Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government gives full consideration to ensuring all human rights obligations are stringently assessed and observed for all Police Scotland requests for overseas deployments, including to Colombia. For our part, the Scottish Government condemns human rights abuses wherever they occur and has always been clear that Scottish public authorities, including Police Scotland, should act to promote human rights and to challenge poor practice in the context of any engagement with overseas partners

Police Scotland complete an Overseas Security and Justice Assistance assessment prior to any approach to the Scottish Government to ensure that all activity is consistent with all domestic and international human rights obligations. All Police Scotland engagement with Colombia has been undertaken with the full support of the British Embassy in Bogota, and the UN International Organization for Migration (UN IOM). Safeguards have been built in to the arrangements for the deployment so that appropriate action can be taken should any human rights concerns be identified by Police Scotland officers. These are as follows:

• All interventions by Police Scotland incorporate measures to reduce the risk of human rights violations.
• Training on Human Rights is incorporated into all courses and interventions.
• Police Scotland retains and provides for reduction, suspension or stopping assistance, if they identify any human rights concerns.
• Police Scotland staff are specifically briefed to raise participants’ awareness that good practice respects human rights at every opportunity.

As set out in the STAG Managers Guide , an appraisal using Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) is required whenever Scottish Government funding, support or approval is needed to change the transport system. It may also offer a suitable framework for other funders.

STAG is applicable to all transport interventions. Option generation as part of STAG should be unconstrained and should fully reflect the range of multi-modal options available. Typically, the STAG process is not used for developing and comparing alternative designs for the same mode-specific option, for example alternative corridors for a new road project, however the principles for appraisal and evaluation are similar and the basis of determining socio-economic impacts derive from HM Treasury Green Book.

A transport appraisal in accordance with STAG aligns with the Strategic Business Case (SBC) stage, the initial stage of business case development in line with Transport Scotland’s Guidance on the development of Business Cases , where a decision is taken to progress any option to the next stage.

Certain transport options which emerge from the STAG process may then require further consideration using mode-specific guidance at the next stages of business case development, for example:

• Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment (PACE) – for rail projects; and
• Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) – for roads schemes.

STAG is not usually adopted when considering maintenance issues of an existing asset which will not significantly change or affect the operation of the transport system.

Using satellite data and computer modelling, Forest Research have recently issued a revised estimate of around 8,000 hectares of forests impacted by the winter storms. This equates to around 16 million trees that have been blown over or otherwise damaged.

After Storm Arwen at the end of November, Scottish Forestry and Confor brought together the industry to take a strategic and collective view and co-ordinate the recovery of the fallen wood so that it can get to market in a safe and timely manner. Many landowners are still clearing up and this will continue for months to come, and will continue to be supported in that work by the Scottish Government and its agencies.

We are working with the sector to develop an updated and refreshed Action Plan under the auspices of our existing Culture Strategy, setting out the workstreams we are taking forward to support recovery and renewal. In doing so, we are currently considering the recommendations put forward by the National Partnership for Culture and the Creative Industries Leadership Group, which we received in spring 2022, and which relate directly to the recovery and renewal agenda. Our response to the National Partnership for Culture’s recommendations will be published shortly. Along with our ongoing sector engagement work, this will feed into our Culture Strategy Action Plan refresh, which we expect to publish in the summer.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-08101 on 11 May 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

The Scottish Government regularly consult with trade unions on matters impacting the workforce, in line with our partnership agreement, and have notified them of enhanced recruitment controls being put in place. We remain committed to making the best and most efficient use of our resources.

The Chief Executive of NHS Scotland and Director-General Health and Social Care put in place a temporary pause on filling vacancies not currently advertised within Health and Social Care Directorates from 4 April 2022. The pause will remain in place for no longer than necessary, while consideration is given to the future pandemic response.

We recognise the significant pressure on Orthopaedic Waiting Times, and actions to address this are being considered within the wider context of planned care recovery.

We are working closely with Boards to finalise planned care activity plans, including for orthopaedics, for 2022-23, which will be critical to stabilising and improving our health and social care system in the medium term.

The National Treatment Centre (NTC) Programme will deliver the single biggest increase in protected planned care capacity ever created in NHSScotland. The network of 10 NTCs, will deliver capacity for over 40,000 additional planned procedures and diagnostic care across 12 specialities. Within next 18 months, NTCs will open in NHS Fife, NHS Forth Valley, NHS Highland and at NHS Golden Jubilee specialising in orthopaedic surgery. On 13 April, we also announced £1.8m of funding to purchase a private hospital in Ayrshire (Carrick Glen) to be developed into a new National Treatment Centre specialising in orthopaedics.

As well as significant investment in new infrastructure, the new NHSScotland Centre for Sustainable Delivery is also leading work to explore new and innovative ideas to reduce In Patient / Day Case and Outpatient waiting times. Examples include:

• The rollout of Active Clinical Referral Triage, to provide patients with information about non-surgical interventions and self-management options;
• Patient Initiated Reviews, enabling patients to be escalated if their condition deteriorates and reduces routine appointments while supporting patients in a safe and clinically appropriate manner; and
• Enhanced Recovery after Surgery pathways, designed to support patients achieve faster recovery after surgery.

Discussions are also progressing with the Centre for Sustainable Delivery to build clinical leadership across all specialties to help innovate and drive productive opportunities to support the recovery of planned care.

The Skills Action Plan for Rural Scotland (SAPRS) is a joint initiative supported by Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Government, Plan stakeholders and partners.

I refer to the response I gave on 7 March 2022 (S6W-06724). An evaluation of the SAPRS is currently underway; it will be published in Summer 2022.

This evaluation will help inform what future action is needed to drive forward co-ordination and delivery of skills for rural Scotland.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all people living in Scotland with long-term conditions, including those waiting for orthopaedic surgery, are able to access the best possible care and support, and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put the person at the centre of their care. Information, including self-help, is available on NHS inform, and individual Health Boards are offering helpful advice to patients on topics such as weight loss, exercise and financial support.

Additionally, the Scottish Government will continue to engage with organisations such as Versus Arthritis regarding how best to jointly support patients living with orthopaedic conditions. This will be an ongoing process requiring essential collaboration with patients, carers, and service providers, including the third sector and clinicians.