Chamber and committees

Social Security Scotland routinely publish information as part of the quarterly Official Statistics release ‘Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods’. This includes information on the number of applications authorised for payment and the value of payments issued in each local authority area.

Information on Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods was last published on the 27th July 2021 and provided information up to the 31st May 2021. This publication is available from:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/best-start-grant-and-best-start-foods-high-level-statistics-to-31-may-2021/

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Property transactions involving the sale of land and leases of 20 years and over are usually registered in the Land Register of Scotland. The register is managed and maintained by the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland as required by the Land Registration etc. (Scotland) Act 2012. The register contains information on the parties to registered deeds (the buyer and the seller) but not on the status of those parties (ie whether they are private sector or public sector).

The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. Whistleblowing complaints and discipline are matters for the designated Deputy Chief Constable of Police Scotland, with oversight by the Scottish Police Authority.

Police Scotland takes whistleblowing seriously and have set-up an independent advice line to provide confidential expert advice to officers and staff who have any concerns. They will continue to develop the Whistleblowing process to support Policing for a safe, protected and resilient Scotland.

The Independent National Whistleblowing Officer (INWO) was launched on the 1 st April 2021. The service is provided through the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO). As INWO operates independently, the Scottish Government does not hold information on cases which have been referred to it.

Following the implementation of high risk human papillomavirus (HPV) primary screening in March 2020, the screening interval for all participants where HPV is not found in their sample will be five years. The five year interval will apply to women only once they have been screened using the hr-HPV primary screen and received a negative result. Women who receive a positive result will receive more frequent screening depending on what cell changes are found in cytology.

Initial estimates suggest that 5,786 invitations have not yet issued to people affected by the pause, but it should be stressed that this will be for a range of reasons, including participants being excluded from the programme after it restarted, or taking the opportunity to be screened at their GP ahead of their scheduled prompt to make an appointment. Data on patients who had their routine cervical screening test delayed and have (a) now received a test, (b) referred for further investigation is not routinely available at present.

Public Health Scotland will release their annual statistical report on the cervical screening programme on 1 September 2021.

The Scottish Government encourages any defibrillator guardian, including those placed in primary or secondary schools, to register their device with the Scottish Ambulance Service to enable an accurate and up to date central record of defibrillators across Scotland.

Through encouraging registration of defibrillators across Scotland, we can better understand their placement, usage and maintain a more accurate and up-to date record.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-35673 on 5 March 2021. Since that answer, the working group met again on 5 July and will continue to make progress over the rest of 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

Through our membership of the Energy Skills Alliance, we are working collaboratively with the industry, trade bodies and unions to ensure the right skills and training are in place to protect and create jobs as we become a net-zero economy. Our Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan puts knowledge and skills at the heart of a systematic approach to retaining skills and expertise as we transition to becoming a net-zero economy and, this year, the first wave of our £100 million Green Jobs Fund got under way.

In 2020 we launched our £62 million Energy Transition Fund to support the oil, gas and energy sectors grow and diversify, accelerating its transition to net-zero emissions. Fair Work principles are being applied across projects funded by the Energy Transition Fund, supporting the creation of green jobs and training individuals with the skills they need to ensure a just transition to net-zero that puts people’s wellbeing at the heart of our net-zero economy. By capitalising on our strengths in energy, innovation, and our skilled workforce, Scotland can show the rest of the world how it’s done – and ensure our people, businesses and communities are at the forefront of our new green economy.

We have also introduced the National Transition Training Fund (NTTF) to support individuals at risk of Covid-19 related redundancy to move into new industries. A number of colleges are delivering courses to support the transition to net zero. In the coming weeks we will set out how NTTF will continue to address the impact of Covid-19, but also take account of the impacts of EU exit, and support upskilling or retraining for the transition to net zero.

We will also invest an additional £500 million over the next parliament to support new jobs and reskill people for the jobs of the future.

As a result of declining numbers of female high secure patients in Scotland, the decision was taken to close the female facility at The State Hospital in 2009. However, both the Independent Review into the Delivery of Forensic Mental Health Services and the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment have called for a female high secure service in Scotland to be reinstated.

Our formal response to the Independent Review will be published soon and we continue to work with key stakeholders to ensure female high secure provision is available for Scotland and that women’s pathways in forensic mental health services are improved.