The Scottish Government published the National Specification for Psychological Therapies and Interventions and the Core Mental Health Standards in September 2023.

We have made a commitment to take a phased approach to implementation, to ensure the Standards and Specification would be implemented effectively in light of existing pressures across the health and social care system.

Assessment tools to assess and support adherence to the Specification and Standards were developed and piloted in spring 2024 and will be rolled out across all boards in 2024-25.

Additionally, Public Health Scotland have reviewed the publication of the Mental Health Quality Indicator Framework and will be publishing this in interactive dashboard format including new Board and HSCP level data from 26 November 2024. This will provide transparency of key access and quality indicators relevant to the Specification and Standards in one place, with the intention to expand this collection in due course.

The Scottish Government is working hard to support hard pressed families to be able to enjoy the benefits of digital inclusion. Since 2022, around 280,000 digital devices had already been provided to learners along with 14,000 connectivity packages.

The Scottish Government is developing a new digital strategy, for school education in Scotland, in partnership with COSLA and key education stakeholders. The strategy will outline the important role we believe digital tools and services play in the future of Scottish education and will highlight the key features of successful technology provision. It will consider both people and technology aspects of digital in education in Scotland to help support deployment and purposeful use of technology in our schools.

Through our Connecting Scotland programme, the Scottish Government provides internet-enabled devices, connectivity, and digital skills support to those who are digitally excluded. Since it was established, the programme has delivered more than 61,000 devices, removing barriers to digital access and supporting inclusion.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-29283 on 24 September 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website search facility, which can be found at: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

The removal of A1 Plus was a change enforced by Microsoft, applied to all customers globally. In effect, that licence tier has been retired by Microsoft, therefore there was no option to negotiate a deal to continue to provide A1 Plus for Glow users. Officials pressed Microsoft to afford some flexibility in regards to the A1 Plus licence withdrawal date. However, Microsoft responded that this was not possible.

The A1 licence in Glow remains in place and will continue to provide access to the web-based version of Microsoft Office until the contract end-date in September 2027. Scottish Government has commissioned Education Scotland to undertake a review of needs for any national digital provision in the future.

The Scottish Government has provided Scottish Agritourism with £60k funding in 2024-2025 to support with preparations for Scotland hosting the 2026 World Agritourism Conference.

There are 107 entries in the pilot phase of the Cladding Remediation Programme. Entries in the pilot can comprise a single block or building, or a development, or part of a development consisting of multiple blocks or buildings.

Only a Single Building Assessment meeting the Scottish Standards can identify what cladding if any, a building has and further identify whether the cladding is unsafe.

Developers, homeowners or other organisations could have commissioned assessments without informing the Scottish Government. Therefore, the true number may be higher and could increase as further information becomes available.

The Scottish Government Procurement and Property Directorate (SPPD) conduct all procurements in accordance with the requirements of procurement law which requires that we treat all providers equally and without discrimination. National Statutory, Policy and Best Practice guidance is available to support buyers across the public sector on delivering against our ambitions, along with a range of point-of-use tools, support and training for buyers and suppliers.

The Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 includes a Sustainable Procurement Duty which requires all public sector procurers to consider how their procurement process can:

“Facilitate the involvement of small and medium sized enterprises, third sector bodies and supported businesses in the procurement process” (Section 9(1)(a)(ii) of the Act)

To support the procurement officers with making decisions about the best approach to market, the Scottish Government provide a suite of Sustainable Procurement tools which ensure that appropriate consideration is given at strategy stage to the nature of the requirement, the complexity of the market and the volumes which require to be delivered to identify the best strategy and approach.

The outcome of this test is considered by the team and informs the strategy which is then presented to a cross sectoral User Intelligence Group (UIG), consisting of procurement and technical staff from across the public sector. For the provision of the national electricity framework, the UIG agreed with the SPPD recommendation that a single supplier framework would deliver best value, taking into account the requirement for competitive pricing and guaranteed security of supply.

The framework terms and conditions have a mechanism for local authorities to approach EDF to sell electricity which they have generated. The Framework also has included the option of Power Purchase Agreements.

The terms and conditions state that for the Supply of Electricity from a self-generating source the Supplier shall enter into a Power Purchase Agreement with such Scottish Public Sector Body on normal commercial terms. Such purchase shall stand entirely separate to the arrangements under the Framework and the Supplier shall not be under any obligation to sleeve the electrical output of such Public Body’s facility into the supply of electricity under the framework.

The Supply of Electricity agreement has also included the options of 6 different Power Purchase Agreement variations as part of the Statement of Requirements and the Terms and Conditions.

Inclusion of these terms within the structure of the Framework Agreements ensures that our procurement of Electricity is conducted in a fair and proportionate manner.

There is no mandate for (a) local authorities or (b) other public sector organisations that are generating power, to sell that power to Scottish Government or the appointed contractor under the National Electricity Framework.

Ofgem administer a Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) scheme where renewable electricity can be fed into the grid. Customers can apply for a SEG tariff, where their generating system meets the SEG eligibility requirements.

EDF (the current framework supplier for electricity) have a SEG licence to facilitate this service.

This or any other arrangement a local authority or public sector organisation puts in place to sell power and find the best price in the open market, is outside the terms and conditions of the electricity framework. However, a local authority or public sector organisation can have an export arrangement in place and remain part of the wider portfolio.

Scottish Government do not (a) incentivise (c)inhibit or (d) discriminate against community owned energy providers. Scottish Government conduct all procurement in accordance with the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 and the Public Procurement Regulations. Under Section 8 – General Duties of the Act, procurement authorities must:

“in carrying out a regulated procurement—

(a) treat relevant economic operators equally and without discrimination,

(b) act in a transparent and proportionate manner.”

To actively incentivise or discriminate any provider or group of providers would be a clear breach of the requirements of the Act.

The framework terms and conditions do (b) facilitate self generating sources to approach the Supplier, and there is a mechanism in the Terms and Conditions for local authorities to approach EDF to sell electricity which they have generated. The Framework also has included the option of Power Purchase Agreements.

The terms and conditions state that for the Supply of Electricity from a self-generating source the Supplier shall enter into a Power Purchase Agreement with such Scottish Public Sector Body on normal commercial terms. Such purchase shall stand entirely separate to the arrangements under the Framework and the Supplier shall not be under any obligation to sleeve the electrical output of such Public Body’s facility into the supply of electricity under the framework.

The Supply of Electricity agreement has also included the options of 6 different Power Purchase Agreement variations as part of the Statement of Requirements and the Terms and Conditions, these include.

Option 1 - A PPA entered into between the Scottish Government (Authority) and a third party generator. The generator is not a Client under the Framework. (Direct PPA)

Option 2 - A PPA entered into between the Contractor and a third party generator. The generator is not a Client under the Framework. (Indirect PPA)

Option 3 - A PPA entered into between the Scottish Government (Authority) and a generator. The generator is a Client under the Framework ( for example a Local Authority). Under this category of PPA the power sleeved into the Framework volume for use by the entire portfolio

Option 4 - A PPA entered into between the Contractor and a generator. The generator is a Client under the Framework. Under this category of PPA the power sleeved into the Framework volume would be for use by the entire portfolio.

Option 5 – : Export PPA where Client under the framework sells excess volume to the Contractor

Option 6 (as advice only) - Private Wire. This category is distinct from any of the above as it involves a direct physical connection between the generator and the buyer.

Overall the National Framework for the Supply of Electricity includes a statement of requirements and Ts and Cs which are agreed by the User Intelligence Group made up of public sector representatives (including representatives from local authorities). They have set out that the framework supplier needs to ensure it has the capacity to secure forward purchases on behalf of all framework customers. The Supplier also needs to account manage each individual customer organisation including billing, invoicing, meter reading queries, complaints, energy efficiency queries, and social value programmes within the framework. As well as managing the consumption for over 30,000 meters for electricity that are part of the portfolio. Therefore the supplier needs to have capacity to trade large volumes and achieve Value For Money for the whole Scottish public sector.

All of these aspects have been set out as well as the options of Power Purchase Agreements and the mechanism for local authorities to approach the Supplier to sell the power which has been self-generated.

The Practitioner Advisory Group was set up in March 2024, and has met three times since, and is due to meet again in November 2024.

The Group acts as a sounding board for the Scottish Government in developing its proposals for changes to the compulsory purchase system. As indicated in the Programme for Government 2024-25, the Scottish Government will issue a package of proposals for public consultation, which is due in autumn 2025. This will pave the way for a comprehensive bill in the next Parliament.

Further information on the Practitioner Advisory Group, including the minutes of their meetings (once agreed by the Group), can be found at: https://www.gov.scot/groups/compulsory-purchase-practitioners-advisory-group/ .

Further information on compulsory purchase reform programme can be found at:

https://blogs.gov.scot/planning-architecture/2024/07/09/compulsory-purchase-reform/.