Chamber and committees

The information could not be provided for the answer to question S6W-12962 as the Scottish Government does not hold this level of service detail for Rape Crisis Centres. Rape Crisis Centres are independent charitable organisations which hold their own information on their waiting lists. It is for individual local centres, or Rape Crisis Scotland as the umbrella organisation, to provide this information.

We have provided this information in past answers because we specifically asked for the information from Rape Crisis Scotland. The Scottish Government do not consistently hold or collect this level of information and recommends that it should be requested from Rape Crisis Scotland in future.

Officials are currently working with Rape Crisis Scotland and Inspiring Scotland on the issue of waiting lists and service pressures. So we have received some current waiting list information from December 2022, which is set out in the following table.

The Scottish Government has provided £80,000 of funding for Talk Lipoedema over financial years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 to develop the Scoping Report on Lipoedema Care in Scotland, providing a welcome insight into Lipoedema services and to enhance their important work supporting people across Scotland with this condition.

This funding has also enabled the organisation to raise awareness through their website with updated information for both the public and professionals including a video on the diagnosis of lipoedema. Additionally, the funding has been used by the organisation to facilitate a pilot in NHS Lanarkshire ‘Living Well with Lipoedema’ exploring innovative, person-centred self-management programmes and developing online self-management resources.

The Women’s Health Plan focusses on a specific set of priorities and whilst lipoedema is not specifically mentioned in the priorities for this iteration of the Plan we do recognise that many women are significantly affected by the condition.

The Plan acknowledges the need to improve access to information for women about their health and to support this we launched the NHS Inform Women’s Health Platform. We are currently finalising content on Lipoedema which will be included on the platform shortly.

In October 2019, we reached our final policy position of no support for the development of unconventional oil and gas in Scotland. This means no support for development connected to the onshore exploration, appraisal or production of coal bed methane or shale oil or shale gas using unconventional oil and gas extraction techniques, including hydraulic fracturing and dewatering for coal bed methane.

Following the devolution of onshore oil and gas licensing in February 2018, Scottish Ministers are now the licensing authority for onshore oil and gas development in Scotland. These devolved powers extend to the granting, regulation and administration of onshore licensing. It is wholly within the scope of our powers to decide whether or not to invite new applications for licences for the purposes of exploring and developing unconventional oil and gas (which includes fracking and de-watering for coalbed methane extraction). Given our policy of no support, it is not anticipated that we will offer any new licensing rounds for unconventional oil and gas development in Scotland.

There are currently 2 Petroleum Exploration and Development Licences held in Scotland. We do not consider that new legislation is necessary, at this time, to control unconventional oil and gas development under these existing licences in Scotland. We believe a strong policy position enacted through planning and onshore oil and gas licensing is sufficient (however, that option remains open if there is evidence that further action is required). The finalised policy of no support for unconventional oil and gas development enables us to set a framework for the exercise of planning functions and our functions in respect of onshore oil and gas licensing.

We recognise that applications for planning and other necessary consents may be made by those holding these licences. Any such application will require to be determined by the relevant authorities, or decision-makers, according to the law and policy in force at the relevant time. As a matter of law, all planning applications must be determined in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Planning decisions must be determined on their individual merits but our final policy of no support for unconventional oil and gas development will be a material consideration for decision makers in the consideration of planning applications and appeals. Should a planning authority receive a planning application for unconventional oil and gas development, and should the authority subsequently propose to grant planning permission, the authority is required to notify Scottish Ministers, and we can consider whether to call the application in for our own determination.

The final policy of no support for unconventional oil and gas is reinforced in the National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), which was approved by the Scottish Parliament on 11 January 2023. The next steps are set out in a Chief Planner letter issued on 16 January, which confirms our intention of adopting and publishing NPF4 on 13 February. Once adopted, NPF4 will form part of the statutory development plan, meaning its policies will be highly influential in day-to-day planning decision making.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13273 on‎ 12 January 2023. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13273 on‎ 12 January 2023. 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

Oil and gas exploration and production, including licensing, remains reserved to the UK Government. The Scottish Government is clear that unlimited extraction of fossil fuels is not consistent with our climate obligations and is not the right solution to the real cost of living crisis families are facing. To reduce energy costs we need to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. This means investing more in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

We are also supporting the fastest possible just transition for the energy sector and the oil and gas workforce, the communities in which they live and work, and the regional economies that have greatly benefited from oil and gas activities and have much to gain from the transition to net zero.

Our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan was published for consultation on 10 January 2023.

Anyone supporting a family in desperate need should refer them to their local authority or a health professional such as a health visitor or midwife in order to make sure they are getting the holistic support they need, including financial advice and a referral to cash-first crisis supports such as the Scottish Welfare Fund.

Prioritising cash-first in response to food insecurity is in line with a human rights approach and consistent with UNICEF guidance. Following on from last year’s consultation, we are publishing our plan on ending in the need for food banks later this winter – this restates our commitment to this ambition and to continuing to work urgently with partners to strengthen cash-first support available.

The UNICEF guidance does not prevent the purchase and distribution of milk where there is no immediate alternative. UNICEF note that in certain circumstances food banks can make use of crisis funding to support families to purchase the right supply, but they discourage the redistribution of donated milk as this is not a secure, sustainable or appropriate route for ongoing supply.

We are deeply concerned about these reports. The only nutrition suitable for babies under 6 months is breastmilk or first stage formula milk.

Parents should be advised to speak to a health professional for further advice and support for breastfeeding or safe formula feeding, and can be directed to their local authority for crisis funding in an emergency. Food banks are not a safe, secure or sustainable route to accessing infant formula milk.

We continue to work with partners to ensure that our financial supports, such as Best Start Foods, Best Start Grants and the Scottish Child Payment, are maximising the support available for families to live dignified lives and meet their basic needs. It is crucial that families follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to make up baby’s formula feeds safely. We have adapted existing information for safe formula feeding on our Formula feeding | Parent Club website and are promoting this through our social media channels.

The Scottish Government values all NHS Scotland staff, at every level and in every profession. The latest pay offer we have made is significantly more generous than the 2022-23 pay settlements which have been put in place in the rest of the UK and was negotiated through a partnership process with the input of all recognised Agenda for Change Staff Side organisations. Depending on the grade, under this pay deal Clinical Psychologists will earn anywhere between £53,513 and £112,673 per annum.

The Scottish Government is proud that our Agenda for Change staff are the highest paid in the UK. This applies to both starting salary and people at the top of their Band. It may be helpful to contrast the latest pay offer in Scotland against the settlements which have already been implemented in England and Wales for Band 8 and 9 staff. This information is set out in the following table.

This Government has delivered the highest school spending, and has more teachers per pupil, than any other UK nation. Our pupil teacher ratio is just 13.2 – its lowest level since 2009 - compared to 18 in England and 18.5 in Wales.

In our Budget we have sought to protect Councils by providing over £13.2 billion in the Local Government Settlement for 2023-24. This funding package represents a real terms increase compared with 2022-23 and enables the continued delivery of high quality education for our children. As part of this, we will continue to provide local authorities with specific funding of £145.5 million per year to support the school workforce.