Chamber and committees

Responsibility for delivering the National Induction Framework for new entrants to social care resides with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and NHS Education Scotland (NES).

As part of Scottish Government’s Programme for Government 2021-22, the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and NHS Education Scotland (NES) worked in collaboration with Scottish Government and key partners, to develop a national induction framework for new entrants to Adult Social Care. This resource provides tools to help employers and workers identify induction learning needs. It also includes relevant guidance and learning resources that complement workers’ existing skills and the mandatory learning delivered by the employer. It also supports workers moving between employers or undertaking different roles.

The National Induction framework was launched on the 1st of February 2022, and materials are available via the SSSC website: Work is ongoing to further develop materials to ensure the framework offers a robust and supportive induction for all social care staff.

The infection prevention and control component of the national induction framework contains specific links to the Scottish IPC Education Pathway which is aligned to the National IPC Manual for Scotland .

Another resource updated in 2022, following consultation with social care stakeholders, is the NES Preventing Infection in Social Care Settings pocket book. The SSSC is currently working with the Digital Health Institute and other partners, including NES, to develop a mobile friendly IPC practice support app for social care workers based on the IPC pocketbook. The final application will be completed by Spring 2023, with content work already completed and user testing planned prior to launch.

Pay for staff in the Senior Civil Service is reserved and operates within the UK Cabinet Office pay and performance management framework.

As at 30 November 2022, a total of 41 staff earning over £100,000 per annum were employed in Core Scottish Government at a total salary cost of £4,552,993. This represents 0.45% of the total number of staff employed in Core Scottish Government. The following table provides a breakdown by Directorate General area.

During 2022 and in line with Schedule 17 of the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement, ScotRail undertook a review and consultation of ticket office opening hours and I am currently awaiting advice from my officials at Transport Scotland on this matter.

Having welcomed five very competitive bids in June, and following a rigorous assessment process, the Scottish Government can today confirm that the two Green Freeport locations selected jointly by Scottish and UK Ministers are Inverness and Cromarty Firth and the Firth of Forth.

Scotland’s Green Freeports will support businesses to create high-quality, well-paid new jobs; promote growth and regeneration; and make a significant contribution to achieving our net zero ambitions.

The Scottish Government looks forward to working closely with the successful consortia, supporting them through the next phase of the process as they develop their business cases, in order to ensure that they deliver maximum positive impact.

We will also work with the unsuccessful bidders to consider how they can build on the plans set out in their bids to deliver jobs and growth in their regions outside the Green Freeports programme.

Ellis Watson has been appointed as a Business Advisor to the First Minister. He will work directly with the First Minister to identify the priorities of the business community and help shape the government’s support and response. The creation of the role demonstrates the Scottish Government’s ongoing commitment to work in partnership with the business community and build on the progress already made in delivering the National Strategy for Economic Transformation, for a wealthier, greener and fairer economy.

Commencement of Sections 10 to 40 of the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016 will allow Sexual Harm Prevention Orders to be made in Scotland. Commencement of these provisions has been coordinated with the UK Government in order that we can commence the necessary provisions at the same time, to allow UK wide recognition of these orders. These provisions are expected to be commenced in the early part of this year.

My officials are currently considering additional island based, non-conflicted potential members with infrastructure investment experience and have asked local authority partners to put forward names for consideration by 18 January.

Impact assessments published in relation to the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill cover the full range of current services proposed to be transferred to the National Care Service, including both health and social care services. These can be accessed at: www.gov.scot/collections/national-care-service/ .

Further impact assessments will be carried out as the detailed design of the National Care Service is developed and will be provided alongside the necessary secondary legislation. This includes any proposals to include specialist mental health services within the scope of the National Care Service.

The Scottish Government is engaging with stakeholders, the output of this engagement, alongside lessons from the current health and social care arrangements (which will be succeeded by the National Care Service) and further evidence gained during the co-design process, will be used to refine our proposals for the scope of mental health services. Collectively this evidence will inform the development of more detailed impact assessments as part of that process. A summary of the Scottish Government’s engagement on this matter will be published later this year.

The Scottish Government’s Marketing team met with health and social care partnerships Communications leads in November 2022 to discuss the upcoming Adult Social Care National Recruitment Campaign, which launches on 25 January 2023.

As part of this, a stakeholder toolkit and campaign materials are being developed and will be shared with the HSCPs to be used at a local level and support their own local recruitment activity.

Alongside the marketing for the campaign, Scottish Government have worked with HSCPs and provider representative organisations to deliver webinars for social care employers, offering advice and support for when delivering their local recruitment campaigns.

Since 2019, the Scottish Government have led an Adult Social Care Campaign Advisory Group. This group ensures that representatives from across the sector, including HSCP representatives, have the opportunity to collaboratively work together, share good practice and provide support across different localities.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

SPS welcomes the Chief Inspector’s report and her recognition of many areas of good practice at HMP Castle Huntly.

Like many areas of public life, SPS continues to recover from the global pandemic. Despite this, SPS has been working towards making further improvements to the progression of those people in our care. This has resulted in an increase of 25 percent in the population of HMP Castle Huntly since April 2022.

We have also commenced a review of population management and progression, which will identify any barriers to safe progression for those in our care to the Open Estate and reduce the risk of reoffending to the public.