Chamber and committees

Firstly, I’d reiterate that the Scottish Government is absolutely committed to making improvements to the A96 and the current plan is to fully dual the route.

The significant interest in the transparent, evidence-based review’s initial consultation generated 11,000 options to improve the corridor and it is only right that these were fully appraised. 

Transport Scotland is pushing forward a robust appraisal of the sixteen retained options alongside a Climate Compatibility Assessment, with outcomes expected to be ready in the coming months for final public consultation, before a final decision can be reached.

Scottish Government is committed to tackling the stigma around all aspects of problem substance use, including that associated with seeking support and treatment. We published our Stigma Action Plan on 12 January 2023 as part of the Cross government response to the Drug Deaths Taskforce. The founding principle of our Stigma Action Plan is that we can do more to support people affected by drugs and alcohol. We have long emphasised that drug dependency is a health condition and now is time to put that into practice. The stigma action plan outlines how we will turn principles into action by developing a voluntary accreditation scheme to tackle structural stigma; and implementing a national programme of activity to challenge social stigma. We will co-design the programme and accreditation scheme with people with lived, living and family experience. We will procure partners to take on the ongoing administration and delivery of the accreditation scheme and national programme.

The Scottish Government collects information on the composition of households making homelessness applications through the HL1 data collection. This includes information on the number of children in the household. The HL3 data collection collects information about temporary accommodation placements connected to homelessness applications.

An additional question was added to the HL3 data collection in 2019 to ask if a child is in the temporary accommodation placement. Although all local authorities have been able to provide this data from April 2022, as this is the first time a full set of data has been available, this is subject to on-going quality assurance. Therefore, information relating to the presence of children within temporary accommodation placements has been derived by linking household records between the HL1 and HL3 data collections. However, it is important to note that households may sometimes make alternative arrangements for children when entering temporary accommodation and therefore it is not always the case that children included in the HL1 return are present in associated temporary accommodation placements. It can also be the case that children are present for only part of the stay in temporary accommodation e.g. as part of shared custody arrangements.

Data on temporary accommodation taken from the HL3 data collection is only available for all local authorities from 2017-18, however, this includes temporary accommodation placements which commenced prior to 2017-18. In addition, some local authorities have provided data prior to 2017-18 and, where this is available it has been included.

Information at individual (person or household) level cannot be provided due to data confidentiality.

The following table shows the distribution of time spent in temporary accommodation for households with children included in homelessness applications for each local authority. The figures are based on homelessness applications made since 1 January 2016 that closed on, or prior to, 31 March 2023 with at least one associated temporary accommodation placement. Note that figures may be based on the total duration of multiple temporary accommodation placements taken up by a household.

Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5 due to small numbers in some categories.

These figures may include households who have turned down multiple offers of settled accommodation by the local authority and chosen to stay in temporary accommodation instead.

Time spent in temporary accommodation for households with children included in the homelessness application (number of households)

Households with an open homelessness application from 1 January 2016 which was closed at, or prior to 31 March 2023 with at least one associated temporary accommodation placement*

The Scottish Government does not routinely gather or centrally hold information on the total number and value of contracts awarded by public corporations to consulting companies. As public corporations have a degree of independence from central government information of this nature will be held more locally and can be attained by approaching the bodies directly.

The Scottish Government does not hold data on recreational vaping. However, the Scottish Government published a report earlier in 2023 which examined the extent of use of e-cigarette in adults and children. The numbers will include those using e-cigarettes to quit smoking tobacco, as well as recreational use - Vaping - understanding prevalence and trends among adults and children: research - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

Although challenging to establish a precise estimate of use, key messages from the report include:

The percentage of adults in Scotland reporting current use (generally includes those who vape once a week or more and those who vape only occasionally) is likely to be somewhere between 5% according to the Scottish Health Survey (SHeS 2021) and 13.2% as shown by the Smoking Toolkit Study (STS 2022). The most recent data suggest that the percentage reporting current vaping has increased over time, despite the SHeS 2021 indicating a decrease since 2019.

Although based on different samples by age, surveys from across the UK show that the percentage of current young users (both regular and occasional) could be somewhere between 1.1% of 10-15 year olds ( Understanding Society 2020/21 ) and 7% of 11-17 year olds ( ASH GB Youth Survey 2022 ). Current use appears to be increasing.

Scottish Government commissioned Zero Waste Scotland to undertake a review of the environmental impacts of single use e-cigarettes, the report was published in June 2023. The report identifies several environmental impacts, including littering, wasteful use of resources and carbon emissions. Further detail is available in the report. The environmental impact of single-use vapes (zerowastescotland.org.uk) . The Scottish Government is considering the findings of the report and will set out next steps in the autumn.

In 2022 we published our consultation on Tightening rules on advertising and promoting vaping products . Evidence about the impact of e-cigarette use on health was included as a section.

Since then Electronic cigarettes and health outcomes: systematic review of evidence (anu.edu.au) and the UK Government commissioned Khan report have been published, adding further to the evidence base.

In May 2023 we published "Vaping – understanding the prevalence and trends among adults and children" ( https://www.gov.scot/publications/understanding-prevalence-trends-vaping-adults-children/pages/2/). This analysis of data on vaping from twelve surveys conducted at UK or regional level, with a focus on current use, ever tried and dual use of vaping products, and differences by socio-economic status.

We work with Public Health Consultants, Scottish Government analysts, and a range of academics and stakeholders to understand how this, and other evidence, informs current understanding. It is an ongoing process to ensure that the development of a refreshed Tobacco Action Plan is based on the latest evidence.

We have not had any direct discussions with Local Authorities to date regarding the potential banning of disposable vapes.

However, a stakeholder roundtable was held on 6 September 2023 by the Ministers for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity and for Public Health and Women's Health to discuss the findings of the Zero Waste Scotland report on the environmental impacts of single use vapes, which will include representation from local government.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-21068 on 14 September 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-21068 on‎ 14 September 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

As set out in the Programme for Government 2023-24, the Scottish Government has committed £3,03m in 2023-26 to progressing the National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care, which is expected to launch in October 2023.