Chamber and committees

The 2020-21 Arts Alive programme received 52 applications and 42 were successful.

The applications comprised of:

• 32 applications for school sessions, from 31 applicants, covering 35 schools. 32 applications were successful.
• 20 applications for school residencies, from 20 applicants, covering 31 schools. 10 were successful.

Broken down by Local Authority Area:

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of Scotch Whisky to the Scottish economy and to wider society. Scottish Ministers meet regularly with the whisky sector and the Scotch Whisky Association to discuss issues of interest, including the economy and industry growth.

The Scottish Government routinely publishes official labour market statistics for disabled people in Scotland and uses these to analyse how labour market barriers and outcomes for disabled people are changing over time and how they have been impacted by COVID-19.

Latest data are published at:

Labour market monthly briefing: October 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

We know, for example, the disability employment gap in Scotland - the difference between the employment rates of disabled and non-disabled people - narrowed over the latest year to July 2020 – June 2021, to 32.0 percentage points.

Analysis is also published as part of the annual progress report of a Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: employment action plan - our plan to at least halve the disability employment gap in Scotland by 2038.

Latest report available here: Fairer Scotland for disabled people - employment action plan: progress report - year 2 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Working alongside Disabled Peoples Organisations, the STUC, and representatives from the third, public and private sectors, the Scottish Government is currently developing a refresh of ‘A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: Employment Action Plan’.

The refreshed action plan will set out how we will build on the progress we have made in tackling inequalities as we recover from the pandemic. We expect the plan to be published in Spring 2022.

Over the past decade the Scottish Government has invested over £50 million in ChargePlace Scotland, a publicly available network of electric vehicle charging infrastructure which now consists of over 2,000 charge points across Scotland. This has enabled us to create a comprehensive network ahead of demand. The majority of investment has been delivered through local authorities, who are responsible for planning the roll out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, taking into account local needs and considering existing and projected demand within their area.

Until recently, commercial investment in charge points has been restricted due to factors such as uncertain returns on investment as the market for electric vehicles matures. As a result, any investments will have been limited to locations with unique market characteristics.

Over the summer we published a joint report with the Scottish Futures Trust setting out the opportunities for growth of the electric vehicle public charging market. The report noted that increased levels of commercial investment can now be anticipated in many parts of Scotland, and will indeed be required as demand for electric vehicles increases. The report also explores areas where the commercial market will be slower to mature, and the role of public sector in such circumstances.

Transport Scotland are working with Scottish Futures Trust and industry to consider the most appropriate structures and approach to growing and developing charging infrastructure, lever commercial investment and engaging commercial operators to develop the public electric vehicle charge point network at scale and at speed across all of Scotland.

While the Scottish Government doesn’t hold specific information on where commercial investments are planned across Scotland, the Scottish Transport Statistics that are published annually provide information on the number of ChargePlace Scotland charge points by local authority area.

There has been no change in the Scottish Government’s position and we are not currently able to offer support in the funding of adult Dyslexia assessments. However, wider support is provided for people with Dyslexia – including funding for Dyslexia Scotland through our Children, Young People and Families Early Intervention & Adult Learning and Empowering Communities (CYPFEI & ALEC) fund, to provide information, advice and support.

In addition, dyslexia may be considered a disability under the Equality Act 2010 and, as such, employers have a legal duty to ensure employees are not discriminated against. Employers must make reasonable adjustments to the workplace to enable a disabled member of staff to carry out their role to a satisfactory standard. There is no requirement to have had a dyslexia diagnostic assessment in order for reasonable adjustments to be put in place in the workplace.

The organisations funded under the Equality and Human Rights Fund are taking forward work that meet the aims and objectives of the fund, which are:

To fund, support, develop and learn from civil society organisations and partnerships that:

1. Develop and deliver work that is grounded in the progression, protection and realisation of human rights.

2. Deliver support to address the needs of people facing structural inequality and develop and deliver work to increase participation and empowerment.

3. Support delivery of commitments within relevant Scottish Government equality and human right strategies, action plans and documents.

4. Generate data, learning and insight into the experience of people to support analysis and challenge on equality and human rights issues, across a wide range of policy areas.

A list of the successful applicants is available on the Scottish Government website Equality and Human Rights Fund: projects funded - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04069 on 9 November 2021 asking the Scottish Government how many social enterprises have made use of the cultural and creative Social Enterprise Network since it began operating.

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

There are currently 146 social enterprises on the list of current members of the Culture and Creative Social Enterprise Network (SEN) on the SEN website .

The number of social enterprises that have made use of the Culture and Creative SEN services over the years is far greater than the current membership for a number of reasons:

• Social enterprises that have delivered cultural/ creative activity (but this is not their primary activity) are linked into the activities of the SEN through other thematic SENs, Local SENs, Third Sector Interfaces (TSIs) and other partners.
• Organisations that do not fall within the Voluntary Code of Practice for Social Enterprise in Scotland and therefore cannot be a member have still tapped into services including events and signposting.
• Partner organisations (e.g. Local SENs, TSI’s, Creative Scotland, Museum Galleries Scotland, Just Enterprise, Culture Counts) that are providing one to one support have tapped into knowledge to ensure that the organisation they are working with is best supported.
• SENs may have also been a member for a period of time and are no longer a current member.

The infection, prevention, and control (IPC) guidance for dentistry is currently being reviewed by Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection (ARHAI) Scotland are responsible for the Scottish Guidance. This Guidance has a provisional publication date of 29 November.

The Cabinet Secretary recently wrote to NHS dental teams describing the proposals from the Scottish Government on how we recover NHS dental services to normal practice. This letter is attached for reference: Letter from the Cabinet Secretary to NHS dental teams | Scottish Dental.