Chamber and committees

On 14 May 2024 Reach Advocacy wrote to the Scottish Government requesting to become a ‘Nationally Commissioned Advocacy Training Body’. The Scottish Government replied to Reach Advocacy on 28 May 2024 seeking to fully understand the basis on which Reach Advocacy were requesting this.

On 15 October 2024 Reach Advocacy submitted a business proposal to ask for funding from Scottish Government to deliver Reach Advocacy’s ‘Advocacy Practice Award’ and human rights-based training.

This proposal was submitted for consideration to relevant directorates under the responsibility of the Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy, the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, the Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise, and the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport.

Scottish Government Officials from each directorate assessed that the request for funding was not the most appropriate means by which the Scottish Government’s current priorities and objectives would be achieved.

On 6 November 2024 a response was issued to Reach Advocacy to inform them of the decision and rationale.

Our education and skills system is already adapting in response to the transition to net zero with colleges and universities acting as key anchor points for research, innovation, and training.

The Scottish Government has today published the Verity House Agreement stocktake report. It is available at https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781836019817.

Scottish Ministers are aware that Defra Ministers are establishing a taskforce, which we understand will inform the development of a circular economy strategy across the UK Government.

While the strategy will be England-only in scope, Scottish Government officials are already engaging with UK officials on input into the development of the strategy, recognising that there may be implications for, and opportunities to align policy with, devolved governments. The Scottish Government expects the taskforce’s work, and development of our own circular economy strategy, to be a topic for discussion at a future Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

There is a budget of £1.8m which covers Connecting Scotland, Ethical Digital Nation and Unlocking the Value of Data programmes. To date, the following spend has been committed:

• Grant funding to the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) to develop digital training, continue support for existing clients and deliver existing projects. This funding covers support for a wide range of digital inclusion initiatives including:
• ‘Digital Champion’ training, delivered through Mhor Collective, which equips individuals to support others in engaging safely and meaningfully online, building digital confidence within communities.;
• Offboarding support for existing Connecting Scotland users, including temporary extension of connectivity with further support for users to transition to other means of connectivity;
• Supporting the delivery of three digital inclusion programmes - lending libraries, social housing, and place-based initiatives - helping more people to get online through access to devices, connectivity, and technical support, and providing public and third-sector organisations and their staff with support in digital inclusion provision;
• The University of Liverpool to undertake research on a Minimum Digital Living Standard for Scotland. The findings from this research will provide the Scottish Government with detailed Scotland-specific data to identify where there is a need for targeted support for digital inclusion, and help to inform future service design;
• licenses, travel and other services
• staffing costs to support the management of the programme.

All remaining spend in this financial year will be assessed in line with the guidance set out by Ministers in the Scottish Public Finance Manual and current Scottish Government guidelines on spending controls

Under the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014, a public body with an annual procurement spend of at least £5 million must report each year on how, when its procurements involve the provision of food, it is improving the health, wellbeing and education of communities in the body’s area, and promoting the highest standards of animal welfare.

The Scottish Government continues to support the delivery of the Food for Life Programme in local authorities across Scotland which has a primary focus on school meals. Food for Life accreditation ensures that at least 75% of school food is fresh and unprocessed, as well as greatly increasing the amount of fresh fruit (including berries) and vegetables; fish; and wholegrains on the menu. There are currently 16 councils who hold Food for Life accreditation, with ongoing work to ensure retention, expansion and development of the programme.

This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government as it relates to an operational matter for the children’s hearings system.

The member should contact the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration, one of the statutory bodies of the hearings system, for this information.

We are committed to ensuring that people living with respiratory conditions receive the best possible care, treatment and support. Our Respiratory Care Action Plan sets our priorities and commitments for driving improvement in the prevention, diagnosis, care, treatment and support of people living with respiratory conditions such as COPD.

The funding announced in the UK Autumn Statement is welcome, however, the Scottish Government continues to face the most challenging financial situation since devolution. The new Scottish Budget will be presented to Parliament on 4 December 2024. This will detail Scottish Ministers spend proposals for the year ahead.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Funding for child protection services is provided to local authorities by means of a block grant under the Local Government settlement.