Chamber and committees

This is a matter for the relevant commissioning body. The information requested is not held centrally.

The Scottish Government continues to progress work towards the elimination of cervical cancer in Scotland, in line with the targets set by the World Health Organisation (WHO). This work has included the introduction of a one-dose schedule of the HPV vaccine, increasing screening uptake and continued investment in treatment.

In March 2023, we provided funding to the University of Strathclyde to undertake a project modelling when Scotland might expect to eliminate cervical cancer. That work will help us set a target date for elimination of cervical cancer, and will require further work to improve uptake levels of both the vaccination and screening programmes. To support this we continue to provide £1 million annually to tackle unequal uptake across cancer screening programmes, and this summer, launched the Equity in Screening Strategy, which seeks systemic solutions to inequalities across all programmes. In addition we have provided £456,000 to Jo’s Trust for a project identifying barriers that prevent specific groups attending cervical screening. This learning will be embedded across the screening programme.

Our inclusive vaccination programme is designed to help reduce inequalities in uptake of vaccinations. On 27 th November 2023, Public Health Scotland (PHS) launched a campaign to raise awareness of the vaccines offered in secondary school, including HPV to help boost uptake.

The Scottish Government does not provide funding for residential homeowners to replace existing double glazing. Funding through our domestic Heat in Buildings schemes is prioritised for energy efficiency measures which provide comparatively better energy use and emissions savings, taking into account the cost of the measure; and for which demand would be lower without government support.

Details on loan funding provided through our Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme for double glazing and insulated doors can be found at: https://www.homeenergyscotland.org/funding/grants-loans/overview/

Housing Associations can apply for grant funding from the Social Housing Net Zero Heat fund for the installation of energy efficiency measures that deliver both carbon savings and reduction in fuel bills for social housing tenants. These measures include double and triple glazing and insulated doors. The fund is making at least £200 million available to registered social landlords (RSLs) to help install zero emission heating systems and improve energy efficiency in social housing during this parliament.

Should a business or commercial landlord be recommended improvements for their windows and doors through the Business Energy Scotland advice service and meet the eligibility criteria for the SME Loan and Cashback scheme, they could be eligible for between £1,000 - £100,000 interest free loan and up to £20,000 in an energy efficiency cashback grant. Making the total amount of Scottish Government funding available for these measures to be £120,000.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-21592 on 4 December 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 .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22410 on 7 November 2023. We are working with health boards to understand how best to achieve national consistency so that patients undergoing home dialysis are protected from the impact of high electricity prices, wherever they live. I expect to provide a further update on this in the coming weeks. 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 .

The Scottish Government has been working closely with the UK Government to implement the proposed amendments to the Renters (Reform) Bill that would make it illegal for landlords and letting agents to apply a blanket ban on renting to people who receive benefits or to families with children.

It is intended that a further amendment for Scotland will be tabled at the Bill’s Report Stage. This will ensure that an important legislative proposal to benefit renters can commence in Scotland at the same time as England and Wales.

I have notified the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee and the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee, at the earliest possible opportunity, of my intention for a Legislative Consent Memorandum to be lodged in relation to that amendment, after it has been tabled at Report Stage.

The numbers of teachers who have participated in the Teacher Induction Scheme since 2016 is provided in the following table:

The Scottish Government consider the impact of messaging on those who may have had a negative experience in relation to the relevant health topic when developing all health related campaigns. This is done in a number of ways including through creative testing and engaging with people with lived experience or stakeholders. In this instance this was carried out through patient representative stakeholders.

As reported by the Deputy First Minister on 21st November, the £13 million originally allocated for 2023-24 has been announced as part of the savings required to reach a balanced budget. We are now considering all options for the device commitment, including a range of delivery options and an update will be provided in due course.

Scotland has the strongest rights in the UK for people experiencing homelessness and local authorities have a legal duty to provide accommodation and advice to anyone experiencing or at risk of rough sleeping.

This year we have provided £713,228 of funding to City of Edinburgh Council and £1,471,795 to Glasgow City Council for implementation of their rapid rehousing transition plans (RRTPs) which aim to support people experiencing homelessness into settled accommodation as quickly as possible, including through Housing First.

We continue to work closely with both local authorities and third sector partners to ensure emergency accommodation and support is available for people at risk of rough sleeping, including through the operation of rapid rehousing welcome centres (RRWCs) over the winter months. This year we have provided £215,471 of funding to support the operation of RRWC’s in Glasgow and Edinburgh, with £1,120,021 million of funding provided to support these services since 2020.

The Scottish Government has also made £50,000 of personalised budget funding available to frontline third sector organisations in Glasgow and Edinburgh this year. This funding allows frontline staff to meet the immediate needs of people at risk of, or experiencing, rough sleeping and provide them with support in a dignified and person-centred way.

We know that a proportion of people rough sleeping in Scotland are doing so as a result of the UK Government’s no recourse to public funds policy, which prevents people from accessing statutory homelessness assistance. We will continue to call on the UK Government to change this policy, which is pushing people into destitution and is one of the biggest barriers to eradicating rough sleeping in Scotland.