Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is hugely grateful for what NHS Scotland staff have done and continue to do in caring for patients and coping with the pandemic. As we have done in previous years, we will look to negotiate a settlement for Agenda for Change staff which is fair, affordable and sustainable. It would not be appropriate to say any more at this time but the final settlement will be backdated to at least 1 April 2022.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-07634 on 21 April 2022. 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-07634 on 21 April 2022. 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

As detailed in the response to Parliamentary Question S6W-07540 on 21 April 2022, the Scottish Prison Service does not undertake strip searches. It does not collate centrally any items recovered during body searches.

The Scottish Government does not collate information on inadmissible items found during strip searches carried out in secure units.

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 does not hold information on the number of strip searches carried out by Police Scotland. This information is held by Police Scotland.

Data Publication - Police Scotland .

The Stop and Search Code of Practice stipulates that a record must be made of any search in the exercise of any power to which the Code applies. The Code also sets out what information must be recorded, including whether a search was a standard search, a strip search within a police station, a strip search outwith a police station, or an intimate search. Police Scotland publish this data quarterly on their website:

Additionally, section 7 of the Code of Practice outlines additional considerations that should be taken when a search involves a child or a young person, requiring Police Officers to ensure that their actions are fully compatible with the young person’s human rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of strip searches carried out by Police Scotland. This information is held by Police Scotland.

Data Publication - Police Scotland .

The Stop and Search Code of Practice stipulates that a record must be made of any search in the exercise of any power to which the Code applies. The Code also sets out what information must be recorded, including whether a search was a standard search, a strip search within a police station, a strip search outwith a police station, or an intimate search. Police Scotland publish this data quarterly on their website:

Additionally, section 7 of the Code of Practice outlines additional considerations that should be taken when a search involves a child or a young person, requiring Police Officers to ensure that their actions are fully compatible with the young person’s human rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-07634 on 21 April 2022. 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 earlier cancer is diagnosed the easier it is to treat. This is why the Scottish Government continues to invest in our £44m Detect Cancer Early (DCE) Programme, which adopts a whole systems approach to diagnosing and treating cancer as early as possible. An additional £20m has been committed to the programme over this parliamentary term.

The Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer were published in 2019 and support primary care professionals in identifying patients with potential symptoms of cancer who require urgent assessment by a specialist. These include guidelines for suspected sarcoma.

In addition, Scotland’s first three Early Cancer Diagnostic Centres are now live in NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Dumfries and Galloway and NHS Fife. These Centres provide primary care with a new referral route for patients with non-specific symptoms suspicious of cancer (i.e. weight loss, fatigue, nausea), which do not meet site specific Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer.

The Scottish Government and Public Health Scotland (PHS) have worked with Health Boards to support their planning and safe delivery of immunisation services throughout the pandemic.

The routine childhood immunisation programmes have continued in Scotland throughout the COVID-19 pandemic for children of all ages.

Uptake for vaccines given to children has remained consistently high in Scotland. Statistics on childhood immunisations published quarterly by PHS show that around 96% of children had received each routine immunisation by the time they were 12 months of age in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Uptake of the first dose of MMR by the age of 24 months also increased, rising from 94% in 2019 to 94.4% in 2021.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, HPV and Teenage booster programmes were delayed due to school closures. Pupils who were not offered their vaccines or who missed the immunisation sessions at school, are being offered these vaccines during planned catch-up sessions arranged by their Health Boards.

The Seasonal Flu Vaccination Programme ran from 6 September 2021 to 31 March 2022. On 15 December 2021, flu delivery was paused to support further acceleration of the COVID-19 booster programme. Prior to the end of the year, Health Boards had already offered flu vaccinations in primary and secondary schools, and to children under 5 with at risk conditions.

The most recent PHS publications can be found online: Publications - Public Health Scotland

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-07632 on 19 April 2022. 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
‎