also established a Quantum Special Interest Group. The Group is currently drafting a paper, due to be published this year, setting out quantum technology ambitions for Scotland over the next decade.

I appreciate the disappointment the Glasgow City Region will be experiencing following the UK Government’s decision not to support their bids for Levelling Up funding.

Any borrowing by local authorities, whether it’s through the public works loans board or through the issuance of bonds, is for local authorities to determine affordability themselves, subject to the conditions of their prudential borrowing regime.

However, any decisions to permit local authorities to issue bonds would require Ministerial consent. Ambitious investment strategies have led to financial insolvency in certain English local authorities and therefore this would require very careful consideration. My officials would be happy to discuss proposals with Glasgow City Council.

There are currently no plans to develop a UK-wide Strategy on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). However, Scottish Government officials have made contact with Wales and Northern Ireland, and have met with counterparts in England regarding FASD policy We are also linking into international work and evidence in relation to FASD. We will continue to engage, and share learning and approaches.

The Scottish Government has funded Adoption UK (Scotland) to establish an FASD Hub in Scotland with the aim of providing support, training and advice to families, carers and professionals supporting children affected by FASD. This is the first of its kind within the UK. We also support a research, evidence and training base - the FAAST team at Edinburgh University.

The Scottish Government recognise the challenge for local authorities that have responsibility for ferries and welcomes all extra funding for Scotland. However, it is unacceptable for the UK Government to decide how money is spent in areas of devolved responsibility.

The Scottish Government actively engages with the shipbuilding industry, through individual companies and our enterprise and skills agencies. Transport Scotland has no role in the procurement of local authority ferries.

Any proposals for artwork on the bridge piers should be commissioned via Glasgow City Council. Whilst Scottish Ministers and Transport Scotland are responsible for the structure including the bridge piers, Glasgow City Council (GCC) own the land below the bridge, are planning authority and are responsible for the public realm area and local roads below the bridge. The Scottish Government via its Transport Scotland would consider any such proposals favourably, as was the case in advance of the Commonwealth Games and CoP26.

The South-West Operating Company AMEY currently uses grey masonry paint designed to match the existing pier surface colour, to quickly cover over any graffiti particularly where it is offensive.

In 2022/23, the Scottish Government provided £2.35million to NHS24 for Breathing Space; this forms part of our overall funding package to NHS24 (of almost £10million), to provide a range of advice and support to people experiencing mental health problems.

The Scottish Government recognises the vital service Breathing Space provides and intends to continue funding the service. Our funding enables NHS24 to provide a high quality listening service for people experiencing low mood. It also allows the continued development of the service using user insight and evaluation. For example, the service recently expanded to include a webchat facility which provides support in a way that meets users’ needs whilst also offering a new way to help manage demand for this valuable service.