Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government’s 2021-22 Programme for Government contained a commitment to introduce a Good Food Nation Bill. The purpose of this Bill, introduced on 7 October, is to provide a clear, legislative framework introducing a statutory requirement for the Scottish Ministers and specified public authorities to publish good food nation plans. Those plans must set out the main outcomes they want to achieve in relation to food-related issues; the policies needed to do this; and the indicators or other measures required to assess progress.

The Bill underpins the work we are carrying out as part of the Good Food Nation programme of measures, delivering outcomes which support our nation’s social and economic wellbeing, the environment, people’s health and economic development. The subsequent plans will link together all the areas of food policy work that are addressed within the Programme for Government. Examples of such policies include our commitment to update and develop the Local Food Strategy following the recent consultation; plans to legislate for restrictions on unhealthier food and drink promotions; and a commitment to bring forward a plan to end the need for food banks and support people experiencing food insecurity.

Decisions on local staffing requirements and recruitment are the responsibility of individual NHS Boards. However, Scottish Government officials are continually engaging with NHS Boards to identify particular areas of concern.

NHS Highland advise that they, like all NHS Scotland boards, are experiencing sustained pressures on their services and a shortage of registered professionals to fill posts. NHS Highland recognises that staff across the organisation are feeling tired and concerned about their ability to provide the high standards of care that they wish to, and are doing all they can to support them.

NHS Highland has been actively managing the situation in partnership with staffside colleagues to understand the greatest areas of pressures and to address these.

This dialogue will continue over winter months, allowing local healthcare providers and Scottish Government to anticipate emerging pressures and implement targeted responses where necessary.

Although NHS Scotland’s staffing levels are at a record high, following nine years of consecutive growth, we are fully aware of the difficult circumstances that Boards and frontline staff are working in. That is why we have announced a record £300 million of investment to support Health Boards and their staff over the coming months.

As part of this investment, NHS Highland is receiving additional in-year and recurring finance to support international recruitment of registered nurses and additional Healthcare Support Workers for acute services. The Board has also received a share of in-year investment to provide additional support to its recruitment team and to recruit an international recruitment lead.

The vast majority of people can wear a face covering and everyone who can is required to do so where it is mandated by law.

The Scottish Government was the first of the devolved administrations to produce guidance on the use of face coverings – recognising exemptions where people are unable to, or it would be inappropriate to, wear a face covering. Discrimination against people in this situation is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

The Scottish Government, in conjunction with a range of equality stakeholders, developed a face covering exemption card, to support those who are unable to wear a face covering to feel more confident and safe when accessing public spaces and using public services.

Further information is available on the Exemption Card Scotland website .

As the First Minister set out in her statement of 30 November. The nine cases of Omicron identified at that time continue to be supported by Health Protection Teams and, as enhanced contact tracing is still taking place, it would not be appropriate to disclose further information with regards to the event in question.

Through Zero Waste Scotland, Scottish Government has provided the amounts shown in the table below, since 2011, directly to support local authorities’ recycling and re-use services. These grants included support for communications.

At present there are no restrictions on domestic travel therefore no specific discussions have been tabled with the UK Government. The majority of domestic trips are able to go ahead however we are asking that people be cautious when travelling and choosing activities and we are strengthening some mitigating measures in some areas of the visitor and retail economy. The Scottish Government also continues to engage regularly with the UK Government in relation to support for the wider tourism and hospitality industry.

The regulation of insurance providers is a reserved matter and the Competition and Markets Authority may choose to engage if they believe there is a need for consistency across providers.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04311 on 3 December 2021. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found athttps://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

The Scottish Government already offer bespoke and targeted advice and support to rural, remote and islands communities through a number of its delivery programmes, and the Heat in Buildings programme will take into account the distinct challenges facing these communities. The Scottish Government launched on Wednesday 15 December a further funding call to support heat decarbonisation and energy resilience in Scotland’s more remote, rural and island off electricity grid networks. Information on this can be found on the website, by accessing this link.

The Scottish Government currently provide support for community groups and organisations to explore their renewable heat options through the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) delivered by Local Energy Scotland on the Scottish Government’s behalf. CARES provides advice and support including funding support (grants and loans) to community groups and organisations, rural SME’s, and other eligible organisations seeking to explore their renewable energy options.

The Scottish Government will be consulting in 2022 on its draft Islands energy strategy. This will set out an approach to decarbonisation for Scotland’s island communities that will support them to develop renewable energy solutions that promote resilience, enhance sustainability and meet their energy needs now and in the future. As part of this work, where not already in place, the Scottish Government intend to explore the evidence base and options for an islands specific uplift, as part of our commitment to provide additional support for rural and island homes for heat and energy efficiency.