The Scottish Government carries out Equality Impact Assessments on all new policies as required under the Equality Act 2010 and the associated Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). PSED requires public authorities to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations across all the protected characteristics, including age. These assessments draw upon existing research and data on equality issues, as well as the lived experience of those impacted. Specifically for older people, the assessments analyse and identify any potential impacts using evidence from relevant sources and direct feedback from older people's organisations.

Where relevant impacts on older people are identified through this evidence-based process, mitigating actions are carefully considered. The Scottish Government also directly engages with stakeholder groups representing older people, such as our trusted partners in the Older People’s Strategic Action Forum (OPSAF), to ensure their real-world views and experiences inform policymaking from the outset.

In 2024-25 Skills Development Scotland (SDS) will receive around £200m in funding from The Scottish Government to deliver against our priorities, including our net zero ambitions as outlined in key strategies such as the upcoming Just Transition Plans and Green Industrial Strategy.

The impact assessments for the E&S portfolio were prepared collectively and reflected in the Education and Skills portfolio analysis section in Annex B of the Equality and Fairer Scotland statement available at this link Scottish Budget - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

Estimating carbon sequestration rates for different land uses falls under the remit of the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory and the Scottish Government does not make these kinds of estimates.

The Scottish Government has commissioned research through the ClimateXChange which considers how grassland management can impact carbon stocks. “ Understanding carbon sequestration from nature-based solutions ” concluded that further evidence is needed on the impact of the restoration of species-rich grassland on carbon stocks and greenhouse gas emissions, and “ Managing permanent grasslands for carbon sequestration in Scottish soils ” found that grazing rates, grass species, application of fertiliser, and tillage affect sequestration potential.

Salmon production contributes to our food security, producing healthy, nutritious food for people in Scotland and around the world with a greenhouse gas emissions profile that is lower than many other farmed sources of animal protein. The sector is heavily regulated and subject to robust legislation and policies relating to animal health, environment protection and local authority planning. The Scottish Government’s Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture is clear on our ambitions for an aquaculture sector which operates within environmental limits and which recognises social and economic benefits, and includes specific outcomes on fish health, cleaner fish welfare, best use of by-products and responsibly sourced fish feed.

To meet our commitment to increasing Residential Rehabilitation capacity by 50%, from 425 beds to 650 beds by the end of the parliamentary term in 2026, over £38 million has been made available through two rounds of the Residential Rehabilitation Rapid Capacity Programme (RRRCP). Investment in these projects combined will provide a total increase of 172 beds by 2025/26, boosting the current rehab capacity in Scotland from 425 to 597 – an increase of over 40%.

Despite there being no further openings of the projects funded through the RRRCP during the time frame you asked about, some are expected to be completed later this year. Aberlour’s Mother and Child recovery unit in Dundee opened in January 2023, with their second house in Falkirk opening in summer 2024. The expansion at Maxie Richards, Tighnabruaich is due to be complete summer 2024 and CrossReach, Inverness in January 2025. There is also the development of a new Residential Rehabilitation service for the North East run by Phoenix Futures which is due to open in early 2025.

Since the establishment, the Nursing and Midwifery taskforce has held four ministerial led meetings in April, July, December 2023 and March 2024. The taskforce has also held two official led meetings in June 2023 and March 2024.

The Scottish Government publishes the agreed minutes and actions from each meeting on its website: www.gov.scot/groups/nursing-and-midwifery-taskforce/

The Scottish Hospitality sector was represented on the Cameron House Hotel Short Life Working Group and is also represented on the ongoing Building and Fire Safety Expert Working Group. The economic and social impacts of fires affecting hotels are being considered as part of the review.

The work of the Building and Fire Safety Expert Working Group is programmed to consult in autumn 2024 and will cover all objectives and terms of reference which can be found on the Building and Fire Safety Ministerial Working Group website.

Hotels are not listed as ‘relevant buildings’ within the meaning of the Building Scotland (Amendment) Regulations 2022. All new and converted hotels having a storey, or creating a storey at a height of 11 metres or more above the ground, must comply with the relevant mandatory functional standards, including mandatory standard 2.7 that requires the fire spread on external walls to be inhibited.

BS 8414 testing and the assessment criteria in BR 135 may be used for hotels as an alternative route to compliance with the mandatory standards. The continued use of this alternative solution for hotels over 11 metres in height is currently being considered by the Building and Fire Safety Expert Working Group.

The Scottish Governments Foreword - Health and Social Care Standards: my support, my life - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) set out what people should expect when using health, social care or social work services in Scotland including care homes. They seek to provide better outcomes for everyone; to ensure that individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and that the basic human rights are upheld. Standard 2.12 states that if residents are unable to make their own decisions, the views of those who know their wishes, such as carers, independent advocates, formal or informal representatives must be sought and taken into account.

The Care Inspectorate is the regulator of care services in Scotland and is a non- departmental body and independent of the Scottish Government. Using the Health and Social Care Standards, they inspect services to ensure the safety, protection and wellbeing of residents. Through their inspection process, they review personal plans to determine the capacity status of individuals in receipt of care and support. If a valid s47 certificate of incapacity is in place they will review that the legal proxy advocate is involved in pro-active decision making about the care and support in accordance with the individual.