Chamber and committees

The information you have requested is set out in the following table. It should be noted that the key criteria for the Local Bridge Maintenance Fund was to rebuild and maintain key lifeline bridges, where diversionary routes are not available or limited.

Many items within the Baby Box such as thermometers, play mat, changing mat, books, and the box itself are all suitable for a premature baby, and the clothing will be suitable as the baby grows. The Scottish Government seeks to deliver best value by purchasing the contents of the Baby Box in bulk, in line with Scottish birth rates. Costs would increase significantly if we moved to purchase smaller amounts of different items. Therefore in the current financial climate we do not plan to make any adaptions to the Baby Box. The Scottish Government is keen to offer financial support to parents or primary carers of babies who are born prematurely and have to receive inpatient care. All parents whose children have to stay overnight in hospital are eligible for financial support through the Young Patients Family Fund (YPFF).

The General Teaching Council for Scotland’s (GTCS) Standard for Full Registration, which is the benchmark for competence required of all registered teachers, outlines that all teachers are required to demonstrate a depth of knowledge and understanding of pedagogical and learning theories, and draw on these appropriately to inform practice in areas such as dyslexia. Furthermore, the GTCS Guidelines for Accreditation of Initial Teacher Education Programmes, are clear that programmes should expose all students to national priorities and pedagogies to develop their understanding and practice in areas such as dyslexia.

Over 700 teachers have GTCS registration in additional support needs which is available to those with appropriate qualifications.

The Scottish Government is committed to developing a long-term strategic approach to skills and careers in the sector across the creative sector.

The music talent pipeline is already supported through a very significant offer across Scotland’s Colleges at NC, HNC and HND level covering performance, production, sound engineering, music business and event management. There is also increased specialisation at degree level across Scotland’s Higher Education sector, covering classical, contemporary and traditional music disciplines. Further information should be available from Scottish Funding Council and the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

In addition, Creative Scotland plays a major role in talent development and supporting the creative talent pipeline through the National Lottery funded Open Fund for Individuals which offers early career funding to emerging artists. Through their Targeted Routes and organisations funds, Creative Scotland support organisations and events such as Wide Days, the SAMAs and Showcase Scotland Expo, which provide mentoring for young acts.

The Scottish Government fully values the important contributions that both grassroots and large-scale music venues provide to Scotland. We recognise the role venues play in skills development and the talent pipeline.

It remains crucial that we continue to engage with live music venues of all sizes, and experts from all areas of the music industry, to hear directly the views and experiences from the sector first hand.

I will be meeting with the Music Venture Trust later this month to better understand how we can further support the music sector and grassroots venues.

We are currently developing detailed proposals for the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland (AROS). A formal remit will be drawn up (and published) in due course.

The work of the Observatory will align closely with our obligations under the Equality Act (2010) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, and will inform and support implementation of the Convention in Scotland.

Performance venues throughout Scotland make an important contribution to the cultural, social and economic life of Scotland. We have regular contact with Creative Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), and representatives of the music industry, as part of our on-going work to ensure that we understand the challenges and opportunities that the industry in the Highlands and Islands region, as well as across Scotland, face.

Many grassroots venues in the Highlands and Islands received support through the Scottish Government COVID-19 Emergency Funds, including Gellions Bar, Hootenanny, The Tooth & Claw, Aros Centre and The Sound Archive through the Grassroots Music Venue Stabilisation Fund.

HIE has supported a number of venues in the region and has directly supported venues to look at how they collaborate. HIE also support organisations, such as the Touring Network, a collaborative membership organisation that supports promoters in the region. HIE is also considering how digital tools and changing business models can support venues by generating new revenue streams.

More generally, grassroots music venues in Scotland can apply to Creative Scotland funds for specific projects and programmes of creative work.

The Scottish Government does not gather this information. It is for local authorities to determine how they deliver the service to suit the needs and circumstances of children and young people in their area. We produced guidance to support local authorities, available at: Access to counselling in secondary schools: guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

We have today published a consultation on our Biodiversity Framework. The Framework will accelerate the pace and scale of our efforts to halt the loss of biodiversity, creating a nature positive Scotland and supporting people and communities to take the opportunities presented by restoring and protecting our natural environment. It includes an updated version of our Biodiversity Strategy, which takes into account the outcomes of CoP15 and the new Global Biodiversity Framework, as well as the first underpinning Delivery Plan, where we set out a range of ambitious and wide reaching actions to tackle the nature crisis. The Consultation also includes draft frameworks which set out the Vision and Principles that will underpin delivery of our commitment to protect 30% of Scotland’s land for nature by 2030, and to create nature networks across Scotland. Elements of the proposed Natural Environment Bill are also being consulted upon, including our proposal to create statutory nature restoration targets, and enhancements to National Parks legislation to reflect the important role our Parks already play in tackling the biodiversity and climate crisis. The consultation and associated documents are available at https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781835212769 .

In March 2023, the Scottish Government requested Public Health Scotland (PHS) to undertake an independent review of the Paediatric Scottish National Spinal Service (SNSS) which is hosted in NHS Lothian.

The review was requested to identify any variance between the number of cancellations reported by PHS and those held locally by SNSS. PHS confirmed cancellation data held by SNSS is aligned to PHS reported data.

PHS also assessed the application of National Waiting Times Guidance for children that were referred to SNSS, particularly focusing on children that required further diagnostic tests before a decision to treat was made. PHS found NHS Lothian to be adhering to and applying the waiting time guidance correctly.

Therefore, PHS concluded through this external assurance process that SNSS, hosted in NHS Lothian, in all of the areas reviewed adheres to and applies National Waiting Times Guidance with no apparent variation in the local data to that published by PHS.

A copy of the report can be found at Publications - Public Health Scotland .