Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office operates open competitive funding schemes for applied health research projects and fellowships across the wide range of NHS and health challenges in Scotland. These schemes are open to consideration of applications addressing research directed into Cancer. Applications to these schemes are assessed through independent expert peer-review with funding recommendations made by independent expert committees.

Part 4, section 122 (4) of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, gives Scottish Ministers a power to approve a tenancy deposit scheme and obliges Ministers to review each scheme from time to time and gives them power, once they have done so, to ensure that any scheme is revised.

A review of the tenancy deposit schemes was undertaken at the end of 2018. The review examined whether the introduction of the tenancy deposit scheme (TDS) resolved the issues it was intended to and considered whether the TDS worked well for both tenants and landlords. It also assessed whether the current regulations were fair and fit for purpose. It was clear from the findings that the current regulations continued to provide a robust regulatory and operational framework.

Following the review a number of revisions to the operating procedures were made under The Tenancy Deposit Schemes (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2019 and the scheme submitted revised procedures in October 2019 which were reapproved in November 2019.

The Scottish Government regularly monitors the operation of the schemes, but there are no current plans to undertake a full review of approved schemes at present.

Regular monitoring of the schemes highlighted the previously unforeseen issue of unclaimed deposits. As part of A New Deal for Tenants - draft strategy: consultation Ministers sought views on reinvesting unclaimed deposits in the private rented sector after a period of 5 years has elapsed and where all other reasonable efforts to reunite the tenant with their deposit has been exhausted.

We published the independent analysis of the consultation responses on 23 August and we are currently considering those views as we take forward this important work.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15796 on 22 March 2023. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15795 on 22 March 2023. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

The Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment is being led by Professor Louise Hayward. Professor Hayward is firmly committed to offering an approach that ensures the achievements of all learners, including those with disabilities, can be recognised. The commitment to proposing a system that works for each and every learner is evident in her recently published interim report.

During the Review’s public consultation Professor Hayward sought views on the specific question of how a system of qualifications and assessment can uphold the right of all learners including those with disabilities to have their achievements recognised.

I understand that Professor Hayward has met Angela Morgan, Chair of the Review of Additional Support for Learning Implementation, on several occasions and that Angela Morgan has also offered advice to the Independent Review Group. Professor Hayward is also visiting several schools which provide specialist education and learning for children and young people with additional support needs and complex health and medical needs, and will hear directly from learners, teachers and staff there.

The final Phase of the Review is now underway, and Professor Hayward is seeking views from a range of stakeholders across the education landscape, and beyond, on a draft model for the future of qualifications and assessment, this Phase is open until the 7 April. I look forward to receiving a final report before the end of May 2023.

In an update on the Additional Support for Learning Review Action Plan, published in November 2022 ( https://tinyurl.com/ywu6dtcw ) we committed to revisit this research in spring 2023.

In parallel, the Pupil Support Staff Working Group commissioned Education Scotland to undertake a national engagement programme for pupil support staff – ( https://education.gov.scot/improvement/research/pupil-support-staff-engagement-programme-2022-2023/ ). The engagement programme commenced in October 2022, has generated over 2,500 responses to date and will close shortly.

We consider it prudent to let the engagement programme conclude and for the responses to be analysed, before deciding on the requirement for the proposed research.

The Scottish Government is working with local government partners on the Additional Support for Learning Project Board to deliver the recommendations of the 2020 additional support for learning review by March 2026. As outlined in our updated action plan published in November 2022, we have committed to undertaking a policy mapping exercise to inform the development of a shared positive communications plan. The plan aims to ensure visibility and awareness of additional support for learning and children and young people’s successes and achievements. This work is currently on track.

Progress can be followed through the published minutes of the Project Board . A further progress update is due to be published in May 2024.

Our recent consultation on restricting alcohol advertising and promotion directly references and endorses this threefold rationale as set out below:

The purpose of taking action to restrict alcohol marketing is threefold and summarised by the WHO as:

• to prevent young people from being exposed to alcohol marketing (which is known to influence the decision to start consuming alcohol and to increase alcohol use)
• to reduce the presence of alcohol cues that can induce reactivity and craving in alcohol-dependent persons
• to prevent influence on social norms relating to consumption in general, given the negative public health, economic and social consequences of alcohol use.

The Scottish Government takes a whole population approach to tackling alcohol-related harms, in line with the World Health Organization’s focus on affordability, availability and attractiveness of alcohol.

We published our first consultation on restricting alcohol advertising and promotion in November 2023. The consultation has now closed and will be independently analysed before any potential proposals are put forward for consultation.

Minimum unit price (MUP) is a policy which aims to tackle the consumption of alcohol at a population level by setting a floor price at which alcohol can be sold, this is currently 50 pence per unit of alcohol. A recent report from Public Health Scotland (PHS) found that MUP had been successful in creating a 3% net reduction in total alcohol sales in the first three years of implementation. PHS will be producing a final report on the evaluation of MUP in summer this year and we should wait until this has been published before drawing any overall conclusions.

The role of the Scottish Government, since the three approved schemes began operating in July 2012, is to monitor each scheme for compliance. This includes being satisfied that the tenancy deposit schemes have clear and substantial processes in place that meet the requirements laid out in the regulations.

Scottish Government officials met with (i) Chair Ian Potter and Managing Director Nick Hankey of Safe Deposits Scotland on 3 February 2023,(ii) Managing Director, Matt Trevett and Daren King, Head of Tenancy Deposit Protection of Letting Protection Scotland on 9 March 2023 and (iii) Eddie Hooker - CEOof My Deposit Scotland on 27 February 2023.

Plans for next 6 monthly review meeting are still to be set.