Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government first established the Covid Inquiries Information Governance Division in July 2021 to support the Scottish Government in promptly responding to requests for information from the both the UK and Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry.

The division then became the Covid Inquires Response Directorate in February 2022 and is part of Director General Corporate. I have portfolio responsibility for the Covid Inquiries response.

The Scottish Government are not seeking to increase the number of plans for individual health conditions and are therefore not developing a national strategy to tackle chronic kidney disease. Rather, we are focussed on how we can best support Health Boards to deliver high quality, value-based, person-centred care for all people, irrespective of condition.

Ministers responsibilities for recording information are clearly set out in the Ministerial Code Scottish Ministerial Code: 2023 Edition - gov.scot The Scottish Government - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Special advisers are bound by most provisions of the Civil Service Code (apart from those relating to impartiality and objectivity) and are required to exercise care in the use of official information. The First Minister is ultimately responsible for Special Adviser performance and discipline issues but this would be dealt with in the first instance by the Special Adviser Chief of Staff.

Officials: If a civil servant employed by the Scottish Government (an ‘official’) did not comply with the Scottish Government records management policy that would be an issue for their line manager to address through measures such as additional training; through performance management arrangements or through the discipline policy. The circumstances of each case would be considered on an individual basis to determine the appropriate action, with advice and/or support from HR as necessary.

Director General Corporate has senior responsibility for all aspects of records management in Scottish Government as stated at Element 1 of our approved Records Management Plan .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-23041 on 29 November 2023. 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 .

Scottish Water has over 400 supply chain partners. Over 90% of its procurement expenditure is on businesses based in Scotland and 75% of their supply chain classified as small or medium sized enterprises. Scottish Water sets out information on its supply chain in its Annual Reports, available at www.scottishwater.co.uk/Help-and-Resources/Document-Hub/Key-Publications/Annual-Reports .

The Scottish Government was consulted by Scottish Water and is satisfied that the correct process was followed by the Scottish Water board in setting the remuneration of the Chief Executive. Scottish Water’s Executive salaries are amongst the lowest of any comparable utility in the UK.

This is a matter for Scottish Water. Scottish Water utilises a variety of approaches regarding price increases during the life of a contract framework, agreed at the point of award.

Pay negotiations are a matter for Scottish Water as the employer and the Trade Unions. Industrial action has been suspended pending a ballot on a new offer.

The negotiation strategy is a matter for Scottish Water. However, it is clear that implementing a new pay and grading system was important to Scottish Water as part of its business transformation activity.