Chamber and committees

No-one Dies Alone is one way to provide emotional support and companionship to people at the end of life, especially those who may be more isolated. The Scottish Government recognises the importance of this support and an overarching aim of the new Palliative and End of Life Care Strategy that we are developing is that Scotland is a place where people and communities can come together to support each other, take action, and talk openly about planning ahead, serious illness, dying, death, and bereavement.

The Scottish Government does not have plans to roll out the No-one Dies Alone initiative but does support the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care to develop and promote public health initiatives such as No-on Dies Alone, to support communities and volunteers to care for those who are near the end of life.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally.

Following the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014 (the Act), a Memorandum of Understanding was developed between Scotland’s Integration Joint Boards and Independent Hospices. Individual memorandums of understanding between hospices and NHS Boards are a matter for those Integration Joint Boards, their health boards and independent Scottish Hospices. Prior to commencement of the Act, any individual memorandums of understanding would have been matters for NHS Health Boards and independent hospices.

Ministers are required by the Community Empowerment Act (2015) to review the National Outcomes within five years of their previous publication, and the next review is currently underway. The Scottish Government intends to lay the statutory document in Parliament in early 2024. This will outline the work undertaken during the Review, including any proposed changes to the National Outcomes.

I would like to thank the Scottish SPCA Taskforce for conducting the review and providing the final report. Following consideration of the report provided by the Scottish SPCA Taskforce, I can announce that I will be bringing forward provisions in the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill at Stage 2 to allow for a limited extension of the Scottish SPCA’s current powers to investigate wildlife crime.

The powers will allow the Scottish SPCA to in certain circumstances search, examine and seize evidence in connection with specified wildlife crime offences.

Our full proposals have been published on the Scottish Government webpages, which you can find here: www.gov.scot/isbn/9781835210468 , and I have written to the Parliament notifying them of the proposals. We will also be consulting with key stakeholders on the proposals over the summer.

My officials in Scottish Enterprise remain in regular contact with the Joint Administrators, Interpath Advisory, and are working with them to consider all viable options for the Stoneywood site in Aberdeen.

The administration process continues to progress, and I understand the Stoneywood site continues to be marketed by the Joint Administrators.

Scotland’s research base has a global reputation for excellence which is strengthened by the extensive collaborations the sector undertakes both across the UK and worldwide. The research base delivers wide ranging benefits, including economic impact.

We monitor data available on economic impact data through the Higher Education Business and Community Interaction Survey on collaboration and knowledge exchange activities. This includes information on collaborative research with non-academic organisations, employment numbers, the number of active spin-offs founded at Scottish HEIs and the turnover generated at these spin-offs. This data showed that in 2021/22, over 1,200 active university spin-off businesses founded at Scottish HEIs generated an estimated turnover of £489 million. We do not hold information on the economic impact of research and development collaborations between Scottish universities and UK HEIs specifically.

The Scottish Government is committed to an infrastructure solution to address landslip risks at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful and shares the urgency communities and businesses place on maintaining and improving connectivity of this vital route.

The identification of the preferred route option through the Glen Croe valley on 2 June 2023 is a very important milestone in finding a solution to this long-standing problem. The proposed new debris flow shelter will help protect the road and road users from future landslides.

In developing the route options to improve the resilience and operational safety of the A83 and identifying the permanent, long term solution, early consideration has been given to the transportation of abnormal loads. Work is now being taken forward at pace as we move to the next stage of the project where we will continue to develop the design of the preferred option, the detail of which will be informed by consultation with a wide array of stakeholders, including with respect to possible abnormal load transportation requirements.

Scotland’s inward investment plan recognises the importance of spillover benefits that inward investment can bring to the Scottish economy. The focus is on attracting embedded investments which deliver knowledge exchange and supply chain benefits for Scottish businesses and educational institutions, as well as on creating high value jobs.

Potential inward investment projects are assessed by Scottish Development International based on agreed parameters, including planned jobs and supply chain impacts, with regional account teams specifically assessing local developmental linkages.

The Scottish Government, in collaboration with delivery partners, has commissioned an independent evaluation of inward investment support which includes a focus on these factors. The evaluation is due to be published in summer 2023 but findings show that inward investment projects attracted in recent years are typically of the developmental nature described by Ivan Turok, namely that they:

1. have a high degree of local autonomy;

2. play an important role in global value chains;

3. deliver significant supply chain benefits;

4. are engaged in knowledge exchange with businesses and with the Higher & Further Education sectors;

5. are diverse in terms of the mix of industrial sectors;

6. exhibit high levels of innovation; and

7. often expand operations in subsequent years.

Our sympathies are with the victims of historical abuse.

The independent Review of Sexual Abuse in Scottish Football, commissioned by the Scottish FA Board to examine what was known about abuse in Scottish Football in the past and what actions were taken as a result, acknowledged the significant physical and mental harm caused to individuals. The review delivered 97 recommendations, all of which were accepted, and which the Scottish FA is continuing to implement and report on annually. Over 80% of the review recommendations have either been implemented or are on track to be completed in the next 12 months. We believe a continued focus on the implementation of these recommendations is critical to help us ensure the safety, rights and wellbeing of children involved in football today.

In terms of justice for the survivors of historic abuse, investigation and prosecution of those guilty of abuse remains a matter for Police Scotland and the courts. In the civil justice system, the Scottish Government has removed a longstanding legal hurdle for adult victims of child abuse seeking damages claims by legislating to scrap the three-year ‘time-bar’ for all cases involving child abuse. We support the ongoing work of Scotland’s police and prosecutors to bring perpetrators to justice.

NHS Grampian and Highland have put in place local governance and programme management arrangements and it is important to allow the Boards time to progress through these structures. They will provide me with an update on progress with implementation of the Joint Plan for an Integrated Maternity Model in the North of Scotland for the period March – June 2023 by the end of June. I gave a commitment to keeping Parliament updated on progress when I was asked this question in the Chamber on the 31 May and I reinforce that commitment.

Meeting of the Parliament: 31/05/2023 | Scottish Parliament Website