Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has announced £580 million investment in vessels and harbours over the next five years, in addition to the completion of vessels 801 and 802. These plans are set out in the Scottish Government’s Infrastructure Investment Plan published 4 February 2021 (link for convenience- Scottish Government's Infrastructure Investment Plan 2021-2025-26 ) which includes replacement vessel projects for:

• Islay, 2 vessel procurement announced 14 June 2021
• Gourock-Dunoon-Kilcreggan passenger services
• Up to 7 small vessels for the Clyde & Hebrides network
• Craignure-Oban
• Mallaig-Lochboisdale
• Northern Isles freight services

In addition to these projects the Scottish Government has recently funded the purchase by Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd of the MV Utne to bring additional resilience and capacity to the fleet and provide a year round island-based service to the Isle of Mull from Oban.

North Ayrshire Council has an estimated unitary charge payment of £4 million in 2021-22 for the ongoing Largs Campus contract that formed part of the NPD/hub Programme. The council also has an estimated unitary charge payment of £13 million in 2021-22 for the ongoing North Ayrshire Schools PFI contract.

The Scottish Government does not believe there is a need to establish a mechanism for members of the public to make representations on applications submitted under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021. Whilst no formal mechanism exists, members of the public can at any time raise concerns with a local authority about persons engaged in or seeking to engage in any statutory licensable activity covered by the aforementioned legislation and local authorities can, if they consider such action to be warranted, investigate or take into consideration any representations made. The 2021 Regulations place a duty on the local authority to consider as part of the application process whether any applicant for a licence is a fit and proper person to hold a licence.

The following table provides information on how many applications to the Forestry Grant Scheme there have been, how many have been approved and how many are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015.

The Scottish Government is committed to our Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) being operational as soon as practicably possible. We are working hard with Circularity Scotland Ltd and wider industry to agree a final timescale and clear milestones for delivery, and will announce this schedule to Parliament in due course.

Recyclate contracts are typically much shorter than residual waste management arrangements, normally 1 to 3 years. Modelling by Zero Waste Scotland projects that for 29 out of the 32 Scottish local authorities, cost savings from residual waste reductions as a result of the Deposit Return Scheme will be greater than any lost recyclate-related income. Zero Waste Scotland is working with the three remaining local authorities to see how their collection and processing systems can be reshaped following introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme to realise efficiencies and to help mitigate any potential losses. Local authorities are also expected to benefit from a reduction in the impact of litter, for instance through reduced demand for street cleansing.

We are taking key steps to support local authorities in the introduction of our Deposit Return Scheme, to help meet our ambitious waste reduction, recycling and climate change targets. This includes making our first investments from the £70m Recycling Improvement Fund to support local authorities in improving recycling infrastructure, and working with local government partners to review the Household Recycling Charter’s Code of Practice, to help make it easier for householders to recycle the right things. The review will ensure that the Code of Practice continues to enshrine best practice and prepares local authorities for the implementation of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).

The Scottish Government is aware, as explained in the Report, the mental wellbeing and quality of working life of social workers have been adversely affected by the COVID pandemic. In order to ensure that Scotland has a skilled and confident social services workforce, we are heavily investing in its development, working in association with key sector partners.

The wellbeing and resilience of Scotland's social workers have been at the centre of our actions, as we support the recovery of the workforce from the negative effects of the pandemic.

We have developed a national package of wellbeing support to address the wide range of needs of the workforce to complement and enhance the support offered by Boards and HSCPs at a local level.

We have taken the following specific actions to encourage a supportive culture within the social work profession:

• £80,000 has been provided to Scottish Association of Social Workers to develop the Professional Support Service.
• The service will provide peer support, allowing social workers to talk through issues and develop their career by getting advice and support from their own coach.
• The development of a coaching culture within social work will help to support the development of a stronger professional identity.
• Wellbeing and workforce resilience issues will be given a particular focus as we support the workforce’s recovery from the pandemic.
• A signposting service will allow social workers and social work students to identify appropriate learning, development and career pathway resources developed by the SSSC, NHS Education for Scotland and Iriss. This service will provide and promote career development opportunities through the provision of training opportunities.

The wellbeing and resilience of Scotland’s social workers have been at the centre of our actions to support the workforce’ recovery from the negative effects of pandemic. Throughout the pandemic, we have emphasised to Boards, Health and Social Care Partners and Local Authorities the on-going need to promote both the physical and the psychological wellbeing of everyone working in health and social care.

We have developed a national package of wellbeing support to address the wide range of needs of the workforce to complement and enhance the support offered by Boards and HSCPs at a local level, as follows:

• This year we have made £12 million available to support the wellbeing of the workforce. This includes £8 million from the NHS Recovery Plan to provide ongoing wellbeing support for the workforce alongside an additional £4 million to provide further support to address winter pressures
• We have developed a national package of wellbeing support to address the wide range of needs of the workforce to complement and enhance the support offered by Boards and HSCPs at a local level.
• This package includes a range of self-care and wellbeing resources offered via the National Wellbeing Hub and 24/7 Helpline, additional funding to Boards for further psychological support, coaching for wellbeing and the Workforce Specialist Service.
• We have partnered with bereavement specialists, Cruse Scotland, to offer a series of pilot workshops for people working in Adult Social Care and Social work to manage their wellbeing.
• Now more than ever, it is critical that staff look after their wellbeing and take the rest breaks and leave to which they are entitled, as well as being given time to access national and local wellbeing resources at work.

The First Minister announced funding to support small and medium-sized businesses to make improvements to their ventilation, would be made available. The Business Ventilation Fund opened for applications on 23 November 2022.

Businesses are currently providing information as part of this application process in advance of any funding being issued.

Based on Social Security Scotland’s expenditure to the end of October 2021 we currently expect Scottish Child Payment expenditure to be in line with the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s August 2021 forecast of £55 million for 2021-22.