Chamber and committees

The National Advisory Committee for Chronic Pain (NACCP) meets quarterly, with the most recent meeting taking place on the 26 May, and outputs from its discussions are used to update Ministers as required and inform the ongoing development of the new Framework for Chronic Pain Service Delivery which is intended for public consultation later this year.

The Committee provides advice to the Scottish Government to inform national policy. As set out in its Terms of Reference, the NACCP is an advisory group which seeks to achieve consensus based on the shared knowledge and experience of the members on an equal basis. The membership of the Committee comprises representatives from the Scottish Government, NHS services, clinical, third-sector and research sectors, and following a review last year, an increased number of people with lived experience of chronic pain.

In addition to the individual people with lived experience who provide input as members of the NACCP, officials have also consulted the wider Chronic Pain Patient Reference Group which is supported by the Health and Social Care Alliance. In advance of the Framework being finalised officials will work with the Alliance to identify opportunities to consult with people with lived experience of chronic pain.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-00914 on 5 July 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.

Indoor music lessons for both children and adult pupils can take place under COVID-19 restriction levels 0-3 in households or other suitable premises with relevant mitigations including appropriate hygiene measures, physical distancing, use of face coverings where it does not interfere with playing and provided the household and person limits are not exceeded. Remote or online tuition is recommended as the lowest risk option at all levels.

There are no restrictions on which instruments can be used during tuition, but the sharing of instruments is not advised, particularly brass and woodwind instruments due to the increased risk of spreading the virus. The tutor should cover this in the required risk assessment.

Further information can be found at:

• Coronavirus (COVID-19): organised activities for children - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
• Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for the performing arts and venues sector - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-00871 on 5 July 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-00871 on 5 July 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-00871 on 5 July 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-00914 on 5 July 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.

We are committed to increasing residential rehabilitation placements and getting more women into treatment and recovery. This includes keeping families together when it is appropriate to do so.

£100 million of the additional £250 million funding announced as part of the National Mission will support further investment in - and expansion of - residential rehabilitation and associated aftercare over the next five years.

In May 2021, the Scottish Government launched two funds worth a combined £10 million; a £5 million Recovery Fund to support services to provide additional residential rehabilitation capacity, and a £5 million Improvement Fund to support improvements to services for outreach, treatment, rehabilitation and aftercare, with dedicated support for women.

Through these funds, we are open to considering a range of proposals to increase placements for residential rehabilitation - including dedicated mother and baby residential care units.

Work is also underway working with the Residential Rehabilitation Development Working Group to develop a best practice pathways guide into and from residential rehabilitation treatment, including pathways for women and families.

Applications for the Legal Aid Traineeship Fund are sought from all legal firms/organisations across Scotland, including those in the Northern Isles. The Scottish Government and the Law Society agreed that all posts must be externally advertised including on the lawscots.jobs website. The criteria for the Fund explicitly states that all reasonable steps must be taken by legal firms/organisations to use an open, fair, and diverse recruitment process.

The Law Society are responsible for the administration of the Fund and further information on the eligibly criteria can be found here: https://www.lawscot.org.uk/qualifying-and-education/qualifying-as-a-scottish-solicitor/the-traineeship/funded-legal-aid-traineeship-scheme/ .

Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government is investigating potential options to ensure that consumers and the wider public can have confidence in the reliability of private PCR tests.

We have issued guidance for employers on setting up private testing programmes which includes information on seeking assurances around test quality: Coronavirus (COVID-19) - employee testing programmes: guidance for employers - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

UK Government legislation regulating the Coronavirus test devices can be found here: The Medical Devices (Coronavirus Test Device Approvals) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (legislation.gov.uk) .