Chamber and committees

In terms of daily dosage amounts, our advice is a supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D (400 IU). This applies to adults and children over one year of age. Ten micrograms per day is the average amount needed by the majority (97.5%) of the population to maintain adequate vitamin D levels when UVB sunlight exposure is minimal. This is to maintain bone and muscle health and is based on the recommendations of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), as set out in its 2016 report Vitamin D and Health. SACN advises all devolved nations and UK Government on nutrition related matters.

The report is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sacn-vitamin-d-and-health-report

Further information on our current advice on vitamin D is available at https://www.gov.scot/publications/vitamin-d-advice-for-all-age-groups/

SACN published an updated rapid review on Vitamin D and acute respiratory tractinfections on 17 December 2020. SACN recommended the reference nutrient intake for vitamin D remain unchanged at 10 micrograms per day.

The rapid review is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sacn-rapid-review-vitamin-d-and-acute-respiratory-tract-infections

We currently have no plans to revise our advice on vitamin D supplementation. We will continue to be guided by SACN as the evidence on vitamin D develops.

In 2019, the Scottish Government launched Scotland’s first National Framework for Action on Neurological Care and Support 2020-25. Over five years we will invest £4.5 million of funding to implement the Framework’s 17 commitments to improve the provision of co-ordinated health and social care and support for people with neurological conditions, such as migraine.

Through our Modernising Patient Pathways Programme, we are currently engaged in establishing a multi-disciplinary team of experts across Scotland to develop a national headache pathway, which will seek to standardise approaches across the country based on the best available evidence. The assessment and treatment of Migraine will form a key element of this.

In terms of continuing professional development for healthcare professionals, NHS Education for Scotland have produced a Practice Based Small Group Learning module on Neurology, which specifically covers the primary care assessment of headache and the treatment of migraine.

Sports sponsorship entails a range of alcohol advertising and promotional activity, which we know is seen by children and young people across Scotland. This influences positive attitudes towards drinking alcohol and can encourage them to start drinking alcohol or to drink more alcohol.

Whilst recognising the impact Covid-19 has had on the sporting sector as well as the importance of sponsorship income, we would encourage sports teams and organisations to diversify sponsorship away from alcohol brands. We applaud Scottish Women’s Football for the stance they have taken not to accept sponsorship from the alcohol or gambling industries.

We have committed to publicly consulting on a range of potential alcohol marketing restrictions to protect children and young people in Scotland. We are considering all methods of alcohol advertising and promotion in developing proposals for the public consultation.

Equality impact assessments have been carried out where appropriate in relation to the levels approach in Coronavirus (Covid-19): Scotland’s Strategic Framework, including following its updates in February and June 2021.

On 26 April free lateral flow device (LFD) test kits were made available to everyone in Scotland, for twice-weekly asymptomatic COVID-19 testing via the universally accessible testing offer. In addition to this, free LFD test kits are available through the Scottish Government’s targeted asymptomatic testing programme which includes routine testing for:

• health care workers
• educational staff, senior phase pupils and HE/FE students
• prioritised workforces in the public sector and in critical national infrastructure
• high risk private sector settings such as food processing businesses

Free access to LFD test kits has been extended through the summer period until September, when a formal review will be undertaken by the Scottish Government. Workforce testing is currently being expanded to all private sector organizations with more than ten employees.

On 26 April free lateral flow device (LFD) test kits were made available to everyone in Scotland, for twice-weekly asymptomatic COVID-19 testing via the universally accessible testing offer. In addition to this, free LFD test kits are available through the Scottish Government’s targeted asymptomatic testing programme which includes routine testing for:

• health care workers
• educational staff, senior phase pupils and HE/FE students
• prioritised workforces in the public sector and in critical national infrastructure
• high risk private sector settings such as food processing businesses

Free access to LFD test kits has been extended through the summer period until September, when a formal review will be undertaken by the Scottish Government. Workforce testing is currently being expanded and as now is open to all private sector organizations with more than ten employees.

The Scottish Government has no immediate plans to charge for LFD tests.

The Scottish Government subsidised a total of 3,595 mid-market rent properties which were completed by Registered Social Landlords between 2016-17 and 2021-22. The following table shows the number which had a starting rent level exceeding the relevant Local Housing Allowance broken down by local authority area and More Homes Division Area team.

On 1 December 2020 Joe Fitzpatrick, the then Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing commissioned leading HIV experts to deliver a proposal for how Scotland can become one of the first countries to eliminate HIV transmission by 2030.

This proposal will form the basis for a framework to eliminate HIV by 2030, which was a commitment in the 2021 SNP manifesto. It will contain advice on definitions, targets and monitoring outcomes, as well as ways to ensure capacity to report timely data. It will also consider current HIV epidemiology, detection and testing to find undiagnosed HIV. Interventions designed to prevent HIV transmission through differing routes will be reviewed, most notably through sharing of injecting equipment and sexual transmission. As this is a complex subject, the work to develop the proposal will take place over the remainder of 2021 and will be shaped by a wide variety of stakeholders, including clinicians, third sector organisations and people living with HIV.

Plans for future legislation are set out in the annual legislative programme announced in the Programme for Government.

We remain fully committed to restricting the promotion and marketing of foods high in fat, sugar or salt where they are sold to the public. Work is continuing to further improve the evidence base to underpin the proposals and we continue to engage with the other administrations in the UK to explore the scope for the possible alignment of policy and legislation.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving and embedding inclusive communication within Government and across public bodies, this is a focus of one of our Equality Outcomes for the 2021-25 reporting period, as well as being a 2020 PfG commitment. The Scottish Government intends all local and national services to be accessible to all citizens in Scotland, regardless of circumstances of an individual service user.

We expect local and national bodies to consider on an ongoing basis the needs of people who do not speak or access English as their first language. In the immediate term, we are currently developing a human rights and equalities mainstreaming strategy which will explore key themes such as effective communications and we expect that spoken language interpreting will form a significant part of these considerations.