Chamber and committees

A Government report on the scientific considerations in stocking policy development for river managers was published last year Science of salmon stocking: report .

In summary, the supplementation of wild populations with salmon raised in hatcheries can play a part in securing benefits for wild salmon, but may also cause significant and long-lasting harm, depending on the situation.

It is recognised that in specific situations where the threat of extinction can be identified and is imminent and extreme, stocking with hatchery raised salmon may be a vital tool following careful consideration of the inherent risks. The Wild Salmon Strategy Science and Evidence Board is currently reviewing the evidence of various stocking methods in these situations and will report to the Wild Salmon Strategy Implementation Plan Delivery Group soon.

The amount of £48,792.82 is in relation to 2022-23 only. In 2021-22 the equivalent amount was £49,383.28.

2021-22

The National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET) announced a ‘.. review of how best to significantly increase the number of social enterprises, employee-owned businesses and co-operatives in Scotland, supporting regional regeneration and the wealth of local communities’ .

The review is ongoing and is led by an independent stakeholder group. It is anticipated that the work will complete, with findings and recommendations published, in Spring 2024.

The Scottish Government has not held recent discussions with the Port of Cairnryan, P&O Ferries or Clyde Marine Recruitment regarding the Fair Work Convention and ferry services between Cairnryan and Larne.

While employment law remains reserved to the UK Government, we will use our Fair Work policy to promote fairer work practices across the labour market in Scotland. In December 2022, we announced the strengthening of our conditionality approach, and now recipients of public sector grants awarded on or after 1 July 2023 are required to pay at least the real Living Wage and provide appropriate channels for effective employee voice.

Both shipping and employment law remains reserved to the UK Government and we would expect all ferry operators to ensure compliance with UK regulations on employees’ pay and conditions.

Figures provided by Ofcom.org.uk, show that, as of September 2023, 98% of premises in the Clydebank and Milngavie constituency could access fixed line superfast broadband.

This is, in part, thanks to publicly-funded digital programmes which have connected around one million properties across Scotland to fibre broadband to date, with the vast majority receiving superfast speeds. This includes the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband (DSSB) programme, which delivered over 10,000 connections in the constituency of Clydebank and Milngavie.

Our Scottish Government commitment to deliver 100% superfast broadband across Scotland is delivered through the three strands of activity that make up the Reaching 100% (R100) programme – the three R100 contracts (North, Central and South), our demand-led R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (SBVS) and the ongoing expansion of commercial coverage including newly emerging technologies such as Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connections.

As a result, all homes and businesses should now be able to access superfast broadband.

We remain committed to ensuring funding is distributed equitably across the country as set out in the 2021-22 Programme for Government. The existing National Resource Allocation Formula (NRAC) is updated on an ongoing basis for a range of factors including population demographics, relative health needs and remote and rural factors. We will continue to assess the need for a more detailed review of the formula, in line with developments in National Care Service funding and Integration reform.

Public Health Scotland review the calculations each year, which informs the geographical allocation of the NHS budget, ensuring resources are distributed fairly. The Scottish Government is not involved in the calculation of the target values. However, we use the formula to ensure appropriate allocation of resource. In 2024-25, we will provide an additional £31.1 million in parity funding, ensuring that all Boards remain within 0.6% of their target.

Work to determine how the review should be taken forward is underway, with an initial meeting of the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation (TAGRA) having taken place to consider the next steps to determine scope and timing of the review.

Please note that the main driver of the NRAC formula is the population size of each area for the target year and as such each run incorporates the most up-to-date population information available. This includes the latest population estimates (including census data) and sub-national projections published by National Records of Scotland (NRS).

Advanced Nurse Practitioners are employed within a range of settings within Primary Care.

The 2023 General Practice Workforce Survey ( https://turasdata.nes.nhs.scot/data-and-reports/official-workforce-statistics/all-official-statistics-publications/general-practice-workforce-survey-2023/annual-report/?pageid=10709 ), reports that there are 553.7 whole-time equivalent (WTE) Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs) employed by and working in General Practices.

Alongside this, the ‘Primary Care Improvement Plans - Implementation Progress Summary’ ( https://www.gov.scot/publications/primary-care-improvement-plans-summary-implementation-progress-march-2023/ ) reports that a total of 219.9 WTE ANPs employed by Health Boards within Urgent Care services.

The latest NHS Scotland Workforce data published by NES ( https://turasdata.nes.nhs.scot/data-and-reports/official-workforce-statistics/all-official-statistics-publications/05-march-2024-workforce/ ) shows that there are 4.8 WTE ANPs employed by the Scottish Ambulance Service, as well as 1.0 WTE ANP employed by NHS 24.

The current phase of Clyde Metro is being led by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, working alongside Glasgow City Council and with Transport Scotland providing support in a project assurance role.

I am advised that the multi-partner project team has been engaging with colleagues from the Trams to Newhaven project and across the private and public sector to learn from experiences elsewhere in the development of mass transit projects and ensure lessons learned and best practice are embedded within Clyde Metro’s future development.

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) support the development and delivery of healthcare education and training for the NHS, health and social care sector and other public bodies. This includes the development of best practice guidelines as appropriate.

With regards to GP receptionists, NES published the Core Competency Framework for General Practice Administration Staff and Practice Managers in September 2023, which includes an accompanying learning needs analysis tools and training packages.

The Scottish Government has made no payments to P&O Ferries since 17 March 2022.