Chamber and committees

Since May 2021, the Scottish Government has had 2 Ministerial meetings with Channel 4.

As outcomes the Scottish Government reiterated its opposition to the proposals from the UK Government to privatise Channel 4. We welcome that these proposals have now been dropped.

Also discussed were Channel 4’s wider plans and opportunities for Scotland Channel 4.

Since May 2021, the Scottish Government has not held any Ministerial meetings with Sky UK Limited.

Within this period, Scottish Government culture officials have also not met with Sky UK Limited on either a formal or informal basis.

Since May 2021, the Scottish Government has had 5 Ministerial meetings with the BBC.

As outcomes there is a shared their commitment to working positively and constructively to help deliver programming and skills training that benefits Scotland culturally and economically.

We constantly review the operations of our international offices to ensure their work to promote Scotland remains measurable, transparent and provides value for money.

To help with this review process, each Scottish Government international office submits a monitoring and evaluation report every financial year which measures performance; monitors effectiveness and ensures they are achieving their strategic objectives.

Additionally, from December 2023 onwards, we will publish an Annual Report explaining how our international offices work to promote our values, objectives and priorities across the globe.

Whilst we intend to open a new office in Warsaw during this Parliamentary Term, there are currently no plans to open any further Scottish Government international offices during this time.

The recruitment and retention allowance is payable to individual General Dental Practitioners, and pays £25,000 to GDPs joining the dental list for the first time or returning after a period of five years and practising in an eligible area.

The Scottish Government has expanded the scheme to include vocational trainees, who would be eligible for an additional £12,500 should they decide to train in an eligible area.

The Scottish Government in partnership with NHS Boards reviews the list of areas that attract the recruitment and retention allowance on a regular basis.

Further information, including details of eligible areas, can be found at http://www.scottishdental.org/ .

We intend to publish our first Annual Report setting out the contribution of our international offices by the end of December 2023. This will allow time to gather the information required from the business plans of each office for 2023-24 as well as the monitoring and evaluation reports covering 2022-23.

I refer the member to my to the answer to S6W–19805 on 31 July 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 .

Rediscover the Joy was set up in 2019 with the creation of the Shetland Hub, this was followed by the creation of the NHS Highland Hub in 2021-22.

GPs are recruited directly into the hubs and they assist with matching GPs to vacant posts. There are currently 7 health boards signed up to the project. NHS Shetland, NHS Tayside, NHS Highland, NHS Western Isles, NHS Grampian, NHS Orkney and NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

The number of GPs recruited to the hubs since 2019 are:

Rediscover the Joy currently provides GP support to practices in NHS Highland, NHS Shetland, NHS Orkney, NHS Argyle and Bute and NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

The Scottish Government is currently working with NHS Shetland to carryout a detailed evaluation of the project in 2023-24. The outcome of this evaluation will inform our decision on any future expansion of the project across Scotland.

Administrative data is being used for two purposes in Scotland’s Census 2022: quality assurance and statistical estimation. For Scotland’s Census 2011, administrative data was used solely for quality assurance.

For Scotland’s Census 2011, 12 administrative data sources were used to quality assure census population estimates. More information can be found in the following publication: Overview of Administrative Comparator Data Used in 2011 Census Quality Assurance .

The original design for Scotland’s Census 2022 included the use of 25 administrative data sources from across the Scottish public sector to quality assure census outputs.

National Records of Scotland (NRS) have adapted the original design by extending the use of administrative data and evolving their statistical estimation methodology. In June 2023, NRS published a paper outlining these enhancements.

Guided by the census International Steering Group (ISG), NRS performed a review of UK data sources to identify which would be most appropriate to meet the specific needs of Scotland’s Census 2022.

The ISG identified both essential and desirable administrative data sources. All 6 administrative data sources deemed as essential by ISG were obtained and are being used in the statistical estimation. NRS is also using 2 desirable sources.