Chamber and committees

Testing of all emergency admissions commenced from‎ 30 November with full implementation on 14 December. On all planned medical admissions, testing commenced from mid-December.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34370 on 9 February 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34370 on 9 February 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34370 on 9 February 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

We appreciate how difficult the latest restrictions are for faith and belief communities, coming as they do after what has already been a challenging eleven months for everyone.

Our response to the Covid-19 pandemic has always been guided by the principles set out in our Framework for Decision Making , and throughout we have sought to reduce broader health, economic and societal harm. We must also focus on the necessity to suppress the virus, and this has led to some difficult decisions. The latest and perhaps hardest of these decisions in relation to places of worship was the First Minister’s announcement, on the 04 January, that at this critical moment in the pandemic, rates of transmission in Scotland are such that places of worship could not remain open for congregational worship and prayer.

Prior to and since the First Minister’s announcement on 4 January, the National Clinical Director and I have separately engaged with Scotland’s faith and belief communities, and on Monday 18 January I issued a letter providing reassurance that places of worship will be amongst the first sectors to be seriously considered for any easing of restrictions.

The transmissibility of the current strain of the Covid-19 virus is now understood to be significantly higher than the earlier strain. The risks of catching the virus therefore are very real.

On Wednesday 20 January, the Deputy First Minister provided evidence to the Scottish Parliament Covid Committee explaining why enhanced restrictions for places of worship had been put in place.

In most cases it is difficult to say with any degree of certainty where an individual has contracted the virus, however we can look at areas where people interact with one another which create opportunities for transmission to occur. We know that 110 people reported attending a place of worship whilst judged to be infectious in the week prior to the introduction of the enhanced level 4 restrictions. For week ending 10 January the seven day number of new positive cases for places of worship stood at 38. Information relating Test and Protect is published online as part of the weekly Covid-19 Statistical Report on the Public Health Scotland website.

Wherever possible the Scottish Government has contributed to the wider four nations approach in responding to the pandemic; however Public Health policy is devolved and we understand that other parts of the UK have imposed different enhanced restrictions, on places of worship. Here in Scotland, we have decided to take decisive early measures, in the face of the more transmissible strain of the virus. We have reinforced the key message of “stay at home” to reduce physical interaction and therefore minimise the risk of spreading the virus. We believe this combined with the on-going rollout of the vaccines provides us with the best chance in preventing our health services from being overwhelmed, hence saving lives.

Throughout the pandemic we have met weekly with leaders from many different faith and belief groups, including representatives from the Bishop’s Conference of Scotland and their associated Parliamentary Office, to discuss their concerns about the impact of restrictions and to work with them on our guidance around how places of worship can be fully reopened safely, when it is judged safe to do so. We know from these meetings that both congregational worship and prayer are continuing, albeit by virtual means. We have of course provided funding to further increase capability for virtual worship and engagement. Important and practical pastoral care continues with faith and belief groups able to support vulnerable members of their communities. We are grateful for this hard work of those faith and belief groups. We are also grateful for their ongoing support in the pandemic.

We understand the important role of congregational worship in supporting spiritual wellbeing. We know from our stakeholder engagements, how significant it is in preventing social isolation and loneliness. That is why until the most recent lockdown, in January, that communal worship remained one of few organised gatherings permitted in level 4 in Scotland, albeit with a reduced capacity of 20.

We will continue to be guided by the latest Public Health Scotland and clinical advice and to work closely with faith group representatives on the scope for removing or alleviating restrictions on worship as soon it is considered safe to do so.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34370 on 9 February 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

The Scottish Government and Skills Development Scotland have worked in partnership with Scotland Food & Drink and other stakeholders to develop a sector Recovery Plan that will address the challenges of Covid-19 and Brexit for the food and drink industry. This includes work to develop the skills needs of the sector, and Modern Apprenticeships are seen as one of the key drivers to build business resilience and productivity and long term sustainability in the food and drink sector.

The Scottish Government is working with Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and other stakeholders to mitigate and address the far-reaching impacts of COVID-19. This includes measures to maximise apprenticeship uptake and to support existing apprentices to complete their apprenticeships such as, increased support for Adopt an Apprentice and an additional £15 million funding for the Apprenticeship Employer Grant, encouraging employers to recruit and retain apprentices supporting the long-term future of work-based learning and the economy.

The most recent published information ( Q2 20/21 ) shows there were 1057 Modern Apprenticeships in Food and Drink Occupational Grouping training during Q2‎ 2020-21. Uncertainty in the labour market has led to many employers delaying and pausing recruitment decisions, which we expect will continue to have an impact on apprenticeship provision in 2021-22 as well as making it difficult to estimate job vacancies in the sector. SDS undertakes an annual process to assess Modern Apprenticeship (MA) demand with key industry stakeholders, to support their MA contracting process. This process has indicated that there is optimism that MA numbers for the food & drink sector will return to previous years, and that businesses will be keen to offer opportunities to young people and also upskill their current workforce using apprenticeships. We will continue to work closely with SDS and employers to maximise the number of apprenticeship opportunities we can create in these challenging circumstances.

The £250k funding for regional food groups that was announced in September 2020 is for the development of regional food and drink and, in particular, to support the appointment of coordinators across the country’s regional food groups. Groups have been tasked with delivering a number of objectives across areas such as business support, food tourism and growth of local food and drink sales. The regional food group scheme does not have modern apprenticeships or youth employment in its remit, however many groups do work with schools and colleges to encourage greater understanding of local food and career opportunities within the sector.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) has operational responsibility for our apprenticeship programmes and administer them on behalf of the Scottish Government. SDS provide quarterly annual Official Statistics reports on their website. The Quarter 3 figures are due to be published on 9 February 2021 and will include Modern Apprenticeship starts for the nine month period from April – December 2020.

The Modern Apprenticeship Quarter 2 statistics were published on 10 November 2020, reporting 3,633 Modern Apprenticeship starts in Q2 2020-21 (April to September 2020). This is lower than previous years and demonstrated the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on all parts of the Scottish economy.

Apprenticeship starts are being impacted as a result of employers making difficult business decisions to review, delay and pause recruitment plans. This has, and will continue to have, an impact on apprenticeship provision during these challenging times.

The Scottish Government is working with Skills Development Scotland and other stakeholders to mitigate and address the far-reaching impacts of COVID-19. This includes measures to maximise apprenticeship uptake and to support existing apprentices to complete their apprenticeships, such as increased support for Adopt an Apprentice and an additional £15 million funding for the Apprenticeship Employer Grant, encouraging employers to recruit and retain apprentices.

Skills Development Scotland’s Career Information, Advice and Guidance services remain accessible with expert careers advisers available to provide specific support to Foundation, Modern or Graduate Apprentices on their helpline or online. The Scottish Government’s Partnership for Continuing Employment service is also providing advice and support to Apprentices affected by redundancy.

These are the sort of interventions the Scottish Government are actively taking as part of a national mission to create new jobs, good jobs and green jobs, supporting the long-term future of work-based learning and the economy.