Chamber and committees

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) is the independent expert advisory group which advises Ministers and the NHS in the four UK countries about all aspects of screening policy. The NSC uses the international research evidence base to inform recommendations, and establishes pilot programmes where appropriate to collect additional evidence.

The UK NSC does not currently recommend a national screening programme for lung cancer because there is not yet enough evidence that this is a good approach to reducing the burden of the disease. In particular there are concerns around the potential for significant over-diagnosis and associated invasive investigations in people who are well.

The policy is due to be reviewed again after the results of the NELSON randomised lung cancer screening trial are published. If there is any change in the recommendations of the NSC this will be carefully considered by the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government announced the extension of the real living wage commitment to staff undertaking overnight support in October 2017, with the expectation that this should be implemented during 2018-19. Guidance setting out the range of ways the extension could be applied in practice was issued previously.

The Scottish Government wrote again to Local Authority Chief Executives and Integration Authority Chief Officers on 20 December 2018 setting out expectations around implementation of the sleepover commitment during 2018-19.

The Common Financial Tool Working Group has met on the following dates:

• 7 February 2013
• 11 March 2013
• 31 July 2013
• 11 March 2014
• 2 Sept 2014
• 8 December 2014
• 5 February 2015
• 29 May 2015
• 21 March 2016
• 2 May 2017
• 19 February 2018
• 27 March 2018
• 24 July 2018
• 4 Sept 2018
•  

A Common Financial Tool Working Group sub-group met on 12 December 2018.

Discussion points from each meeting are set-out in the minutes and all of the minutes agreed by the Working Group have been published on Accountant in Bankruptcy’s website – https://www.aib.gov.uk/about-aib/stakeholder-working-groups/scottish-common-financial-tool-working-group

I have not received specific reports on discussions of the Common Financial Tool Working Group. I have received briefings from officials from Accountant in Bankruptcy regarding the policy development of the Common Financial Tool. These submissions have reflected stakeholder views, including views from members of the Common Financial Tool Working Group.

Since 2016 the Scottish Government has provided funding to support the delivery of the real living wage commitment for staff working in adult social care, all of which has been baselined annually. This includes £30 million of funding provided to Local Authorities over the last two years to extend the commitment to sleepovers hours during 2018-19.

The Scottish Government draft spending and tax plans for 2019-20 include an increase in the package of investment in social care and integration which exceeds £700 million, underlining our commitment to integration and social care including the real living wage for staff.

Through our £42 million Detect Cancer Early (DCE) Programme, we aim to increase the proportion of cancers that are detected at the earliest stage when the chance of survival is higher.

Public awareness of early signs and symptoms is key to driving early stage diagnoses. The Detect Lung Cancer Early campaign fronted by Sir Alex Ferguson was first launched on 6 November 2013. This was supported by the existing marketing campaign being on air again in January and November 2018. A Detect Cancer Early campaign ‘Survivors’ was also launched in September 2018 to reduce fear around all cancers and to empower people, regardless of age or symptoms, to act if they have a worry or concern.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting GPs to be more aware of the potential signs and symptoms of cancer and the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer, which include a specific section on lung cancer, are currently being refreshed and will be published early 2019.

The Scottish Government is committed to fair work and consider it to be central to the delivery of inclusive growth. While progress has been made, we want to go further so that we use all of the levers and the financial power of the Scottish Government to achieve our vision of a Fair Work Nation by 2025. In the absence of powers over employment law, we are taking a strategic approach through a Fair Work Action Plan to and through Fair Work First we will extend fair work criteria to as many funding streams, business support grants and public contracts as we can.

The Scottish Government has had several discussions with Cornerstone about its dispute with UNISON. The Scottish Government has also been liaising with UNISON.

Scottish ministers are keen that both parties enter into negotiations as soon as possible and officials will continue to liaise with Cornerstone and UNISON until a resolution is found. Scottish ministers are writing to both organisations offering support in reaching an agreement.

The Scottish Government believes that a progressive approach to industrial relations and that trade unionism is at the very heart of a fairer, more successful society. Research suggests that workers rate collective voice exercised through trade union representation and collective bargaining arrangements most highly in relation to concerns over pay, discipline and grievance.

The Scottish Government is therefore committed to supporting strong trade unions in Scotland's care sector where there is currently a voice deficit; any case of derecognition is therefore highly regrettable and should be avoided.

We have encouraged Cornerstone to seek a resolution to the dispute with Unison, through the involvement of ACAS. We are offering to meet both organisations to support efforts to reach a resolution.