Chamber and committees

Colleges are responsible for their own operational decisions, including course provision, and must adapt and respond to the current economic constraints flexibly.

The Scottish Government, despite the unprecedented fiscal challenge, has maintained college and university resource budgets at last year’s levels and I understand that Fife College will continue to offer counselling courses in Academic Year 2023-24.

The Scottish Government regularly discusses net zero policy and progress towards targets with the UK Government. The primary vehicle for our engagement with the UK Government is the Net Zero Inter-ministerial Group (IMG), which meets regularly and involves all four governments of the UK. In the last year, the Net Zero IMG has met on 26 October 2022, 27 April 2023 and 28 June 2023.

Furthermore, the Scottish Government regularly corresponds with the UK Government regarding net zero issues to assure continued progress in achieving our gas emission targets. For example, I recently wrote to the Secretary of State for Transport, on 12 July 2023 to highlight the role Scotland could play in the production of Sustainable Aviation (SAF) - which could help to significantly reduce emissions - and to ask whether the UK Government intends to provide a form of price support mechanism for the substantially higher costs of SAF. Likewise, the Circular Economy Minister recently met with the Minister for Environmental Quality and Resilience in June 2023 to discuss the future of deposit return schemes (DRS) across the UK following the UK Government’s decision to refuse an exemption for Scotland’s DRS from the Internal Market Act.

Throughout our engagement with the UK Government, the Scottish Government continually advocates for the greater ambition required in reserved areas in order for both UK and Scottish emissions targets to be met. The Scottish Government agrees with the Climate Change Committee’s recent UK progress report, which emphasises that greater urgency is required from the UK Government if emissions targets for 2030 and beyond are to be met. We support the Committee’s calls for further and faster UK Government action in a range of crucial reserved areas such as hydrogen, electricity grid upgrades and decarbonisation of the gas network. We will continue to press for more ambitious action in these areas in our discussions with the UK Government.

No GP’s have been recruited from ScotGEM into NHS Highland, Western Isles, Orkney, Shetland, or Grampian as ScotGEM graduates are not yet eligible to apply for General Practice Specialty Training.

The first cohort of ScotGEM students graduated in summer 2022 after completing the four year course. All medical school graduates must then complete two years of Foundation training before they can apply for a specialty training post. The first cohort of ScotGEM students will therefore be eligible to apply for General Practice Specialty Training in 2024 following the completion of their second foundation training year.

The Scottish Government does not routinely discuss or publish legal advice received. In line with usual practice, the Scottish Government takes legal advice as and when required when preparing the Building a New Scotland series.

Yes, third sector organisations are still able to receive funding through the National Drugs Mission. This might be direct funding from the Scottish Government, via Corra, or as a result of local commissioning by ADPs.

The information requested relates to Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) operational data and is not held by the Scottish Government. This is an operational matter for the SQA and I have asked the Chief Executive to write to you.

Following the March 2023 gateway review we established an expanded governance framework with representation from all key stakeholders. This includes a Ministerial Strategic Assurance Group, which sits above the already established Executive Oversight Group and Sector Specific Working Groups.

I refer the member to my answer to S6W-18538 on 15 June 2023 that noted end to end testing was planned as part of CSL’s Programme Delivery activity to ensure successful completion of agreed outcomes. The testing was planned prior to the UK Government’s decision on 26 May 2023 not to agree a full exclusion, removing glass and imposing unworkable conditions on Scotland’s scheme, leaving the Scottish Government with no other option than to delay launch until October 2025 at the earliest. 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 .

Scottish Dental Access Initiative (SDAI) grants are currently available in certain areas within 12 NHS Boards, as follows:

• NHS Borders;
• NHS Dumfries and Galloway;
• Dalmellington and Patna within NHS Ayrshire and Arran;
• Auchtermuchty, Leslie, Newburgh and Tayport within NHS Fife;
• Stirlingshire within NHS Forth Valley;
• Banff, Fraserburgh, Huntly and Moray within NHS Grampian;
• Inverclyde within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde;
• NHS Highland;
• NHS Orkney;
• NHS Shetland;
• Arbroath, Dundee, Forfar, Monifieth and Kinross within NHS Tayside; and
• NHS Western Isles.

No funding has been specifically allocated to the Pain Management Task Force and associated Short Life Working Groups for either the 2022-23 financial year or the 2023-24 financial year.

The Pain Management Task Force is comprised of Scottish Government employees and external members, including NHS employees who are on Service Level Agreements (SLA) to develop and deliver work outlined in the Framework for Pain Management Service Delivery - Implementation Plan.

There has only been one active Short Life Working Group (SLWG) so far and there were no separate costs to Scottish Government for this.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19790 on 31 July 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-committes/written-questions-and-answers .