Chamber and committees

Any measures on planning or licensing for tobacco-control would require full public consultation.

As set out in the 2018 tobacco-control action plan, we are first gathering evidence on, and considering the impact of, price strategies and reducing tobacco outlet density. If that gives us clear evidence that restrictions on these would reduce the harms and inequalities associated with smoking we would then consider ways to implement change. The action plan states that Regulations to introduce compliance conditions to the existing retail registration scheme could be an option for making change. The action plan refers to licensing and national planning guidance as other options that might also be considered.

The Scottish Government is fully committed to Fair Work and in the absence of legislative powers over employment, the Fair Work Action plan will clearly articulate the actions we will take to help embed a culture of Fair Work and Fair Work practices in Scottish workplaces by 2025. Our new default position – Fair Work First – will see Fair Work criteria extended to as many funding streams and business support grants as we can.

The Scottish Public Finance Manual provides guidance on accountability arrangements for the use of public resources, such as grant payments. Funding will remain subject to the lead business area being satisfied as to the standing and relevant experience / expertise of the recipient and any deliver partners.

The Scottish Government is working with disabled people’s organisations, the third sector, and disabled people, including those who have been diagnosed with dyslexia, to assess the support that is needed to enable people to move into and stay in work.

For those currently in employment, we will support individuals and employers by providing advice about the DWP’s Access to Work programme, which provides practical support for disabled individuals who are in employment. Partners such as Skills Development Scotland are key in offering advice and support to employers to ensure that they are able to fully unlock the talent of their dyslexic employees.

For those who are further from the labour market, our new, and voluntary, employability programme, Fair Start Scotland, offers 12 – 18 months of pre work and 12 months of in-work support. Support given through Fair Start Scotland is tailored and personalised, based on an assessment of each individual.

By the end of the year, we will publish a Disability Employment Action Plan, which will provide detail on how we intend to reduce the disability employment gap. The plan draws on the extensive consultation we have had with disabled people, and will address identified priorities.

Grant funding provided by the Scottish Government is subject to the lead business area being satisfied as to the standing and relevant experience/expertise of the recipient and any delivery partners. Scottish Government internal guidance highlights that this assessment must include a review of the organisation’s governance processes. Each business area should confirm that the organisation has sufficient and appropriate governance arrangements in place and that assessment should include among other elements the Human Resource processes and procedures of the intended recipient.

Following this assessment each business area should also consider how the grant recipient might support the achievement of the Scottish business pledge and fair working practices within the organisation as part of any grant offer.

Research and survey evidence shows that interventions such as targeted training, awareness raising and work with employers to provide menopause-related advice are effective in improving women's experience of dealing with the menopause at work and reducing the stigma associated with it. We also know that this stigma can be compounded if women work in a male dominated workplace.

The Scottish Government is therefore developing action that will be included in the Gender Pay Gap Action plan, due to be published by the end of 2018 and the Older People's Framework which will be published by the end of March 2019.

The Scottish Government continues to develop its understanding of the impact of the menopause on women workers. Research reviews such as the UK Government’s Department of Education report: The Effects of Menopause Transition on Women’s Economic Participation in the UK published in July 2017, provides a review of existing research on the impact of the menopause on women in employment.

Also the report to the UK Government: A New Vision for Older Workers: Retain, Retrain, Recruit by Dr Ros Altman CBE, Business Champion for Older Workers (2015), highlighted some of the main issues that women faced. This report was based on discussions within the established UK Business Taskforce, findings from conversations with employers, employees and jobseekers, information gathering meetings and the available research.

The STUC Women’s Committee’s recent survey has also helped greatly by giving access to women’s experience of the menopause in the workplace.

The Scottish Government is working with stakeholder partners such as the Scottish Women’s Convention who will hold a conference in early 2019, funded by the Scottish Government to explore this issue further.

The Scottish Government welcomes the STUC Women's Committee report Menopause and the Workplace and the awareness it raises of women’s experiences of dealing with the menopause at work. The policy suggestions included, such as opportunities for flexible working, reasonable adjustments and the development of advice & awareness raising are helpful and will inform the action that the Government takes on this issue via our Fair Work agenda.

The Scottish Government looks forward to receiving the STUC Women’s Committee's best practice information and policy model once it is completed and to working with the Women’s Committee on this very important issue.

Patients do not need to prove their identity to register with a general practice.

The Scottish Government published Patient Registration guidance on 26 September 2018 confirming that patients do not require proof of identity to register with a practice.

This information is not centrally held. Practices must keep a written record of refusals of patient applications and of the reasons for them and must make this record available to their Health Board on request.

While patients do not need to prove their ID to register with a general practice, this has not always been well understood by all practices. The Scottish Government published Patient Registration guidance on 26 September 2018 confirming that patients do not require proof of identity to register with a practice.

The tobacco control action plan – Raising Scotland’s Tobacco-free Generation – published in June 2018 includes a commitment by the Scottish Government to improving the advice on e-cigarette use as part of support given to smokers who choose to make quit attempts using these products.

We will work with health professionals, academics, representative groups and others to develop guidance for health professionals and other relevant service providers so that they can offer basic advice on e-cigarette use as part of their support for smokers who choose to make quit attempts using e-cigarettes.

In Scotland in 2017 we published our own consensus statement on electronic cigarettes to clarify perceptions among health professionals and the general public on the potential harms and benefits of using e-cigarettes. The consensus statement is aimed at both health professionals and the general public.

This states that there is now agreement based on the current evidence that vaping e-cigarettes are definitely less harmful than smoking tobacco products. Although most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is addictive, vaping carries less risk than smoking tobacco. Thus, it would be a good thing if smokers used them instead of tobacco.

A link to the statement is as follows.- http://www.healthscotland.scot/media/1576/e-cigarettes-consensus-statement_sep-2017.pdf .