Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has not had any general discussions with the UK Government regarding the potential impact that our regulations and guidance for businesses and workplaces on reducing the risk of COVID-19, might have on their employees in Scotland. However there have been discussions with individual departments about restrictions throughout the pandemic.

All businesses in the UK have a duty to manage workplace risks under existing health and safety legislation, and those with offices or business locations (with staff) in Scotland must also ensure that they adhere to the specific requirements set out in the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Requirements) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 .

Furthermore, information on the UK Government website signposts to Scottish guidance and UK wide employers are reminded to keep in mind their employees needs to abide by regulations and guidance published by the employee’s local administration.

We recognise the pandemic’s impact on the economy and businesses across a wide range of sectors. So far, the Scottish Government has provided £79.3 million directly to taxi and private hire drivers and operators in response to the pandemic. Further support of up to £28 million was announced on 5 January 2022 from within the £375 million package of funding announced on 21 December 2021, bringing total support for the sector to over £107 million. The Scottish Government is also calling on the UK Government to re-introduce schemes such as the Self-Employment Income Support Grant in order to make further support available. We work closely with delivery partners to make payments to eligible businesses at the earliest opportunity, which is of course our established approach.

We recognise the pandemic’s impact on the economy and businesses across a wide range of sectors. So far, the Scottish Government has provided £79.3 million directly to taxi and private hire drivers and operators in response to the pandemic. Further support of up to £28 million was announced on 5 January 2022 from within the £375 million package of funding announced on 21 December 2021, bringing total support for the sector to over £107 million. The Scottish Government is also calling on the UK Government to re-introduce schemes such as the Self-Employment Income Support Grant in order to make further support available.

The taxi and private-hire sector is one of a number of sectors experiencing labour market challenges arising from the pandemic, and is exacerbated by this being a largely self-employed sector. We are aware that Glasgow City Council, who are the independent licensing authority responsible for administration of the taxi-licensing regime, have held constructive talks with the trade to ascertain how the licensing authority can streamline the licensing process.

National Records of Scotland produce an annual National Statistics publication each year on drug-related deaths in Scotland. The most recent report provides information on drug-related deaths details in 2020 and earlier years. Section 7 of the report provides an overview of drug-related deaths by substances implicated. Tables SUB1 and SUB2 provide information on the substances which were reported for drug-related deaths in Scotland between 2000 and 2020. Tables HBX and CX provide figures for individual drugs, for NHS Boards and councils. Annex E and Table NPS1 provide information relating to New Psychoactive Substances.

The full report and supplementary tables can be accessed from the following link: Drug-related Deaths in Scotland in 2020 | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk)

Hospital admissions

Public Health Scotland information on hospital activity relating to illicit drug use in Scotland are not specific enough to identify the substances specified (heroin and methadone are the only opioids with specific ICD-10 diagnostic codes).

We know that recent energy price rises will cause people to worry. My foremost concern is for households affected by these price rises, particularly those who are in or at risk of fuel poverty. It is worth noting that the setting of tariffs in the gas and electricity markets is reserved to the UK Government and subsequently we have called for action from the UK Government to address these issues. We are committed to using our available powers to support consumers however, that is why we are making £10 million available to help people struggling with their heating costs this Winter.

I would also encourage anyone struggling with their energy bills to get in touch with Home Energy Scotland for advice on how to reduce their fuel costs.

Evidence-based psychological interventions, based on psychological concepts and theory, are designed to help people understand and make changes to their thinking, behaviour and relationships. These are delivered across a wide range of services in both physical and mental health settings, from brief interventions in primary care to specialist psychological therapies aimed at service users with highly complex and/or enduring mental illness and disorder. Choices over which evidence-based intervention to deliver for specific patient groups are made locally by Health Boards.

Health Boards are also delivering on behavioural change psychology methods to support changes in lifestyle behaviours as part of their implementation of the Framework for the Prevention, Early Detection and Early Intervention for type 2 diabetes , and via delivery of Public Health Scotland’s Standards for delivery of tier 2 and tier 3 weight management services for adults and children and young people .

Silver Cloud, SilverCloud | NHS Lanarkshire (scot.nhs.uk) , is now also available in all Health Boards through referral and for some treatments self-referral options. Silver Cloud provides private and secure access anywhere, anytime to evidence-based, online programs that will help to teach you techniques that helps you reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, low mood or depression associated with Chronic Pain or Diabetes Type 1 & 2. It is also suitable for co-morbid long term health conditions. The treatments are evidence based delivering computerised CBT (cCBT) treatment in people’s homes through smartphone, tablet and home computers and progress of the patient treatment is monitored by local cCBT Teams based in Adult Psychology.

Additionally, in order to ensure consistency in the quality of service delivery across Scotland, the Scottish Government has worked with NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to produce the Psychological Therapies Matrix - a stepped guide to planning and delivering evidence-based psychological therapies within NHS Boards in Scotland. The Matrix provides a summary of the information on the current evidence base for various therapeutic approaches, guidance on well-functioning psychological therapies services, and advice on important governance issues.

(a) The Scottish Government is taking effective steps to meet the needs of an evolving labour market by promoting employer business models that commit to investing in evidence-based human resources development.

In September 2021, the Scottish Government established a short-life Business Purpose Commission for Scotland, to promote more purposeful businesses and better corporate governance. The Commission is tasked with examining issues related to that agenda, which includes business models, improving understanding of purpose as a way of retaining and attracting talent, and developing recommendations for how more purposeful businesses can be supported in Scotland. The Commission is currently in evidence gathering stage, with hundreds of businesses having already provided evidence via the business purpose question included in the Quarterly Fraser of Allander Scottish Business Monitor (Q3) and the Commission's call for evidence, which closed on 10 December 2021. Thematic workshops are also scheduled to take place in January 2022, to gather further evidence.

(b) The Scottish Government is likewise taking effective steps to meet the needs of an evolving labour market by ensuring that employability programmes focus on developing skills and providing quality work.

Through No One Left Behind, we are working with partners to implement an approach to employability that is person-centred, flexible and responsive to local labour market needs. We are working collaboratively across sectors to ensure our services contribute to tackling poverty and inequalities, and that people who want help to find and remain in work have access to the help and support they need. Our flagship employability service, Fair Start Scotland has supported over 13,000 people into work since launching in April 2018. We continue to focus on improving our services for those further from the labour market, offering 12-18 months of pre-employment support and a further 12 months of in-work support for participants and their employers to encourage sustained employment.

Unemployed individuals can also currently access key skills provision to support their return to work which is targeted at areas of growth or labour market and skills shortages. This includes the National Transition Training Fund for those aged 25 and over and – where applicable, Individual Training Accounts.

The ambition of the Young Person’s Guarantee is that every person aged between 16 and 24 will have the opportunity to study; take up an apprenticeship, job or work experience; or participate in formal volunteering. There are now 382 employers signed up to the Young Person's Guarantee, generating in excess of 7,400 additional opportunities. In 2020-22, we have provided additional funding of up to £130m with the aim of supporting over 24,000 new and enhanced employment, training and educational opportunities for young people, with a particular focus on supporting those who face additional challenges in participating in the labour market. A further £45m will be invested in 2022-23. Local Authority Employer Recruitment Incentives (ERIs) also remain in place to support young people into employment, including apprenticeships, particularly individuals who experience difficulties accessing the labour market.

The total number of households that have received energy saving and efficiency improvements delivered through the Scottish Government’s energy efficiency programmes between 2016-17 and 2020-21* in this region** are:

Warmer Homes Scotland – 251

Area Based Schemes – 1337

Home Energy Scotland Loans – 522 (316 of which received cashback)

*As Area Based projects for financial year 2020/21 have just concluded, final installation figures are currently unavailable until late January 2022. Home Energy Scotland loans scheme began April 2017, so there is no data for 2016/17.

**Figures for Area Based schemes and Home Energy Scotland Loans are only available on a Local Authority basis not a Parliamentary Constituency basis.

Local authorities and Police have a range of powers under the current Coronavirus regulations, including the power to issue notices and directions on businesses to take specific actions. Similar powers have been in place under previous regulations. Enforcement action is the last step of the 4 Es approach (Engage, Explain, Encourage and Enforce).

No Fixed Penalty Notices have been issued to hospitality businesses by local authority officers under these regulations. Local authorities have sought to resolve any issues with businesses without resorting to formal enforcement, and where this has been necessary direction powers and improvement notices are the tools that have been used. Engagement and enforcement of the regulations on business premises has been led by the local authorities, rather than Police Scotland. Police Scotland do not publish data on FPNs issued.

The decision to amend the full implementation date for Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme to 16 August 2023 was taken following an independent Gateway Review and Assurance of Action Plan and extensive follow-up engagement with industry and other stakeholders, and announced to the Scottish Parliament on 14 December 2021.