Chamber and committees

The Green Heat Finance Taskforce last met on 17 May 2023 and will next meet on 5 July 2023. Notes of Taskforce meetings are published on the Scottish Government’s website.

Following the appearance of the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport at the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee on 9 May, the Scottish Government intends to provide a further update to the Committee in early July. The Scottish Government has also agreed to provide an updated Financial Memorandum to the Finance and Public Administration Committee at least 4 weeks before the Stage 1 debate.

The Scottish Government continues to invest in our Detect Cancer Earlier (DCE) Programme, of which public education and empowerment is a key work-stream. We launched a new campaign – Be the Early Bird – in March 2023 to empower those with possible symptoms to act early. To coincide with this, a roadshow visited areas of deprivation across Scotland to further improve symptom awareness and encourage prompt action.

We will continue to work with the Scottish Cancer Coalition, as well as the primary care community, to raise awareness of symptoms of possible cancers, including ovarian. Work is also underway to redesign DCE’s website ( Get Checked Early ) and symptom checker, which includes signposting to Target Ovarian Cancer, a charity providing support to those affected by ovarian cancer.

The Scottish Government recognises the need to improve education around cervical screening and what it involves. We worked with Public Health Scotland (PHS) to develop a stakeholder toolkit to promote Cervical Cancer Prevention Week across partner channels earlier this year. We have also awarded £456,000 to Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust in support of their important campaign work on screening benefits including increasing awareness of how cervical screening works. Cervical Screening Awareness Week is also later this month and provides another opportunity for us to work in collaboration with partners to further increase awareness of the benefits of cervical screening.

While labour market enforcement is a reserved matter, the Scottish Government is committed to promoting positive outcomes for workers and their rights. Last year, we published our Refreshed Fair Work action plan that set out our vision for Scotland to become leading Fair Work Nation by 2025, where Fair Work drives success, wellbeing and prosperity for individuals, organisations and society.

To that end, public sector grant recipients must agree to a specific criteria, as part of the Fair Work First program, to be eligible for funding. We believe that public sector funding should generate broader gains, enhancing a sustainable and prosperous wellbeing economy. Fair Work First criteria have been attached to some £4 billion of public funding since 2019.

Furthermore, Scottish Government has provided £250,000 each year for the last 7 years through the Trade Union Fair Work and Modernisation Fund, which has supported unions in implementing Fair Work in Scotland's workplaces.

However, we are aware we are limited to what we can achieve and that only with independence can we realise our full potential. In a 'Building a New Scotland: A Stronger Economy with Independence', we outlined plans to offer comprehensive employment rights including flexible working, parental leave, and unfair dismissal claims on day one of workers taking up employment. It also set out how we would prevent exploitation in the gig economy by providing written statements of status and conditions from the first day of work.

As outlined in the Scottish Ministerial Code, the Scottish Government aims to publish the information on ministerial engagements, travel and gifts for March and April 2023 by the end of June.

On 10 May I met with David Kennedy and David Threadgold from the Scottish Police Federation as part of my regular meetings where we discussed various topics of interest. As the pay claim for 2023-24 had been submitted, in line with the Police Negotiating Board, (PNB) protocols, it was not appropriate for us to discuss details of this during our meeting.

Our next planned meeting has been arranged for the 14 September 2023.

The Scottish Government’s 2023-24 Public Sector Pay Strategy (PSPS) sets the framework to deliver fair and affordable pay awards. It takes into account the impact of high inflation on households and governments, whilst balancing the need for sustainable public finances.

The Police Negotiating Board (PNB) provides the negotiating forum for the pay and conditions of service of police officers in Scotland. While police officers are not subject to PSPS, PNB negotiations are guided, but not bound, by its parameters, alongside a range of other evidence, as part of its ongoing considerations and negotiations around officer pay. As the pay claim for 2023-24 has been submitted, in line with PNB protocols, it is not appropriate to comment further.

The Scottish Government places a great importance on openness and transparency, and publishes ministerial engagements, travel and gifts in line with the ‘ Scottish Ministerial Code’. The Scottish Government has no current plans to review the information published.

The deployment of officers and their health, safety and wellbeing are matters for the Chief Constable, with oversight by the Scottish Police Authority, (SPA) and scrutinised by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland (HMICS).

The Police Negotiating Board and the Scottish Police Consultative Forum negotiate and discuss changes to terms and conditions, before amendments are made to regulations; and then approved by Ministers

As part of the 2022-23 police officer pay deal, a strategic commitment was made to consider ways to reduce the working week and the disruption to police officers lives. Work has been ongoing since then with staff associations and across Scottish Government to look at ways to lower demands on officer time, in particular focussing on attendances at court and supporting mental health needs in the community.

Scottish Ministers have not met with (a) UK ministers, (b) the Welsh Ministers or (c) representatives of international governments to discuss period dignity and the provision of free period products.