Chamber and committees

a) Enable Works Stepping Up programme, to date, has been delivered in 75 schools across Scotland, achieving a 98% positive destination rate for young people with learning disabilities. In financial year 2022-23, 2,974 young people were supported through the Stepping Up programme.

b) Stepping Up is an innovative school transitions programme that supports young people who have a learning disability, autism or additional support needs. The programme is delivered in partnership with Education Providers, stakeholders and other third sector organisations. It works collaboratively with Careers, Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG) and Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) to provide joined-up careers experience, advice and guidance, and aims to support young people into positive destinations.

Impact assessments for the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in Scotland have been updated to reflect the most recent set of regulations passed by the Scottish Parliament. The impact assessments will be updated again once Defra have confirmed the final design of their scheme.

The Scottish Government is committed to introducing legislation on ending conversion practices in Scotland. In developing our proposals for legislative change we have carefully considered a wide range of evidence and expert advice. This includes the report of the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, and the report and recommendations of the independent Expert Advisory Group established by the Scottish Government.

The consultation setting out our proposals for legislative change will be published on 9 January 2024. While the consultation document is ready for publication this year prior to recess, this timescale responds to an ask from a range of stakeholders to avoid publishing the consultation during a holiday period where those with an interest in the proposals work at a lower capacity. A January publication also maximises the opportunity for responses during the twelve-week consultation period. Critically, it also ensures that there is sufficient support available for victims and survivors of conversion practices who may be impacted by the public discussion. To facilitate this we are providing funding to support the delivery of a helpline service for survivors in Scotland.

Our public consultation will contain clear and detailed information on our proposals for legislative change in order to obtain views from stakeholders and the broader public.

A national marketing campaign raising awareness and encouraging uptake for the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme was undertaken in autumn 2022. PR and marketing activity was also undertaken during COP26 to promote the scheme ahead of its launch.

The following table provides the spend as at 13 December 2023 (inclusive of VAT where applicable) for both campaigns.

Messaging to promote the scheme was included in our Choose the Bus campaign, co-funded by the bus industry, however it is not possible to provide specific costs as under 22s was not the campaign’s primary focus.

The following table presents the total number of fatal and serious accidents for 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. However, the information on the total number of fatal and serious accidents for 2023 are only available up to the date stated in the following table.

Date Extracted – 06-12-2023

Source: Transport Scotland Accident Manager Database

Notes: Statistics for Police Scotland

Date Period: 01-04-2021 – 01-11-2023 (latest date available for serious)

Please note that the information provided is based on the current figures available at the time of retrieving the data from Transport Scotland’s accident manager system. The following are potential reasons for an accident not appearing on our system:

• Transport Scotland only holds accident information which is provided to us by Police Scotland.
• Transport Scotland does not hold information relating to damage only accidents (i.e. not involving an injury).
• The accident information Transport Scotland holds is subject to change. E.g. we receive late returns from Police Scotland, who are responsible for recording details of injury accidents.
• Annual Scottish accident figures are published by Transport Scotland on a yearly basis and can be found by entering Reported Road Casualties Scotland into your search engine.
• From summer 2019, Police Scotland introduced a new system for recording traffic collisions. Due to improved recording and categorisation processes, it is expected that there will be an increase in the number of casualties and accidents on Scottish roads that are classified as serious. This increase would not reflect an actual change in the severity of accidents occurring on Scottish roads, but would instead reflect more accurate recording.
• Statisticians within the Department for Transport have devised a method for adjusting the road casualty figures to ensure that they can be compared over time on a consistent basis. Transport Scotland’s Key Reported Road Casualties and Reported Road Casualties statistics publications will present both adjusted and unadjusted figures.

A table containing the average daily traffic flows on the A96 in each year since 2017 has been lodged with SPICe, BIB number: 64765

Across NHS Scotland a total of 89 patients have been treated for fascial sling repair, urethra bulking or colposuspension since this summer. This excludes patients from NHS Tayside who have been treated via independent sector support. Treatment has been booked for 38 patients in December and January, and further patients are currently in the pre-assessment stage and will be offered a date early in the new year.

As the member will know, the Centre for Sustainable Delivery’s (CfSD) National Elective Coordination Unit (NECU) is supporting a nationally coordinated campaign to support treatment of these patients, which was intended to conclude by November 2023. However, due to a number of complexities this has progressed more slowly than expected.

Programmed work locally within Health Boards is often booked 6-8 weeks in advance, and as such a lead in time for treatment options was longer than initially anticipated. This must also be balanced with clinical prioritisation, with Health Boards continuing to prioritise urgent and suspected cancer pathways within this specialty and subspecialty area.

Each of the three procedures identified also requires enhanced governance processes before patients are identified, particularly when patients are moving from their board of residence, including high vigilance scrutiny checklists to support a person-centred approach. To support a clinically safe and governed pathway, several cross board clinical engagement meetings were required to agree the governance pathway.

A small number of patients have also declined the offer of treatment outwith their local board area.

We will continue to work with Health Boards and NECU to ensure all patients receive treatment as soon as possible.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting all young people to achieve their potential through Developing the Young Workforce (DYW). Although no specific data is available on the number of disabled young people supported through DYW, the employer-led DYW Regional Groups and School Coordinators work with specialist partners and third sector organisations to support young people who are furthest from the labour market into positive destinations, including young disabled people.

A recent example of this is in DYW Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian. Enable and Action For Children provided ASN training for their School Coordinators and management staff. As a result, the Regional Group now work closely with Pilrig Park School, who deliver education for secondary school pupils experiencing complex long-term additional support needs. Through this collaboration they ensure that every pupil has flexible, personalised pathways to develop knowledge, understanding and skills for learning, life and work. In addition, DYW Fife have dedicated School Coordinators to increase support and opportunities for ASN Schools, Pupil Support Service Students and care experienced young people. Through collaboration with key partners, a more inclusive approach is adopted for these young people.

We are working with partners to improve social care services and deal with the challenges the sector faces. Adult social care support is vital to all who require additional support, whether that is to live independently at home, in the community, or to move into a care home.

While the number of care homes has fallen, the estimated number of care home places available has remained relatively stable.

This reflects our policy of supporting people to live at home for as long as possible.

No one wants to see the closure of care homes, unfortunately this can happen for a number of reasons, such as quality concerns or changing ownership.

The Scottish National Investment Bank (the Bank) is extensively engaged in work to understand the market gaps and areas of opportunity in the offshore wind supply chain.

Details of each of the Bank’s investments are published online in the Bank’s portfolio webpage. This webpage provides a breakdown of the Bank’s investments by primary mission and also provides further details on each investment such as listing any co-investors and a summary of what the investment will achieve.

The Bank has, to date, made investment commitments of £463.2 million across 29 investments. As the Bank’s Impact Report 2023 sets out, from launch to 31 December 2022 these investments have generated approximately 1.8 GWh of renewable energy, powering the equivalent of 472 homes in a year.

The Bank has concluded a number of offshore wind supply chain investments.

The £35m investment into the Port of Aberdeen (concluded in January 2022) to support the development of the new South Harbour facility. This expansion will provide greater land and water access for offshore wind developers, playing a vital role in the ScotWind supply chain.

The £50m investment into North Star Renewables (concluded in December 2022), as part of a wider £140m finance facility, to build service operation vessels. These vessels are critical in supporting the installation, operation and maintenance of wind farms as they increase in size and distance from shore.

Furthermore the Bank’s £6.6m investment in Verlume (concluded in April 2023) demonstrates the importance of innovative technology in supporting offshore wind developments. Verlume uses intelligent energy management to deliver a constant output of power from renewable sources and minimises energy loss from electricity generated from offshore wind.