Chamber and committees

The investment of over £400 million that we are making through the R100 North contract is directly benefitting communities on the Orkney Islands. Building on the seven new subsea fibre optic cables connecting islands across Orkney concluded last year, with terrestrial build now underway to connect over 3,300 premises across the local authority area to full-fibre, Gigabit-capable connectivity.

Of course, mobile connectivity is just as vital as broadband connectivity for island communities, and the four masts we have delivered in Orkney through the S4GI programme will greatly extend 4G coverage and enable superfast connectivity for many.

NHS Tayside cancer services are currently operating at a stable level with mutual aid from other Health Boards for Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapies for breast cancer. The health board continues to pursue all recruitment opportunities and positive discussions are ongoing about possible future appointments.

This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government and is a matter for Public Health Scotland. The most recent pancreatic cancer survival rates, published in July 2022 and covering individuals from 2015 to 2019, can be found at the following link: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/media/13872/estimates-of-survival-from-pancreatic-cancer.xlsx.

Our key priority throughout the stocks and negotiations is always to protect Scottish interests by securing sustainable catching opportunities.

Bluefin tuna quota is allocated to the UK via International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) and for 2023 the UK Government intends to trial a small-scale commercial fishery for Bluefin tuna in UK waters with 39 tonnes set aside quota for this purpose. All UK vessels, including the Scottish fishing fleet, will be able to apply for the trial this year.

My officials have been fully involved in discussions within the UK to ensure that, upon the opening of the application process, applicants will be assessed in a fair and transparent manner to select who will be issued with one of the 10 Bluefin tuna licences. Each licence will regulate the maximum quota which may be fished for the period of the 2023 trial, and which will also be non-transferrable. Under this scheme, Bluefin tuna quota is therefore currently managed at a UK level, rather than being apportioned between UK Fisheries Administrations.

Prior to the commencement of the trial, it is essential that a precautionary management approach is fully developed to ensure that Bluefin tuna fishing is sustainable, and that vessels are fully compliant with all relevant measures.

The Creative Industries Leadership Group (CILG) last met on 8 June 2022. As of Summer 2022, the work of CILG has been paused and will be addressed as part of a wider strategic review of stakeholder engagement that is being undertaken by culture officials.

The Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Act 2022 is a response to the impact of the cost crisis on those living in the rented sector. The Act introduced a temporary rent cap and a temporary moratorium on the enforcement of evictions, along with simplifying the process for claiming unlawful eviction damages and increasing the level of damages that can be awarded.

The Act was initially due to expire on 31 March 2023, however Scottish Ministers used the powers available to them to extend Part 1 for a further period of 6 months to 30 September 2023.

In addition to being time limited, the Scottish Government has also made clear it will retain and use the provisions within the Act only for as long as they are necessary and proportionate. As a result, where it has been possible to do so, provisions in the Act have been suspended or expired when they have fulfilled their purpose and the Scottish Government has examined available evidence and views and both supported a change in approach.

The ongoing cost crisis continues to place people across Scotland in a precarious economic position. Renters, in particular, have lower household incomes, higher levels of poverty and are more vulnerable to economic shocks. Over the period from 2018-2020, 63% of social rented households and 40% of private rented households did not have enough savings to cover even a month of income at the poverty line, compared to 24% of households buying with a mortgage and 9% of households owning outright. Thus rented sector households entered the cost of living crisis in a more vulnerable position than owner occupiers.

In carefully considering this wider economic context, the Scottish Government have decided that it is necessary and proportionate for Part 1 of the Act to be extended for a further, and final, 6 month period to 31 March 2024.

Subject to approval by Parliament, regulations have been laid today that would mean:

• Most in-tenancy private rent increases would continue to be capped at 3%;
• Alternatively, private landlords could apply for increases of up to 6% to help cover certain increases in costs in a specified time period where these costs can be evidenced;
• Enforcement of evictions would continue to be paused for six months for most tenants, except in a number of specified circumstances; and
• Increased damages for unlawful evictions of up to 36 months’ worth of rent would continue to be applicable.

A Statement of Reasons has been published alongside these regulations, setting out the evidence why the Scottish Government believes it is necessary and proportionate to extend Part 1 of the Act beyond 30 September 2023.

Part 1 of the Act can only be extended in its entirety and not on a provision by provision basis. Any provisions that should not be extended therefore need to be expired or suspended through separate regulations. In addition, throughout the proposed six month extension period, if provisions are deemed to no longer be necessary during that time then they must be suspended or expired early. A suspended provision could subsequently be revived if this was considered necessary and proportionate in connection with the cost of living.

Therefore, proposing that Part 1 of the Act be extended at this time does not guarantee that all provisions covered by the extension would remain in place until 31 March 2024, and we will continue to review – and report on - whether the provisions remain necessary and proportionate in connection with the cost of living.

The rights of responsible non-motorised access to land established through Part 1 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 mean that access to local outdoor spaces, such as forests, should normally be free of charge.

There is a very limited range of circumstances where charges for access can be applied, for example where specific byelaws have been introduced. However, land managers may raise revenue through service provision such as car parking and toilets.

As part of the landmark Bute House Agreement between the Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party, we are strengthening our approach to fair work conditionality in public sector grants.

The conditionality will apply to grants awarded across the public sector on or after 1 July 2023 and introduces a requirement to pay at least the real Living Wage to all employees, and provide appropriate channels for effective voice.

Limited exceptions may apply to ensure the conditions remain proportionate, and our Fair Work First guidance provides further detail on this. The conditionality does not apply retrospectively to public sector grants awarded before 1 July 2023, and will apply to recipients of eligible agriculture grants awarded on or after 1 April 2024.

The Scottish Government expects public sector grants awarded before 1 July 2023 which involve multi-year funding to incorporate this conditionality as part of the grant agreement for any subsequent funding years for the project concerned. We have published updated Fair Work First guidance to assist grant recipients and funders with implementing this stronger conditionality.

The Scottish Government can confirm there are no known shortages of radionuclides involved in bone scans.

Medicines shortages can arise for various reasons such as difficulties with manufacturing or with the supply of raw materials. The production of medicines is complex and highly regulated, and materials and processes must meet rigorous safety and quality standards. While disruptions in medicine supply can occur, they are often short in nature.

Where trade unions are recognised, evidence of the collective element of effective voice will be their recognition agreement. We expect in such cases that employer organisations will work with their trade unions to evidence meeting the other aspects of the new requirements and any wider Fair Work First commitments.

Our Fair Work First guidance provides an overview of some acceptable forms of evidence for employers to demonstrate effective voice and real Living Wage conditionality.

Grant recipients are asked, both at the application stage and on conclusion of the grant, to provide a statement confirming they are meeting all the Fair Work First criteria, this should be signed by a trade union representative or a worker representative where there is no formal trade union recognition agreement. It will be for the relevant grant administrator to monitor and ensure compliance, in line with normal grant management practice.