Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government welcomes the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care’s report: Every Story’s Ending. This report provides a helpful insight into the experiences that people and their families have at the end of life in Scotland.

The findings of the report will be helpful in shaping the work to take forward our commitment to produce a new palliative and end of life care strategy over the course of the coming year.

The Scottish Government remains committed to reducing the harms caused by alcohol and, in particular, the harms faced by hazardous and harmful drinkers. It is important that an effective level of minimum unit pricing for alcohol is in place in order that we can make inroads into reducing these harms.

Since a minimum price for alcohol at 50 pence per unit of alcohol was introduced on 1 May 2018, there have been two significant events that have impacted on the policy: the pandemic and the change in the legal landscape due to the UK Internal Market Act 2020. Both of these have significantly altered the context in which a review of the level of the minimum unit price would have been expected to have taken place after May 2020.

Prior to the pandemic, there were early encouraging signs of a reduction in alcohol sales and a reduction in alcohol specific deaths following the introduction of a minimum price at 50 pence per unit on 1 May 2018. However, the pandemic and its impact have changed many people’s behaviour around alcohol consumption, and this needs to be taken into account. In 2020, various surveys show those who were drinking heavily before the pandemic were more likely to increase their drinking during lockdown, thereby increasing their risk of harm.

We are in the process of gathering evidence of and analysing the impact the policy has had, and the considerable impacts the pandemic has had and continues to have on our society and economy. It is the affordability of alcohol that matters, not just the price, and that will depend on other factors such as people’s incomes and inflation. In reviewing the price we will look at all relevant factors. The impact the UK Internal Market Act 2020 might have on any proposed change to the level of minimum unit price is under consideration. What is clear, however, is that any proposed change must be supported by a robust rationale and evidence base.

The advertising and promotion of alcohol entails a range of activity which is seen by children and young people across Scotland. This influences attitudes towards drinking alcohol and can encourage children and young people to start drinking alcohol or to drink more alcohol. This is why the Scottish Government will consult on potential alcohol advertising restrictions during 2022, to protect children and young people, as announced in A Fairer, Greener Scotland: Programme for Government 2021-22 , published on 7 September 2021.

The Programme for Government 2020-21 commits the Scottish Government to consult on legislation to extend the new framework that came into force on 1 September for the licensing of animal welfare establishments, dog, cat and rabbit breeding and pet sales to performing animals and animal care services.

We plan to bring forward consultations in this area in due course after allowing a period of familiarisation with the recent licensing changes, so that the practical experiences of local authorities in implementing these can be considered in any future proposals.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

The SPS do not conduct routine drug testing upon release from prison at the end of an individual’s sentence.

The Scottish Government has not given a contract to Oviva to deliver any NHS services.

As Scotland emerges from COVID-19, our colleges and universities have a key role to play in rebuilding our economy. Ministers have been liaising with our education and skills system to address skills needs across various sectors of the Scottish economy, both in the short and longer term.

As announced in A Fairer, Greener Scotland: Programme for Government 2021-22 , published on 7 September 2021, the Scottish Government will consult on potential alcohol advertising restrictions during 2022, to protect children and young people. All methods of alcohol advertising and promotion will be considered in developing proposals for the public consultation, including alcohol industry sponsorship of sports.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03745 on 26 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02664 on 17 September 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