Chamber and committees

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

SPS is unable provide information on the breakdown of the average monthly occupancy rates as the data is not collected in this format. The table below provides details of the weekly data collated on single cell occupancy across the prison estate.

• Single Occupancy – number of people accommodated alone in a cell intended to accommodate one person
• Single Occupancy Double Room – number of people accommodated alone in a cell that is designed to be double occupancy
• Double Occupancy Single Room – number of people accommodated with another person in a cell intended for one person
• Double Occupancy Double Room, Multiple Occupancy and Single Occupancy Dorm – number of people accommodated in a cell, or dormitory, intended for more than one person
• Total Population – The total number of individuals in custody that evening.
• Single Cell Occupancy % - The percentage of the total population of that evening who are accommodated in single cell accommodation.

Our COVID Status Certification scheme is a necessary, proportionate and limited measure targeted towards activities that are a higher risk. This is an alternative to the potential closure of higher risk venues.

We value the work of the Scottish Human Rights Commission and the current scheme takes account of potential issues noted in the Commission’s April 2021 briefing paper. We have addressed a range of more specific potential impacts in our published Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) .

Our decisions are taken, and reviewed on the latest data and clinical evidence . Our review process includes consideration of the impact assessments, such as the EQIA.

The initial contract to develop the NHS Scotland Covid Status App was awarded to Netcompany through fair and open procurement at a cost of £600,000. Netcompany is a Danish firm who have developed the Coronapas App for Denmark and the NHS Covid Pass for England and Wales.

The NHS Scotland Covid Status App continues to be developed, with further features and functions added, we will therefore set out the total cost in due course.

The Scottish Government has never received an offer from the UK Government to adapt its app to support our needs. It is appropriate that we design a scheme that is right for Scotland, works in our context, and offers us the flexibility to adapt to our changing circumstances.

There is clear clinical evidence that the vaccination reduces the risk of serious harm and we recommend that all adults, even those how have had Covid, should be vaccinated. One of the aims of the certification programme is to promote the uptake of the vaccine and for that reasons antibody status is not within scope. We will keep the parameters for certification under review.

There are no current plans to lower the age limit in relation to COVID-19 certification scheme. We continue to keep the scheme under regular review.

The British Medical Association (BMA) and I issued a joint statement to all practices on face-to-face appointments as a result of multiple discussions between both parties.

For many years now, in person face-to-face appointments form part of a hybrid model of options that are offered to patients including video consultations, telephone consultations and in person face-to-face appointments. The pandemic changed the balance between these appointment types. While we are clear that face to face appointments must increase we also recognise that for a number of patients they will wish to continue with telephone or video consultations. Changes to physical distancing guidance will assist practices to safely increase more face to face appointments.

Importantly the type of appointment offered should be agreed through shared decision making, balancing patient choice and autonomy, and practice circumstances/capacity and clinical judgement.

I last met with the BMA on 25 October 2021.

This Government has a proud record of supporting our rural and land based industries, including our beef producers. From 2018 to now we have supported the industry with a number of schemes including:

The Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme has provided total £118.8 million from 2018 to 2020. An uplift worth £12.67 million was made to this scheme via the convergence payments made in 2020.

The Beef Efficiency Scheme has provided £9.37 million to beef farming businesses since January 2018, while supporting businesses with training events and the use of carbon auditing tools.

The Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme (LFASS) also provides support to specialist beef farmers, for which £144 million has been paid out between 2018 and 2020.

The pilot Sustainable Agricultural Capital Grant Scheme offered financial support to farmers and crofters to purchase specific items of agricultural equipment and technology to support them in the delivery of direct greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions; as well as supporting sustainable farming and land use, improving land and livestock management and encouraging changes to land use to capture more carbon. The scheme proved popular and received 3,735 applications, with over 3,500 applications approved at a total value of £16.95m, of that £10.25m was awarded to 2,267 Suckler beef farmers and crofters.

The following table summarises the rejected Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) applications, specifically Slurry Store, that have been appealed. It records the number of applications that were (a) upheld following appeal and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015.

Please note that the 2015 round did not include a Slurry Store option and that the 2020 round was not open to new applications, rather a one year’s extension was offered to all Management options that were due to end in 2020. Not all businesses accepted the offer. Slurry Store is not a Management Option, it is capital only, and as such was not included in the round.

The 2021 round that closed at the beginning of July 2021 was also extended. These applications are still being assessed.

* Application type not included in Round

The following table summarises the rejected Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) applications, specifically Improving Public Access (IPA), that have been appealed. It records the number of applications that were (a) upheld following appeal and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015.

Please note that the 2020 round was not open to new applications, rather a one year’s extension was offered to all Management options that were due to end in 2020. Not all businesses accepted the offer. IPA is not a Management Option, it is capital only, and as such was not included in the round.

The 2021 round that closed at the beginning of July 2021 was also extended. These applications are still being assessed.

* Application type not included in Round