Chamber and committees

Potential victims of human trafficking can present or be recovered in a wide range of situations. First Responder organisations such as Police Scotland, Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, Border Force, local authorities, the Trafficking Awareness Raising Alliance (TARA) and Migrant Help can identify and refer potential victims to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM). The NRM is the UK-wide system for identifying victims of trafficking and is operated by the Single Competent Authority (SCA) within the Home Office. Adults must provide informed consent to enter this process.

In June 2021, the Home Office launched a series of 12 month pilots to test devolving the responsibility to make NRM decisions for child victims of trafficking from the Home Office to local authorities. Glasgow City Council is one of ten pilot sites and the pilot has been underpinned by Scotland-specific guidance . The pilot will be subject to an evaluation by the Home Office which the Scottish Government will consider for any future policy development.

A range of training and awareness raising resources have been developed to increase the likelihood of victims being identified. In March this year, we launched a NRM toolkit for First Responders which aims to improve the formal identification of victims and we are establishing a working group to ensure the ongoing consideration of the quality and availability of training and awareness raising resources.

The Scottish Government’s National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2021 provides practitioners with information on identifying and responding to concerns about children or young people who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing abuse or neglect, including child victims of human trafficking and exploitation.

The decision to deliver the full electrification of the single track option between East Kilbride and Busby does not impact on the redevelopment of (i) East Kilbride and (ii) Hairmyres railway station. The project will deliver enhanced station facilities at East Kilbride and the construction of the new Hairmyres station with the enhanced facilities will be transformational in providing an active travel hub for passengers along this vital route.

This project will deliver for local communities with much needed accessibility improvements at key stations along the length of the route and the full electrification of the corridor will deliver a step change in capacity by using greener trains. Should passenger demand levels increase post Covid-19, this demand can be met by using increased train capacity rather than providing additional services.

All under 18 year olds are exempt from our COVID-19 status certification scheme. We will, however, keep this under review as the vaccine is rolled out to younger age groups, which takes into account important factors such as disruption to education.

Our decisions are taken, and reviewed on the latest data and clinical evidence. Our review process includes consideration of the impact assessments, such as the Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment.

The scheme is a necessary and proportionate measure limited to activities that are higher risk and is an alternative to the potential closure of higher risk venues. We have made clear that certification will never be a requirement for access to public services including education.

FLS takes an evidence-led approach to its deer management activities. On the National Forests and Land (NFL), FLS has a target of not incurring more than 10% deer damage to young trees. In 2020 the 3 year rolling average of deer damage impacts was 18% for the leaders on young trees, i.e. trees planted for 1 year in the ground. This is well above the FLS target. The regional variation for damage impacts ranged from 7% to 38% in 2020. Results at site level in 2020 ranged from 0% to 100% damage of young trees.

Along with monitoring deer impacts on biodiversity, FLS also monitors deer populations (densities). Over the past 5 years approximately one third of NFL have been surveyed as part of a rolling programme. The mean average deer density in these survey areas have ranged from 4.2 deer per km2 to 64.7 deer per km2. The FLS target range as published in the FLS deer management strategy in 2014 is between 2 and 7 deer per km2. Of the land surveyed in the last five years, 89% has deer density well above this widely accepted.

FLS works in partnership with neighbouring land managers with similar management objectives and FLS operatives therefore do, in specific locations or project areas carry out collaborative deer management operations on neighbouring ground. FLS data will therefore reflect this. Occasionally an FLS operative may make a simple numerical error when inputting a grid reference into the Wildlife Management System.

FLS takes an holistic approach to its management of land, forests and deer on NFL. It manages around 630,000 ha of land (9% of Scotland), of which approximately one third is open ground including open hill. Its aim is to protect a wide range of habitats and environments across NFL whether forested, riparian or open hill in order to deliver Scottish Government land-use priorities such as climate change mitigation, carbon capture through growing trees, peatland restoration, ecosystem services and biodiversity enhancement, all of which have added immediacy, impetus and focus to our deer management operation. FLS therefore has a very clear need to use Out of Season authorisations on the open hill as well as in forest and woodland areas. FLS always aims to achieve the highest standards of animal welfare when undertaking all deer culling operations, in line with best industry practice; i.e. when culling adult female deer prior to the start of the official open season all efforts should be made to cull associated juveniles first, if in any doubt about leaving a dependant young then the adult should not be culled.

Booster vaccinations in Scotland started as soon as possible once the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) provided their advice on boosters, which stated that the booster dose should be offered no earlier than six months after completion of the primary vaccine course.

627,898 people have received a booster to 29 October, and we are working as quickly as we can, prioritising those most vulnerable.

Data on boosters by JCVI priority group is not yet published. We continue to work closely with Public Health Scotland to develop the vaccination data to provide robust statistics that enhance public understanding.

The Scottish Government works with communities and the local authority in Glasgow, and across Scotland, to support our just transition to net zero emissions in a number of ways. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Committing £1.3 million of grant funding to 8 Climate Challenge Fund projects in the Glasgow area. The Climate Challenge Fund supports communities across Scotland to take action on climate change and make the move to low carbon living. The Glasgow projects cover a range of themes including helping communities to reduce their reliance on car travel, cut waste, grow local food, improve household energy efficiency and tackle fuel poverty.
• Commissioning a study, as part of the Clyde Mission, into climate adaptation pathways along the tidal reach of the River Clyde. That study will conclude in early 2022.
• Supporting the installation of a river source heat pump at a community hub in Govan, through the Clyde Mission Fund. A further £25m will be allocated to riverside heat decarbonisation projects along the Clyde in the current Parliamentary term.
• Awarding a £128,000 grant, through the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund, to Southside Housing Association. The project is applying Passivhaus (Enerphit) principles to the retrofit of eight pre 1919 sandstone tenements in the south side of Glasgow.
• Providing £4.5 million of grant funding from the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme to the NG Homes Air Source Heat Pump Project in Springburn, which will reduce emissions and heating bills for nearly 600 homes.
• Investing over £60 million in active travel routes in Glasgow through the Scottish Government funded Places For Everyone Programme including projects such as Glasgow Avenues Plus and the South City Way. These will contribute towards tackling climate change by supporting a modal shift away from cars and towards walking, wheeling and cycling.
• The Early Learning and Childcare 1140 hours expansion is driving Glasgow City Council’s construction of four new nurseries, which will incorporate innovative green technologies, including receiving their hot water and heating from electricity, to help mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. The inclusion of sustainable solutions – is being delivered through match-funding from the Scottish Government’s ‘low carbon infrastructure transition programme’ (LCITP).

We have identified a low representation of UK nationals in referrals from Scotland to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) when compared to the rest of the UK in our annual trafficking and exploitation progress reports, although there was an increase in 2020.

The NRM toolkit for First Responders launched earlier this year aims to improve the formal identification of victims in Scotland and is clear that anyone can be a victim of human trafficking and exploitation, including UK nationals. We are establishing a working group to consider the quality and availability of training and awareness raising resources, which will also consider whether additional resources are needed on the issues relating to UK nationals.

As at 23 October 87% of the adult population (i.e. 18 years +), and 85% of 16 year + age group are now fully vaccinated and these numbers increases on a daily basis.

Certification was not introduced until after the date all the adult population had the opportunity to be fully vaccinated. Furthermore we provided a month’s notice of our intention to introduce certification and a further 2 weeks before the scheme became enforceable. This allowed time for people who were not fully vaccinated to be vaccinated. We recognise that a small number of people would not have completed their full vaccination course when the certification scheme came into effect as a result of testing positive for the virus. We would encourage them to complete their vaccination course as soon as possible.

Booster vaccinations in Scotland started as soon as possible once the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) provided their advice on boosters, which stated that the booster dose should be offered no earlier than six months after completion of the primary vaccine course.

627,898 people have received a booster to 29 October, and we are working as quickly as we can, prioritising those most vulnerable.

Data on boosters by JCVI priority group is not yet published. We continue to work closely with Public Health Scotland to develop the vaccination data to provide robust statistics that enhance public understanding.

Since 2019, data relating to the National Referral Mechanism has been released by the Home Office Single Competent Authority. Information is published quarterly and in an end of year summary.

Data relating to 2018 was released by the National Crime Agency and can be found at:

https://nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/who-we-are/publications/282-national-referral-mechanism-statistics-end-of-year-summary-2018/file .

Data relating to 2019, 2020 and 2021 can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-referral-mechanism-statistics