Chamber and committees

The current Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme was published in May 2014. Scottish Ministers have reported on progress in May each year and we commissioned independent assessments of the Programme from the Adaptation Committee of the Committee on Climate Change in 2016 and 2019. In developing the new outcomes-based Programme we have conducted digital engagement sessions, stakeholder workshops, climate conversations, and a full public consultation. Scottish Ministers' Programme for Government 2018 committed to publish the new Adaptation Programme in 2019.

Scottish Water currently has 10 refill points across Scotland with plans to deliver up to 70. Further information on the rollout of refill points is available at https://www.yourwateryourlife.co.uk/ . Other refill points are available in public spaces, such as railway stations, but the Scottish Government does not hold a record of these locations.

The Scottish Government is undertaking scientific research on seabird populations to help understand the pressures and threats they face including seabird colony surveys, tracking research, an analysis of climate change, and other impacts. This research will inform the Seabird Conservation Strategy, as well as regulation and planning of marine developments and activities to minimise likely impacts on seabirds.

Marine Scotland has established a working group with Scottish Natural Heritage, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, RSPB Scotland and British Trust for Ornithology Scotland to develop the Scottish Seabird Conservation Strategy. The working group is presently developing sensitivity assessments and species accounts for the Strategy to provide the evidence base from which potential actions will be developed. A stakeholder workshop will be held before the end of 2019 to discuss the first draft of the Strategy. Following consideration of the feedback from that event and any amendments, I expect there to be a public consultation in early 2020.

There is no cost for tuition fees for Scottish or EU National Students. Students apply to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) for means tested funding. In addition they can apply to SAAS for placement expenses which is also means tested.

There are no plans for the Scottish Government to introduce a bursary to enable students to be funded to study radiography.

Scottish Government provides support to public sector bodies directly through the activities of the Digital Transformation Division. This has delivered over 90 projects over the past three years.

Technical staff within the division use common templates and approaches to create digital system designs. A resources website and document repository including a number of these templates is also available.

The strategy includes a measurement framework which sets out our high-level approach to monitoring benefits. Individual workstreams responsible for specific strategy actions have methodologies setting out our in-depth approach to monitoring benefits – these methodologies are commensurate to the size and maturity of each workstream. We have also commissioned reports from external consultants to provide independent view of progress on benefits.

The total amount spent on digital skills training within Scottish Government is not held centrally. Each Scottish Government Directorate manages their own training budget and training is based on workstream /individual requirements. The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

In September 2017, the Scottish Government’s Digital Directorate increased the training options available through the launch of the Scottish Digital Academy. This aims to close recognised skills gaps through courses, in subjects such as agile project management, and has delivered training to over 1,200 delegates since that time.

I refer the member to the answer to S5W-24026 on 29 July 2019 for an explanation of budget allocation to date. Future investment is part of the challenging considerations we have in setting our 2019-20 Programme for Government and Spending Review plans.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

The Digital Directorate both arranges and attends a number of public sector conferences to promote its transformation capability.

Senior members of the directorate also sit on corporate and programme boards where they are able to identify where support is required and signpost the services on offer.

The Digital Directorate’s IT desktop and infrastructure services are publicised through the Scottish Government intranet, Saltire. This includes a service catalogue where employees can request licenses, software etc. and such requests are processed through authorisation and delivery. Services are also promoted by a small group of digital business partners who are able to work with different teams across the Scottish Government and resolve issues as they arise.

We are expanding the Saltire catalogue to include a wider range of services in particular software development, digital publishing and digital advice.

All significant digital projects undergo a number of Digital First Assessment as part of the governance process. This is also an opportunity to offer specific assistance from the Digital Directorate if it is appropriate.

The 2019-20 Budget Bill sets out the allocation for the Scottish Government to spend on the full range of digital priorities aligned with the digital strategy.

In addition to this central allocation, organisations advance their digital investment through individual budget allocations. Central Government Digital projects are registered with the Scottish Government, and the total of estimated whole life costs currently held for these projects is £1.1bn. A breakdown of this figure was provided by the Scottish Government to the Public Audit and Post Legislative Scrutiny Committee in May 2019.