Chamber and committees

Deployment of 5G in Scotland is being commercially led by the four main mobile network operators.

To support that rollout and accelerate adoption and use of 5G, we published a strategy in 2019 (available at 5G: strategy for Scotland - gov.scot ).

This states our commitment to embracing the possibilities of 5G and establishes what steps are needed to ensure Scotland seizes this social and economic opportunity.

As a core part of implementation of this strategy, in 2019 we established the Scotland 5G Centre to be a visible national platform supporting the development, deployment and commercialisation of 5G in Scotland.

COP26 will put Scotland on the global stage when leaders from around the world come together this November to take collective action in tackling the climate emergency. The opportunity to inspire and galvanise action with people across Scotland is clear. But COP 26 also presents a significant opportunity to showcase Scotland as a global leader in sustainable and inclusive economic development and to showcase our expertise in climate change solutions.

In the run up to COP26, Scottish Government, together with its enterprise agencies and VisitScotland, will be taking every opportunity to showcase the best of our business and tourism landscape. Our communication efforts will maximise the opportunity of COP in Scotland to enhance our progress to Net Zero through a Just Transition, and attract the innovation, investment and partnerships that will help us achieve this.

Across all of the venues during the conference, we will ensure that participating nations can see the best that Scotland has to offer. Clear branding and targeted marketing campaigns will show delegates, visitors and businesses what is distinctive about Scotland, whilst also demonstrating our climate leadership. Our Brand Scotland marketing platform will be central to the delivery of all marketing activity ahead of and during COP26.

We are also developing a number of partner toolkits to share with the media, our international network, external stakeholders and brand partners, all of which will seek to extend reach, awareness and advocacy around the event.

COP26 represents an opportunity for Scotland to showcase its green tourism credentials. With around 30,000 delegates projected for Scotland over the period VisitScotland are ensuring that people arriving in Glasgow will receive a warm welcome. COP26 also gives us an opportunity to enhance Scotland’s reputation in the longer term. We will use this opportunity to attract climate conscious tourists to enjoy Scotland’s amazing tourism offer.

During the event, our trade and investment focus will be on an exhibition and programme of events at our 1,750sqm Scottish Innovation and Investment Zone on Glasgow’s Cessnock Quay, adjacent to the UN Blue Zone and the UK Green Zone. Innovation and investment will drive the transition to Net Zero in Scotland, and globally. Our vision for the zone is of participation and conversations, on how we can collaborate to take action, with Scotland and our businesses at the forefront of that transition.

We will showcase Scotland’s businesses leading the way, demonstrating Scotland’s ambition and innovation. We aim to create an immersive experience where everyone can see a vision of a net zero future and real progress being made, with the promise of more to come. An outline programme will be published in the early autumn.

As well as delivering our own activities, Scottish Government is supporting UKG to ensure the successful delivery of COP26 in Glasgow and working closely with UKG partners to maximise our opportunities to promote Scottish solutions to the climate crisis. For example, the Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise will be attending a Global Investment Summit, Building A Green Future Together , hosted by UK Government in London and Windsor in the autumn. This event in the run up to COP26 will showcase the pick of investment ready environmental businesses from across the UK, including several key Scottish companies, to a high profile audience of international investors. In developing our Scottish programme, we are looking as far as possible to align with the UK’s announced programme of theme days to produce a coherent experience for delegates and visitors. We will continue to look for areas where we can align with and enhance the UKG programme.

COP26 is not an end in itself. From a trade and investment perspective, we will use this event to accelerate our work on delivering our commitment to Net Zero, as set out in Scotland’s Vision for Trade . Net Zero is at the heart of our global capital investment plan, Investing with Purpose , and our inward investment plan, Shaping Scotland's Economy . By grasping this opportunity to showcase Scotland’s strengths and the economic opportunity presented by a just transition, the Scottish Government will further invigorate the transformation of our economy to address the global climate emergency.

Statistics providing a breakdown of those appointed to regulated public body Boards as requested can be found within the Ethical Standards Commissioner Report on Public Appointments 2019 – 20. [ ESC Annual Report on Public Appointments 2019-20.pdf]

Currently 51.7% of all regulated public appointments are held by women. Of these 39% of Chair roles are held by women, an increase from 29.4% in 2019.

The daily fee for a Board Chair attracts a higher rate of remuneration in recognition of the additional responsibilities placed upon them. The Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018 sets a ‘gender representation objective’ for listed public authorities that 50% of its non-executive members are women. The Scottish Government is committed to improving gender equality on public boards and the 2018 Act also requires public boards take steps to encourage women to apply for board vacancies including Board Chair roles. The Scottish Government are also taking steps towards closing the gender pay gap through the Gender Pay Gap Action Plan.

Throughout the pandemic the Scottish Government has, where possible, stepped in to help businesses and premises based travel-agents have benefited from a range of support packages including:

• Small Business Support Grant or Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Support Grant (March 2020)
• Strategic Framework Business Fund (November 2020 – March 2021)
• SFBF retail top up (January 2021)
• Strategic Framework Business Fund Transition Payment and Business Restart Grant (April 2021)
• Non-Domestic Rates Relief for the 2020-21 and 21-22 Financial Years.

This is in addition to the Scottish Government’s £5.3 million Travels Agents Support Fund (announced December 2020 as part of a £185 million package of business support) and the Contingency Plus Fund which offered additional funding to Travel Agents, Breweries and Indoor Football Centres in recognition of the specific challenges that businesses operating in these sectors experienced as a result of COVID-19 restrictions and regulations. The Contingency Plus Fund closed on 31 March 2021 and as at 25 June 2021, £3.6 million had been paid to 223 Travel Agent businesses who met the eligibility criteria.

The Scottish Government is dismayed by the reported rise in the theft of dogs and would encourage dog owners to report any concerns to Police Scotland, be extremely vigilant, ensure dogs are microchipped, and also report the loss/theft to the microchip database operators to ensure that if anyone attempts to re-register the microchip number, the rightful owner will be informed.

The primary responsibility for the prevention and investigation of theft lies with Police Scotland and the Chief Constable.

The Scottish Government assists Police Scotland by supporting in any legislative requirements they identify as necessary in their efforts to prevent and detect theft. The Microchipping of Dogs (Scotland) Regulations 2016 came into force on 29 January 2016, making it a statutory requirement for all dogs over the age of 8 weeks to be identifiable with an implanted microchip which is registered on a database from which Police and local authority officers can request information on owners.

The need for a review of the merits of a specific offence of pet theft is written into the recently enacted Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act 2020, to be completed no later than 1 st April 2025. It is the Scottish Government’s intention to review the issue of pet theft in due course as part of the wider review of animal health, welfare and wildlife legislation required by the Act.

When beavers became a European Protected Species in May 2019, NatureScot made a commitment to carry out a review of beaver licensing after two years.

This review will be concluded shortly following which Nature Scot will publish updated licence conditions and guidance for applicants on its website.

Following their review of beaver licensing, NatureScot has now issued the majority of the licence renewals, which are valid with effect from 17 August 2021 for a period of 2 years. Licence holders have been informed of the amendments to the conditions of the licence, including the provision of a map and compliance with codes of practice, which have been incorporated following the review.

The information about the number of individuals requesting hospital-based palliative care is not collected centrally.

The following table shows the number of people recorded as receiving inpatient palliative care in 2019-20. However, this information may not reflect the totality of hospital-based palliative care as it only contains the patients recorded under the care of a palliative medicine consultant, in a Palliative care unit or diagnosed with a Palliative care condition.

Scottish Government officials are currently working to identify the most appropriate and effective way to appoint a National Clinical Lead for Palliative and End of Life Care. This work is ongoing and further information regarding this appointment will be made available in due course.

The Scottish Government recognises the dangers of drug and alcohol misuse and the importance of supporting practitioners to develop and deliver appropriate lessons for children and young people on this subject.

The Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) empowers individual schools and teachers to develop and deliver a curriculum informed by, and relevant to, the local needs of learners. To support schools in the delivery of effective learning on the topic of drug and alcohol misuse, Education Scotland have provided a number of resources accessible through the National Improvement Hub.

Such resources include learning activities on drugs and alcohol which are aimed at supporting practitioners to develop relevant lessons; such as: “Decision making about illegal substances” and “The effects of drinking alcohol” : Each learning activity is directly linked to the experiences and outcomes set out in the health and wellbeing area of the curriculum.

As well as support being available to support teachers to deliver lessons on drug and alcohol misuse, there are a number of initiatives aimed directly at children and young people to help them be better informed and make better choices. Such resources include Young Scot’s “Choices for Life” ; an online resource hosted by Young Scot which signposts children and young people to relevant and appropriate information online.