Chamber and committees

I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

Three recent Acts of the Scottish Parliament - the Management of Offenders (Scotland Act 2019, the Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Act 2019 and the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 - have changed the disclosure process in relation to the wellbeing and future life chances of children who have been involved in the children’s hearings system or criminal justice system.

Per Scottish Government policy, Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessments have informed policy development and involved children and young people in evidence-gathering and decision-making.

Children and young people were spoken to directly though engagement with them at the Young Offender Institution (YOI) Polmont, the Scottish Youth Parliament, Children's Parliament, Who Cares? Scotland, Youth Advantage Outreach, Up-2-Us, Sacro, Youth Just Us, Life Changes Trust and Kibble, Good Shepherd, St Mary’s Kenmure and Rossie Young People’s Trust secure accommodation. The methods used to engage and record views ranged from scenario storytelling to quizzes, timelines, discussion groups, voting cards, games and artwork. Their views were recorded and applied to impact assessment of the policies.

New processes for review applications under the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 are due to be implemented in April 2025. Disclosure Scotland is engaging with Who Cares? Scotland, Children and Young People's Centre for Justice and Clan Childlaw about the effect on people who had justice-experience in childhood. Following engagement with children who had been brought into the PVG Scheme, the Disclosure Act raises the minimum age for accessing most disclosure types to 16 years old.

Published forecast figures on green job numbers are derived from projects where funding from the Green Jobs Fund has already been agreed and, in financial year 2024-25, support will continue for projects where commitments have been contractually agreed.

It is important to recognise that the Green Jobs Fund forms a relatively small part of the Scottish Government’s broader investment in the transition to net zero. This includes many institutions, funding packages and investment vehicles which provide advice, support and financial assistance for businesses at the forefront to building Scotland’s green economy. The forthcoming Green Industrial Strategy will provide further strategic direction on how such investment should be directed in future.

Options are currently being explored for spending models on nature restoration that can encourage greater responsible private investment while maximising the value of public spending. This includes consideration of ‘blended finance’ mechanisms where public funding is used in a more targeted way to support increased nature restoration activity by attracting responsible private investment.

The Scottish Government has not assessed potential public expenditure or contingent liability implications for its budget to de-risk or otherwise sufficiently underwrite private investment in nature. Budget implications would be published in line with usual processes.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) regulates independent clinics, including those offering aesthetic services, provided by a doctor, dentist, nurse, midwife or dental care professional. HIS regulated independent healthcare services must notify HIS of certain events that occur within their service. You may wish to contact HIS directly for further information.

I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

Disclosure Scotland work closely with organisations regarding supporting children and young people with information on the disclosure processes. This is to ensure that children and young people have the information they need to understand the disclosure process and to inform those supporting them on their journey. This work includes publication of information on supporting learners who have offended and what education practitioners should know as part of a suite of resources available on the Education Scotland website. We also collaborate with Who Cares? Scotland on disclosure matters and have produced some short videos providing information on key areas that have caused concern to care-experienced young people such as application completion and what the consideration for listing (barring) process is. This information is available on the. "disclosure scotland" - Who Cares? Scotland (whocaresscotland.org)

During the formal consideration for listing (barring) process, if Disclosure Scotland identify a potential vulnerability, we will engage with relevant professionals such as social workers, to ensure we are communicating with the individual in the most appropriate and supportive way.

I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

The following table details processed disclosure applications, by application type, from 2016 to 2023:

I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

Disclosure Scotland leads the Scotland Works for You group. The group includes organisations from the public, private and third sector to improve access to employment for people with convictions.

Scotland Works for You offers advice for people with convictions, help with disclosure applications required for employment, education or volunteering, and training for employers to help them assess people's convictions. This guidance sets out that most disclosure periods and, in relation to standard, enhanced and PVG scheme record disclosures, the additional period a spent conviction can be disclosed is halved where a person was convicted aged under 18. Separate guidance is not provided specific to children.

As part of our responsibilities as a Corporate Parent, Disclosure Scotland has worked with Who Cares? Scotland and have produced some short videos providing information on key areas that have caused concern such as application completion and what the consideration for listing (barring) process is. This information is available on the "disclosure scotland" - Who Cares? Scotland (whocaresscotland.org) .

Responsibility for delivery of Primary Medical Services rests with Health Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships, and delivery plans should take account of local population health need. To assist local partners, in November 2023 the Scottish Government published The General Practice Access Principles [ General Practice Access Short Life Working Group: access principles - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) ]. This report sets out a clear framework for the core principles of how general medical services should be delivered. To support general practice, we have significantly expanded the primary care multi-disciplinary team workforce to support GPs and practice teams ensuring more people get the right care in the right place at the right time.

The Scottish Government is committed to investing more in General Practices servicing disadvantaged areas through targeted action like the Inclusion Health Action in General Practice project in Greater Glasgow & Clyde, with £1.3 million funding dedicated so far, and stabilising our Community Link Worker capacity in Glasgow, with £3.6 million funding already confirmed for three years from 2024-25 to 2026-27.

The National Complex Mesh Surgical Service assesses patient needs and, where appropriate and subject to shared decision making and informed consent, performs mesh removal surgery. To date, 135 mesh removal procedures have been undertaken by the Service. Many women make the choice following assessment and discussion with the specialist team to follow a conservative pathway of care and do not undergo surgery.

The needs of patients and their goals may differ and therefore their definition of success will vary too. The removal of mesh is often only part of the treatment journey, with further reconstructive surgery depending on clinical need taking place at a later date. Patients may also have other needs which require to be addressed by other members of the clinical team.

The service is required to comply with normal clinical governance mechanisms in place within NHSGGC to provide an assurance that the service being delivered is safe and of an appropriate quality.

There have been no invitations to myself to visit Coalfields Regeneration Trust’s projects since his appointment. I would be happy to undertake such a visit, subject to diary availability. As part of his 2023 summer tour, I visited Fife including coalfields communities such as Cowdenbeath, supported through CRT’s Community Action Plans.