Chamber and committees

The small grants will enable wide-scale public engagement across Scotland for the refreshed New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy. Arrangements for the distribution of the small grants associated are being developed by the strategy’s key partners, the Scottish Government, COSLA and Scottish Refugee Council. Further information will be available in due course.

The small grants will enable wide-scale public engagement across Scotland for the refreshed New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy. Arrangements for the distribution of the small grants are being developed by the strategy’s key partners, the Scottish Government, COSLA and Scottish Refugee Council. Further information will be available in due course.

The Best Start North review was commissioned jointly by NHS Grampian, NHS Highland, NHS Shetland, NHS Orkney and NHS Western Isles and is led by those NHS Boards. The Scottish Government understands that a group has now been set up with representation from the most senior Midwives from all six Boards in the North of Scotland, now including NHS Tayside.

The Scottish Government understands that the focus of this NHS Board-led work for 2023/24 is on collaboration to improve services in the north, support the effective implementation of the recommendations in The Best Start and to work together to improve midwifery workforce and education, training as well as taking forward joint improvement work. The groups will work within the existing regional planning partnership to shape and implement this work, under the sponsorship of the Board Chief Executives.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14838 on 9 March 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-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

Applications for additional providers to join the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment (AVE) Scheme opened on 16 January 2023 and closed on the 24 February 2023.

We will make a further announcement about the outcome of this current accreditation process in due course.

There will be further opportunities for alternative suppliers to join the Scheme at regular intervals, and we will work with any potential applicant to help them understand our requirements, as well as how to obtain accreditation.

In line with the action from the Drug Death Taskforce 'Changing Lives' report that the Scottish Government should work with NHS naloxone leads and pharmaceutical companies to ensure sufficient supplies are available to meet demand we are working closely with these bodies, as well as others involved in the supply and distribution of Naloxone, to ensure sufficient supplies are available and to monitor demand and any increases.

Women already move across NHS Board boundaries across Scotland, including from the islands to specialist centres, where this best meets the needs of women and their babies. The Scottish Government understands that, should specific improvement work be identified through the Best Start North group, this would be considered by the group.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14838 on 9 March 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-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

The available spend information on youth work by local authority for 2020-21 and 2021-22 is set out in the following table. Please note that the information you have requested is not available at individual local authority level prior to 2020-21.

We want all children and young people, including those with dyslexia, to receive the support they need to reach their full potential. The Additional Support for Learning Act places duties on education authorities to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their pupils. We are committed to supporting teachers and school staff to meet these needs.

We have provided a range of free professional learning opportunities for teachers aimed at supporting practitioners to further develop their knowledge, understanding and skills in supporting learners with dyslexia, and reduce barriers to learning. This includes the Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit and identification pathway, launched in 2017, and the Dyslexia and Inclusive Practice online professional learning modules, which enable staff to gain professional recognition in this area.

We are committed to ensuring that every child has access to a device by the end of this Parliament, in 2026. We are working with COSLA and local authorities to plan and deliver this programme, ensuring it meets the needs of all learners.