Chamber and committees

The Chair of the National Parent Forum of Scotland was informed on 14 May 2024 that the Scottish Government would not be continuing to grant fund the organisation beyond 2023/24.

The Scottish Government does not expect to incur any costs as a result of not awarding any further grants to the National Parent Forum of Scotland. Detailed costings for the new panel are still in discussion with Connect.

Under standard and ongoing grant management arrangements, the National Parent Forum Scotland (NPFS) has had many opportunities to provide advice and challenge to a range of Scottish Government policies since the organisation was established in 2009.

We have not been actively considering the establishment of a non-departmental public body and therefore have made no assessment of the potential costs associated with doing so.

The consultation “Review of the Regional Strategic Bodies within the Glasgow and Lanarkshire college regions” opens today, 17 June, and it will run until midnight on 20 September 2024. The consultation can be accessed by using the following link: review of the regional strategic bodies within the Glasgow and Lanarkshire college regions.

The Scottish Government will today publish the third annual progress report for the Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 strategy.

Since publication of the strategy in July 2021, we have worked closely with stakeholders to deliver more than half of the actions, with seventeen completed since the last progress report. Work to take forward the remaining actions is continuing.

These actions, such as the introduction of Low Emission Zones in our four largest cities, have helped Scotland to meet all air quality objectives for the second consecutive year.

The report can be found on the Scottish Government website using the following link: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781836013815

Following the recent MHRA review into topical steroid withdrawal, regulatory action means topical steroids will soon be labelled with their potencies. This will aid correct selection and simplify the advice for patients. The Scottish Government will cascade the MHRA updated safety alert, new labelling and revised patient safety leaflet to prescribers through clinical networks.

The Scottish Government encourages individuals to review their treatment plans with their healthcare professionals at least annually, and we are working with Health Improvement Scotland to develop searches for clinicians to identify patients using steroids.

We are already working on a four nations approach with MHRA as a hub.

Operational decisions on pay, resourcing and staffing matters are for individual colleges; Scottish Ministers have no locus to intervene in these negotiations, however I meet regularly with trade unions and employers, urging both sides to continue to negotiate and reach a settlement.

On 6 February, all colleges, with the exception of New College Lanarkshire, agreed to take forward initial mitigations in the form of pay deductions for staff taking part in ASOS.

In circumstances where deductions are to be made, colleges must ensure employees are reminded in advance of their contractual obligations and advised where taking part in ASOS is considered to be a breach of contract.

EIS-FELA’s own guidance for Members acknowledges that colleges may not accept partial performance and may advise of pay deductions.

The Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy confirmed to the Scottish Parliament on 18 April 2024 that we will deliver the commitment made to publish by autumn the route map for reduction in car use by 20% produced in partnership with CoSLA. It will include a timeline for implementing demand management and within the context of our commitment to a just transition.

As outlined in the draft route map, published in January 2022, the Scottish Government recognises that powers for local authorities to introduce potential road charging schemes were established in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 and that Local Authorities are best placed to determine whether a local road user charging scheme supports the objectives set out in their local transport strategy.

The finalised route map will also ask the UK Government to reform motoring taxes, given that they are the most direct levers on the cost of buying or running a petrol or diesel car. Fuel duty and vehicle excise duty are reserved matters. We have made a number of attempts at both ministerial and official level to engage the UK Government on these issues, without any meaningful response. The Scottish Government has not had discussions with the Office of the Leader of the Opposition on this matter.

The work to define a Minimum Income Guarantee for Scotland continues to be led by an independent Expert Group who are due to publish a full report, which will include consideration of costs, later this year. The Scottish Government will respond to the recommendations made in due course. The report is expected to focus on what is deliverable and fiscally responsible now, alongside a longer-term vision for what a Minimum Income Guarantee with full powers might look like. The Expert Group’s work has been overseen by a cross-party Strategy Group who will continue to be updated as the work progresses.