Chamber and committees

Key to a successful programme of flipping activity is ensuring that the accommodation is of good quality and meets the needs of the household. In my statement on the housing emergency, I referenced the guidance produced by ALACHO on flipping temporary accommodation to a household’s settled home. This flipping practice note sets out options and considerations for converting a temporary let into a permanent tenancy.

Outcomes from a decision to flip temporary accommodation should be consistent with the council’s overall approach to offering permanent and temporary accommodation. ALACHO has set out various factors to be taken into account in a local authority’s approach to flipping and recommends that any proposal to flip accommodation should:

• meet the council’s statutory obligations to the applicant involved;
• represent a reasonable offer of accommodation;
• be consistent with the needs and wishes of the applicant;
• ensure no reduction in the level of choice or control afforded relative to other applicants;
• provide a sustainable housing outcome;
• not disadvantage either those accepting a flip, those who refuse such an offer and those not in a position to receive such an offer;
• support the council’s ability to meet its duty to offer temporary accommodation;
• ensure that the transition from temporary to settled accommodation is actively managed, including any change to the availability of support services or eligibility for benefits;
• be linked to a clear process for replacing the temporary let if necessary; and
• offer value for money to the council in relation to any replacement of furniture and fittings that are included in the offer of a permanent let.

ALACHO’s flipping practice note should be read alongside the Scottish Government’s Code of Guidance on Homelessness and the Scottish Government’s Temporary Accommodation Standards Framework as well as taking local policies into account.

Social Security Scotland has delivered a range of communications activity warning older people about phishing scams, including fraudulent text messages that claim to be from government departments. The activity includes regular content across multiple social media platforms, the organisation’s website and coverage in newspapers to help keep people informed.

The Scottish Government has funded the creation of hundreds of additional specialty training places for doctors in training in Scotland across multiple different specialties (including cancer-related specialties), since 2014. These training places have been created in response to recommendations made by the Scottish Shape of Training Transition Group (SSoTTG), which meets annually to review the number of specialty training places needed in order to meet anticipated future service demand, and consultant need.

The training programmes for relevant specialties (including Histopathology, Clinical Oncology, Surgical specialties and Clinical Radiology) follow curricula overseen by the respective Royal Colleges and include training on and/or exposure to sarcoma which varies depending on factors including the specific curriculum, specialty and placement. Furthermore, NHS Education for Scotland follow a multipronged approach to mitigate training gaps and there are also other opportunities and resources in relation to sarcoma knowledge available for doctors in Scotland.

Whilst Scottish Government sets the strategic policy direction for the NHS in Scotland, operational matters, including staffing, are ultimately the responsibility of NHS Boards.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the expansion of Housing First and has pledged £3 million to incentivise registered social landlords to pledge additional tenancies through the acquisition of suitable properties. We anticipate that this investment will support the acquisition of between 40 and 50 properties. The Scottish Government supports the delivery of Housing First through the provision of Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan funding. In addition to the £72.5m provided to local authorities since 2018, the Scottish Government will provide a £1m Housing First uplift in 2025-26 and has confirmed the extension of funding to 2026-27, bringing the total funding provided to £83.5m. The Scottish Government also funds Homeless Network Scotland to provide advice to local authorities on scaling up Housing First in their areas.

From 2 September, first-time buyers can apply to the Open Market Shared Equity Scheme (OMSE) alongside the priority access groups. OMSE aims to help those on low to moderate incomes secure a home that they may not otherwise have been able to do.

Up to £4.9 billion will be delivered through a mixture of public and privately leveraged investment. More detail will be set out in the upcoming Scottish Budget and Scottish Spending Review.

Unlike in the rest of the UK, there is no statutory requirement to conduct a Post Implementation Review of The Conservation (Natural Habitats) Regulations 1994 in Scotland and the Scottish Government has no current plans to undertake such a Review.

The Scottish Government is represented on the Strategic Oversight and Programme Board of the National Strategic Network for the Long-Term Effects of COVID-19. The Strategic Oversight and Programme Board provides oversight of the workplan and programme outcomes of the Strategic Network.

On 23 December 2024 the Network published an evaluation the University of Leeds was commissioned to undertake of patient outcomes in those accessing NHS long COVID clinical services in Scotland. Analysis showed patients reported that they got somewhat better in symptoms and abilities over the first six months. Despite improvements, many reported that they still had major health issues compared to before having COVID.

The report notes that long COVID can be a fluctuating condition, meaning there is not necessarily a linear trend of improvement or deterioration in the symptom burden, functional disability, and overall health of patients. Therefore, care needs to be taken in drawing any conclusions from changes in patient reported outcome measure scores, particularly when over a short space of time. The full report is accessible at https://www.nn.nhs.scot/longcovid/2024/12/23/elaros-data-report/

The clinical guideline NG188 on managing the long-term effects of COVID-19 in all healthcare settings has been developed jointly by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP). SIGN is editorially independent from Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) and the Scottish Government. The decision to create, update or replace any SIGN guideline is not made by Scottish Government, it is made independently by the Evidence Directorate Work Programme Committee in Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS).

Scotland’s national health information service NHS inform contains information on common signs and symptoms associated with long COVID, when to seek further advice from a healthcare professional and testimony from people affected by long COVID about the impact it has had on their daily lives. The information was updated in November 2023 following user research with people living with long COVID. The information will be kept under review to ensure alignment with any future changes to clinical guidelines.

Scotland’s hills are inherently dangerous with treacherous with changeable conditions, and too many lives are lost unnecessarily each year.

Mountaineering Scotland and Scottish Mountain Rescue’s #ThinkWINTER campaign provides useful information, updates, and tips, shared across social media platforms and websites, as well as a series of winter skills talks.

The Scottish Government are committed to supporting safety in the mountains and are currently working with sportscotland, the Mountain Safety Group and partners, to provide safe opportunities to enjoy the outdoors and reap the physical and mental health benefits of being active in nature.