Chamber and committees

Our 2021 consultation included draft guidance explaining the rationale for licence application determination times. Licensing authorities only have 12 months to determine applications made by existing hosts (those operational before 1 October 2022) during the transitional period. This is to support licensing authorities to manage the initial volume of applications they receive. During this transitional period, existing hosts are able to continue operating whilst their application is being determined.

For new hosts (those commencing operation on or after 1 October 2022), the usual 9 month determination time set out in the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 applies. We understand many local authorities are prioritising these applications to provide new hosts with a timely outcome. We have no plans to alter either timescale, however, as we have already indicated, we will conduct a review of the scheme in early 2024.

The Scottish Government is continuing to take steps towards achieving the World Health Organisation’s targets to eliminate cervical cancer.

83.9% of S4 pupils in 2021/22 completed the two dose schedule for the HPV vaccine in Scotland. From January 2023, a one dose schedule will be introduced for all those eligible in the programme up to their 25th birthday. It is expected this simplified schedule will increase uptake further. One-dose HPV vaccine coverage is currently 91.5% for girls in S4. The Scottish Government will continue to work with Public Health Scotland (PHS) and Health Boards to maintain this.

Data regarding cervical screening uptake in Scotland is due to be published by Public Health Scotland this Spring, and efforts are on-going to improve uptake. We have awarded £456,000 to Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust to support campaign work on screening benefits. Additionally, in preparation for a potential UK National Screening Committee recommendation, the screening programme continues to lay the groundwork for introducing cervical self-sampling, which has the potential to remove some of the barriers which deter people from attending their screening appointment.

Finally, treatment of cancer, including cervical cancer, has continued to be prioritised throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent pressures on NHS Scotland. We are developing a new 10 year cancer strategy which will launch in Spring 2023, and take a comprehensive approach to improving patient pathways from prevention and diagnosis through to treatment and post-treatment care.

A mobile-friendly IPC practice support app has been developed by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and NHS Education Scotland (NES), and supported from within their existing funding streams. Neither body has requested funding from Scottish Government in relation to the delivery of this tool.

We intend to deliver enhanced maternity, paternity, and sickness pay rates in Financial Year 2023-24. Other minimum standards will require further analysis before delivery can commence. This analysis will likely continue into Financial Year 2024-25.

Early intervention in psychosis (EIP) and improving services and support for people experiencing a first instance of psychosis in Scotland, are key priority areas for the Scottish Government, as set out in the Early Intervention In Psychosis Action Plan 2019, Mental Health Strategy 2017 to 2027 and the Coronavirus (COVID-19): Mental Health - Transition and Recovery Plan 2020.

To deliver this improvement we commissioned Healthcare Improvement Scotland to undertake a national needs assessment for EIP services across all 14 health boards which was published in March 2021. This assessment outlines the specific needs of communities across Scotland when considering the delivery of improved EIP services. The assessment report and recommendations from this work can be accessed here: https://ihub.scot/media/8111/20210316-eip-report-v21.pdf

In April 2021 we began work with Healthcare Improvement Scotland to deliver a second phase of EIP improvement, which is ongoing. This work builds on the national needs assessment and is focused on piloting models of service delivery which take account of the needs of different communities across Scotland.

The Scottish Government engaged with a range of industry stakeholders as part of the development of the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, including through the Scottish Energy Advisory Board and its Strategic Leadership Groups, as well as engagement with research organisations and independent experts. Officials regularly draw on the expertise of organisations, such Wood Mackenzie. We will continue to engage with industry experts and wider stakeholders, and encourage the broadest possible range of responses to the consultation on the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan.

The Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER) was commissioned to identify examples of anti-racist performance objectives with proposed performance measures that could be used by public bodies across Scotland.

To date, seven NHS Board Chairs have been set anti-racist objectives and performance measures in accordance with CRER's commission. Following feedback, these objectives and performance measures are being reviewed, to ensure they fully align with the scrutiny and assurance roles of Board Chairs.

Primary care training hubs model has been developed and is in operation in GP practices in NHS Lothian and NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) is working with Health Boards and GP practices to continue to increase training capacity in primary care settings for GPs and the MDT workforce. This work will inform the future use of training hubs and will accommodate the significant planned increases to medical undergraduate, foundation and GP training places, as well as other staff groups, announced by the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government is represented on the Cross-Whitehall International Recruitment Steering Group chaired by the Department of Health and Social Care. The Steering Group provides national policy oversight on international supply activity, including the development of bilateral country to country agreements, ensuring consistent ethical practices in line with the International recruitment of health and social care personnel: Scottish Code of Practice - August 2022 (revised) - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10530 on 28 September 2022. 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