Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is working with Creative Scotland to consider options for a National Towns of Culture scheme to build upon the Government’s strong track record of place-based cultural policy making. In developing options, the Government will consult with the cultural and creative sectors and community groups, and consider suitable means of financial support.

I refer the member to answer S6W-10572 on 6 September 2022 which sets out what progress is being made towards the realisation of National Towns of Culture. Any decisions taken, including those related to the number of towns designated as National Towns of Culture, will be consulted on with the cultural and creative sectors, and community groups, as we progress.

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

We have no plans to introduce a regulatory body to provide guidelines to the operators and/or owners of retirement villages. Existing regulatory frameworks for property factors, planning, building standards already exist. Providers of housing and housing services in the private sector, including operators of retirement villages, are expected to comply with these regulations.

The Scottish Government is extremely thankful for the generosity of all those who have expressed an interest in hosting people displaced by the current conflict.

Scotland is now providing a place of safety to more displaced people per head of population than any other part of the UK. The Scottish Government is providing accommodation that is safe and sustainable whilst people are waiting to be matched suitable longer term accommodation. Significant action is underway to increase the temporary accommodation capacity as well as boost the matching system to maximise the number of people who can be placed with volunteer hosts who have completed the necessary safeguarding checks.

We want Scotland to be a safe, secure home for as long as people need and thank the people of Scotland for their continued offers of support to help us in that aim. Those homes offered are still very much needed. We are keen to see more people in Scotland volunteer as hosts if they think that they can provide a welcoming home for a displaced person or family.

Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) is an independent not-for-profit company, which is able to locate, apply for and accept funding from a range of sources. As an evidence-led organisation, any expertise and/or advice ZWS provide to Scottish Government would be based on balanced outputs from research by sector specific policy experts.

ZWS is a key delivery partner for the Scottish Government in relation to circular economy policy and it would be for Scottish Government to decide on whether to use the organisations advice in development of policies.

The Scottish Government remains committed to Keeping The Promise by 2030, working in partnership with Local Authorities, The Promise Scotland, third sector, health boards and importantly the care community.

On 30 March 2022 the Scottish Government published the Keeping The Promise Implementation Plan , setting out how it will Keep The Promise by 2030. The Plan contains over 80 actions which span over a range of areas including education, health, justice and child poverty.

The Plan sets out how we will work with care experienced people in our design, delivery and evaluation of Keeping The Promise. We will continue work with stakeholders and care experienced people on our journey to Keeping The Promise by 2030.

The Scottish Government is giving consideration to how best to ensure a consistent, effective and high quality approach to social prescribing and meets the Scottish Social Prescribing Network regularly to inform its plans.

No additional funding is provided to CalMac Ferries Limited to offset performance deductions. Any performance deductions incurred are applied as a reduction in the grant subsidy paid by Transport Scotland for operating the ferry services.

Table 1 – deaths from liver disease (K70 – K77) by SIMD Quintile 2019-2021

Where NHS dental services are provided by independent dental contractors, staff including dental nurses are employed by the practice, and not the NHS Board. Terms of service and pension arrangements are set by the practice owner(s).

Where NHS dental services are provided by the Public Dental Service, the dental team is employed by the Board on appropriate NHS terms of service.