Chamber and committees

Current guidance reflects the best scientific and clinical advice, as well as the current state of the pandemic and the anticipated trajectory of infections. The restrictions which limit non-essential visitors in schools and early learning and childcare settings, include attendance by parents for nativity plays and similar events. However, we know that many schools and settings plan to use other creative means to present these activities, such as streaming them online or holding them outdoors.

The Scottish Government has agreed to grant £1 million to the Climate Justice Resilience Fund to support their work to address the needs of communities suffering the most acute impacts of climate change and develop and test a framework for delivering loss & damage programming. We will be working with the Fund to develop further details on programming in the first quarter of 2022.

As in all Climate Justice Fund programming, the perspectives of communities will be central to the design and determination of priorities.

The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The recruitment and deployment of Police Officers and Police Staff is a matter for the Chief Constable of Police Scotland.

Scottish Government statistics show that we have a higher number of officers than at any time during the previous administration. We currently have 17,232 officers, with Scotland having around 32 officers per 10,000 population compared to around
‎ 23 per 10,000 population in England and Wales.

The Chief Constable regularly reviews the size and shape of the policing workforce in light of changing demands. Local police divisions have a core complement of officers who are always dedicated locally to community and response policing, and they can additionally draw on specialist expertise and resources at a regional and national level – providing the right people in the right place at the right time to keep people safe and to meet the needs of our communities.

The Scottish Government aims to publish data at local and regional levels including parliamentary constituencies wherever it is possible and appropriate to do so. A large amount of data is already published at the level of parliamentary constituencies by the Scottish Government via its Official Statistics open data platform statistics.gov.scot .

In some cases however it may not be possible or appropriate to publish data at this level. In some cases data may not be collected at a level that allows for aggregation at parliamentary constituency level, it may not be possible due to issues of confidentiality, or due to concerns around the robustness of estimates produced for some areas. The collection and publication of statistics should also be proportionate to the requirements of the users of statistics, including the level at which decisions are made or services are delivered.

Such decisions about the appropriate level of geography at which to collect and publish data are made on a case by case basis and are done so based on user engagement activity and in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics . This approach is also consistent with the Government Statistical Service Geography Policy and the upcoming Government Statistical Service Subnational Data Strategy.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that all children and young people aged 12 to 17 years will be offered a second dose of the vaccine from 8 to 12 weeks after their first dose.

As of 30 November, those aged 16 and 17 are able to schedule second appointments using the booking portal on NHS Inform, phoning the national vaccination helpline on 0800 030 8013, or attending a drop-in clinic.

More information about second doses for young people aged 12 to 15 years will be available soon, and the JCVI has advised that a second dose for young people aged 12 to 15 years is advised no sooner than 12 weeks after the first dose.

However children and young people aged 12 to 17 who are at increased risk from coronavirus will be offered 2 doses of the vaccine, given 8 weeks apart. This includes those who are at increased risk from coronavirus due to underlying health conditions, live with someone with a severely weakened immune system, or are aged 16 or 17 years who are an unpaid carer or a frontline health or social care worker.

Some children and young people in these groups are eligible for a third primary dose and/or a booster dose.

Further information about second doses for children and young adults can be viewed at NHS Scotland at: Vaccinating children and young people aged 12 to 17 years | The coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine (nhsinform.scot) .

In February 2020, the Scottish Government published the Inshore Fisheries Pilot: Inner Sound of Skye Consultation Outcome Report. One of the recommendations contained in the report, was to establish an Inner Sound Local Fisheries Management Advisory Group. There are currently live legal proceedings relating to the Outcome Report and therefore it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.

Information on funding awarded to projects from the Regional Food Fund in each year since it was established is published on the Scotland Food & Drink website and can be found at the following link: https://foodanddrink.scot/regional-food-growth/regional-food-fund/

Those aged over 70, and those at highest clinical risk from COVID-19 have been receiving invitations for flu and Covid-19 booster appointment from 6 October.

Appointments for COVID-19 boosters have now been offered to all those aged 60 and over. Clinics for those aged 60 to 69 are continuing, with strong uptake among this cohort.

The online self-booking portal for adults aged 50 to 59, those aged over 16 who are unpaid carers and household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals launched on 15 Nov.

Over one third of those aged 50 to 59 have now had their booster and people in this group are urged to book their own appointment on the online portal at NHS Inform or phoning the National Helpline. Those in the 50-59 cohort who have not yet received their booster have been contacted by text/email and will receive a ‘blue letter’ reminder from Friday 10 December to make a booking as soon as possible.

A guide is available at Coronavirus (COVID-19) booster vaccination | The coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine (nhsinform.scot) for advising individuals how they will be invited for vaccination.

Those who are eligible can book or reschedule appointments via the COVID-19 Vaccination Helpline on 0800 030 8013.

NHS health boards lead on the local delivery of the COVID-19 vaccination programme. Vaccination centres have frequently changed throughout the programme, with some facilities being repurposed, and drop-in clinics being made available as we have had to exercise flexibility.

As such, the Scottish Government do not hold the requested level of information as the number changes frequently.

Further Information regarding the number of vaccination centres operating in each health board area, and their opening hours can be found on NHS inform.