Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government routinely publishes official labour market statistics for disabled people in Scotland and uses these to analyse how labour market barriers and outcomes for disabled people are changing over time and how they have been impacted by COVID-19.

Latest data are published at:

Labour market monthly briefing: October 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

We know, for example, the disability employment gap in Scotland - the difference between the employment rates of disabled and non-disabled people - narrowed over the latest year to July 2020 – June 2021, to 32.0 percentage points.

Analysis is also published as part of the annual progress report of a Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: employment action plan - our plan to at least halve the disability employment gap in Scotland by 2038.

Latest report available here: Fairer Scotland for disabled people - employment action plan: progress report - year 2 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04069 on 9 November 2021 asking the Scottish Government how many social enterprises have made use of the cultural and creative Social Enterprise Network since it began operating.

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, through Home Energy Scotland, provides loans with cashback grants to enable households in all parts of Scotland to install zero emissions heating systems, including heat pumps.

The Home Energy Scotland (HES) Loan and Cashback scheme provides interest-free loans with up to 75% (or £7,500) cashback grant funding for homeowners to replace fossil-fuel heating systems such as oil with low or zero emissions heating systems such as heat pumps, plus up to 40% (or £6,000) cashback grant for energy efficiency measures, including solid wall insulation.

Additionally, through Warmer Homes Scotland, our national fuel poverty scheme, eligible households are offered a funded, bespoke package of measures. The scheme aims to make the homes of those living in fuel poverty or at the risk of fuel poverty warmer and cheaper to heat.

Zero emissions heating and new insulation measures are available, some of which may be particularly beneficial to rural and remote communities not served by the gas grid.

And to further support all households to make their homes greener, we also provide:

• free, impartial, bespoke advice through Home Energy Scotland, including specialist home renewables advice;
• the Green Homes Network which allows households to find out about the experience of others who have already installed measures; and
• the Renewable Installer Finder Tool which helps households find installers and suppliers in their area.

These advice and support schemes, including advice on eligibility for Warmer Homes Scotland, can be accessed through Home Energy Scotland, managed on behalf of Scottish Government by the Energy Saving Trust.

There are currently 146 social enterprises on the list of current members of the Culture and Creative Social Enterprise Network (SEN) on the SEN website .

The number of social enterprises that have made use of the Culture and Creative SEN services over the years is far greater than the current membership for a number of reasons:

• Social enterprises that have delivered cultural/ creative activity (but this is not their primary activity) are linked into the activities of the SEN through other thematic SENs, Local SENs, Third Sector Interfaces (TSIs) and other partners.
• Organisations that do not fall within the Voluntary Code of Practice for Social Enterprise in Scotland and therefore cannot be a member have still tapped into services including events and signposting.
• Partner organisations (e.g. Local SENs, TSI’s, Creative Scotland, Museum Galleries Scotland, Just Enterprise, Culture Counts) that are providing one to one support have tapped into knowledge to ensure that the organisation they are working with is best supported.
• SENs may have also been a member for a period of time and are no longer a current member.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) has been allocated additional funding of £2,586,000 this year through transfers made at the Autumn Budget Revision, of this £1,728,000 was funding for STEM bursaries. Changes to budgets made at the Autumn Budget Revision are published on the Scottish Government website at https://www.gov.scot/publications/2021-22-autumn-budget-revision-budget-scotland-act/ 

COPFS has noted the findings of the study. The statistics quoted in that study indicate that the average time taken to complete an FAI in 2017-19 was at its lowest figure since the period 2005-07. That figure – 603 days – was more than one third lower than the figure (990) from the previous period which predated the introduction of the 2016 Act.

COPFS is committed to reducing the timescale for commencing FAIs, including those arising from deaths in custody, whilst ensuring that the circumstances surrounding each death are thoroughly investigated. COPFS has introduced a number of measures since the implementation of the Inquiries into Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Act 2016 to reduce the average time taken to complete FAIs. Funding for the overall COPFS budget has been increased in recent years to help support the progress of these and other investigations. Dedicated teams were set up within the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit of Crown Office to specifically investigate deaths where an FAI requires to be held. A Case Management Panel ensures there is regular oversight of all deaths in custody investigations by senior managers on a regular basis. These reforms have already resulted in reductions in the duration of death investigations and it is expected that they will continue to do so.

In addition, a dedicated Crown Office team is to be established to investigate all deaths in legal custody. It is anticipated that such a team will allow for accelerated processes for particular categories of death and greater scope for conjoining FAIs and will reduce the time taken to conclude these investigations.

The organisations funded under the Equality and Human Rights Fund are taking forward work that meet the aims and objectives of the fund, which are:

To fund, support, develop and learn from civil society organisations and partnerships that:

1. Develop and deliver work that is grounded in the progression, protection and realisation of human rights.

2. Deliver support to address the needs of people facing structural inequality and develop and deliver work to increase participation and empowerment.

3. Support delivery of commitments within relevant Scottish Government equality and human right strategies, action plans and documents.

4. Generate data, learning and insight into the experience of people to support analysis and challenge on equality and human rights issues, across a wide range of policy areas.

A list of the successful applicants is available on the Scottish Government website Equality and Human Rights Fund: projects funded - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

We are committed to working with Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) to ensure that the refresh of ‘ A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: Employment action plan’ is informed by the lived experience of disabled people.

The short life working group overseeing the development of the refreshed action plan is co-chaired by the Glasgow Disability Alliance (GDA). GDA and other DPOs will engage directly with their members and disabled people for input and views with regards to the refreshed action plan to ensure their views are heard and seen.

More broadly, we are committed to working together with DPOs to ensure disabled people’s input is represented in Scottish Government’s strategic and policy development in relation to achieving a fairer Scotland for disabled people. For example, the direct involvement of disabled people’s organisations and their members has played a key role in shaping the next phase of No One Left Behind, our strategy for placing people at the centre of the design and delivery of employability services.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02957 on 12 October 2021. 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

Vaccination is the best way to keep you, your friends, family, and community safe and we encourage everyone to consider getting the vaccine. In the vast majority of cases a successful route to safe vaccination can be found.

If vaccination is not straightforward, support is available to help people achieve the benefits of protection from the Covid-19 vaccines. Local vaccination centre can help answer questions about the vaccine and can advise what arrangements may be put in place to enable safe vaccination. In the rare cases where that support does not lead to vaccination, the offer of an exemption will be a part of the process.

A person who is identified as clinically unable to safely receive the vaccine will receive a secure paper exemption certificate in the post.