A soil and groundwater contamination liability assessment covering the Lanarkshire steelworks was prepared for the Scottish Government in 2016.

A copy of the report with redactions in line with FOISA exemptions is available from the Scottish Government website here

( https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/foi-eir-release/2021/07/foi-202100216003/documents/foi202100216003---information-released-2/foi202100216003---information-released-2/govscot%3Adocument/FOI202100216003%2B-%2BInformation%2Breleased%2B2.pdf ).

I am unable to confirm on the basis of Section 2.38 of the Ministerial code. Ministers must not divulge either who provided the advice or its contents (whether it is from the Law Officers or from anyone else). This applies to all forms of legal advice, including advice on a particular subject or advice associated with clearance of a document.

Referrals of this nature to the European Commission can only be made by the member state.

Channels of communication between the Scottish Government and Tata Steel UK remain open so both parties are aware the other’s position on this commercially sensitive topic.

Regulations amending the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Requirements) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 were made today.

The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment (No.3) Regulations 2022 amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Requirements) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 (“the principal regulations”) and will take effect on 28 January 2022 at 05.00 am.

The Amendment Regulations amend exemptions from face covering requirements in the principal regulations which exempt a person from face covering requirements in certain indoor places where a specific distance is maintained between the exempted person and other people or where they are separated from other people by a partition. This changes the distance to be maintained between persons who are not wearing face coverings from at least two metres to at least one metre – this includes

• employees and volunteers in certain places
• a person leading an act of worship in a place of worship
• a person leading a funeral, marriage ceremony or civil partnership registration
• parties to be married or entering into a civil partnership
• a person performing, presenting, addressing a public gathering, making a speech or acting as a panel member and;
• a person performing or rehearsing for a performance where certain circumstances apply.

The Regulations also amend the requirement that a face covering must be worn in any indoor communal area in a workplace, where there is no partition, or where people are not otherwise separated by a specified minimum distance, to change the specified minimum distance between persons who are not required to wear a face covering from at least two metres to at least one metre.

The Regulations also exempt a person travelling on a ferry, who is not outdoors, from wearing a face covering where a distance of at least one metre is maintained from other persons, as opposed to at least two metres.

The Regulations have been published at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ssi/2022/29 .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05796 on 27 January 2022. 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 .

Ventilation in schools is a regular topic of discussion at the COVID-19 Education Recovery Group and the COSLA Workforce Issues Group.

In addition, on 12 January 2022, the COSLA Spokesperson for Children and Young People Councillor Stephen McCabe and I issued a joint letter to unions, requesting specific details of any ongoing ventilation issues being experienced by teaching and other school staff.

The disposal of litter and fishing gear at sea is covered by the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) Regulations. In UK waters these regulations are enforced by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). Scottish Government’s Marine Scotland Compliance Officers report incidents through their intelligence system to the MCA and periodically remind vessels of their obligations under MARPOL.

Whilst the question specifically references the six-mile limit, it is also highlighted for completeness that there is no access for any non-UK vessel inside 12 nautical miles anywhere around the Scottish coast.

A programme of work led by the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Partnership (SCQFP) is underway to look at substantiating military-gained skills and qualifications (which are based on the English qualifications system) to be more easily recognised by civilian employers and institutions in Scotland. The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) funding for SCQFP included support for extended work on the mapping of military qualifications against the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework and a number of leaflets were produced for different cap badges which are available on the SCQF website. Additionally, following a £35,000 grant from the Scottish Government in 2021, SCQFP are developing a more sustainable online skills-mapping tool for Service leavers and veterans.

The tool, hosted on the Skills Development Scotland My World of Work website, is intended to offer veterans and Service leavers a simple method of inputting details of their military experience, training and qualifications so they can better understand the level of the formal and informal learning they have achieved and take this forward either into additional education or civilian employment in Scotland.

This tool is currently in the beta testing phase and a number of veterans have been engaged to ensure that the system meets their needs. The tool should be live by March 2022 and a final report will be produced with recommendations on the future development and promotion of the tool.

The Scottish Government believes that bullying and harassment of any worker, under any circumstances, is unacceptable. Everyone has the right to go to work without fear of intimidation. The Scottish Government endorses the Fair Work Convention's Fair Work Framework and agree that every worker, regardless of status or position, should be treated fairly and with respect.

Scottish Ministers believe that all workers should receive a fair pay for the work they do, regardless of their age and status. The Scottish Government is committed to using all the levers it has at its disposal to promote fair work practices across Scotland including payment of the real Living Wage. We firmly oppose the inappropriate use of zero hours contracts and other non-standard types of employment that offer workers minimal job or financial security.

Scottish Ministers have not met with Unite directly on the issues raised in the question, however the Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise meets periodically with Unite Hospitality representatives to discuss key areas of interest in relation to the hospitality sector. The most recent meeting with key trade union representatives included UNITE, PCS, Prospect, the Scottish Tourism League and the STUC and took place on 9 December.