Chamber and committees

Transport Scotland has worked closely with operating partners and stakeholders throughout the pandemic to ensure that transport services have been maintained for those who rely upon them. For example, under the Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) scheme, transport operators were able can apply for an exemption to allow essential workers to volunteer to leave self-isolation and return to work in certain limited circumstances in order to allow vital services to continue.

Although this scheme has now closed following changes to the general population self isolation policy, we continue to work closely with the sector on maintaining service and network resilience. This includes working with CalMac and ScotRail to introduce temporary timetables to protect lifeline services and minimise Covid related cancellations as a result of staff absences arising from the recent surge in cases caused by the Omicron variant.

Following the end of Professor Ken Muir’s ‘ consultation on the replacement of the Scottish Qualifications Authority and the reform of Education Scotland’ , on 26 November 2021, Professor Muir is preparing his report and recommendations, which the Scottish Government expects to receive soon.

The Scottish Government has today announced an Independent Chair is to be appointed to oversee a Review of Audiology Services in Scotland.

The appointee will provide leadership to a National Audiology Review Group established to examine hearing services provided to both children and adults in Health Boards across Scotland.

As I have previously stated to Parliament, it is vital that we are confident in the quality and effectiveness of our audiology service in Scotland. To do this, we need to identify any potential wider issues and what recommendations need to be taken forward across NHS Scotland to ensure our audiology service is fit for purpose and support our commitment to the needs of children and people living with a sensory impairment.

The group will provide recommendations for a national plan for improvement.

The Scottish Government will provide a further update to Parliament detailing the remit of the review, its membership and timetable for reporting once an appointment has been made.

The Scottish Government is committed to working closely with all 32 of Scotland’s local authorities to address the climate emergency. Scottish Ministers frequently meet with local authorities to discuss a wide variety of topics encompassing the climate emergency: such as Programme for Government; budgetary matters; a just transition; and biodiversity. It is therefore not possible to give an exact number on how many ministerial meetings since April 2019 contained discussions of local authorities climate emergency planning.

In addition, Climate Change Officials meet with COSLA on a regular basis to discuss a range of shared interests related to the climate emergency. Cabinet Secretary NETZET is due to meet representatives of Dundee City Council and Highland Council to discuss plans to respond to the climate emergency in the coming weeks.

In response to the three questions regarding staffing number (a) Full-time equivalent (b) headcount (C) Seasonal workers at Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd I can confirm as follows.

The Inquiry must, and will, be given the resources necessary to discharge its task. It will be fully funded by the Scottish Government. Costs are to be determined by how the Inquiry is run by the independent Chair. For that reason, as with other inquiries, we have not set a fixed budget for the Inquiry.

The Inquiries Act 2005 requires the Chair to avoid any unnecessary cost, whether to public funds or to witnesses or others.

The Scottish Government recognises and supports the Safe and Together model as a positive approach in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children living with domestic abuse. The principles of this model are central to the priorities of Equally Safe, Scotland’s strategy to prevent and eradicate all forms of violence against women and girls. That is why, from October 2021, through the Delivering Equally Safe Fund, the Scottish Government funded 12 organisations and joint organisation partnerships approximately £2m to deliver the Safe and Together model and training across 11 local authority areas.

On 2 September 2021, the Scottish Government published revised National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland. This non-statutory guidance describes the responsibilities and expectations of everyone who works with, or comes into contact with, children and young people, families and carers in Scotland.

The National Guidance includes a strengthened section on domestic abuse, providing detailed support for practitioners working with families affected by domestic abuse. This includes guidance on the Safe and Together model which highlights aspects of domestic abuse-informed practice in the protection of children.

There are currently no plans to introduce a “Climate Change Business Bill” within the current parliamentary session.

The Scottish Government has not provided direct or specific funding for businesses damaged by Storm Arwen.

I appreciate that the aftermath of Storm Arwen will have created difficult operating conditions for affected businesses. Information on available business support offered by public sector organisations can be found at the Find Business Support website - https://findbusinesssupport.gov.scot/

Following Storm Arwen, the Scottish Government activated the Bellwin Scheme to provide additional revenue support to local authorities to assist with immediate and unforeseen costs that meet the scheme’s qualifying criteria.

For the 2021-22 tax year, the Scottish Fiscal Commission forecast that there will be 417,800 Scottish taxpayers in the Higher Rate band, and 18,000 in the Top Rate band.