Chamber and committees

Currently generative AI is not being used by The Scottish Government in a policy environment. However, through our CivTech challenge process we are engaging with technology providers around how we might in future make use of AI to solve particular public issues. Current examples include helping disabled citizens better access online services and in identifying children at risk. You can see details of this work on the recently launched Scottish AI Register .

We are continuing to work within the recently issued UK Government guidance on the use of AI. This guidance encourages civil servants to stay curious and connected with all that data technologies can offer, but at the same time to do this in a way which prevents the risk of harm to our communities, government or economy.

This is a rapidly developing area and the Scottish Government has a responsibility to use AI in a way which will make the most of any opportunities and limit any potential harms to our people. We are very fortunate to have the Scottish AI Alliance behind our efforts, with their strong academic, business and technology experience they offer the correct level of support and challenge to ensure we continue to work in the trustworthy, ethical and inclusive manner set out by our AI Strategy.

The Scottish Government does not hold centralised records for the number of mobile phones purchased in the last 5 years as they are purchased by individual business areas and agencies to meet their requirements. In terms of mobile spend, the spend via the Scottish Government’s mobile voice and data contract is as follows:

January 2022 to December 2022 - £717,288.05

January 2021 to December 2021 - £903,220.11

January 2020 to December 2020 - £1,538,112.41

January 2019 to December 2019 - £1,163,311.25

January 2018 to December 2018 - £1,218,978.37

All costs are ex VAT.

Please note:

1. The above figures include all mobile contract spend; it is not possible to separate this out into just mobile phones.

2. The above figures include other Scottish central government bodies to whom Scottish Government provides IT shared services. These costs will have been recharged to that organisation at the time.

Funding is already available through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme to support local authorities, housing co-operatives and housing associations to buy existing housing stock where this meets a clear strategic purpose and can be clearly seen to support the achievement of the priorities and objectives set out in the relevant local authority’s Local Housing Strategy. This can include the purchase of housing stock that was previously owned by private landlords.

The Scottish Government meets with South Lanarkshire Council on a regular basis to discuss housing matters. We last met on 19 April to discuss the Local Housing Strategy (LHS) which covers all housing issues across the Council area.

The Scottish Government recently advertised for an Optometric Advisor position. Following a competitive recruitment exercise no offer of appointment was made. The Government remains committed to filling this post as a priority and is currently exploring options to achieving this.

As set out in the answer to S6W-17550 on 12 May 2023, officials are in the process of providing advice to Scottish Ministers on community eyecare services work, including the unique challenges of providing these services in remote and rural areas and domiciliary settings.

In addition, as part of the continuous review of service provision, the Scottish Government recently worked with stakeholders to undertake a separate report into supporting the sustainability of community eyecare services in remote and rural areas.

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 Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) met with the Accountable Officer (AO) to discuss the gateway review recommendation suggesting a "Portfolio approach". After due consideration it was deemed that at this moment in the programmes development it was not the appropriate course of action to take and would be reviewed on an ongoing basis.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-17543 on 12 May 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 .

While this is essentially a question for Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) to answer, I can advise that building ownership conditions are not universal across the four nations. It is important that guidance for valuers in Scotland reflects the system in Scotland including the tenure system.

My visit aimed to cover a number of areas in the Scotland/US relationship. It had a particular focus on trade and investment, culture, higher education and – linking all of these things – Scotland’s network in the US. This visit offered an opportunity to build upon my visit to the US in April 2022, as well as other Ministerial visits over the past 12 months. It also presented an opportunity to launch our Scottish Connections Framework, Scotland’s new diaspora strategy, in perhaps the most populous (alongside Canada) diaspora location. (Link Scottish Connections Framework - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) )

I attended Tartan Week, supported by my Private Secretary, the Scottish Government Deputy Director for International, and two supporting officials. Five members of staff based in the US also supported my visit and attended events. The full costs of my visit, and those of all Ministerial travel costs, are routinely published on the Scottish Government website. I would encourage you to look there for more details (Link: Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

You also requested the costs for travelling officials who accompanied me from Scotland. Please find these in the following table.