Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-20381 on 17 August 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

We recognises that disabled women and girls are at greater risk of violence than non-disabled women and girls, and women with a learning/ intellectual disability are more likely to experience sexual abuse than other disabled people.

Through our Delivering Equally Safe (DES) fund, we are providing £19m per year to support 121 projects that focus on early intervention, prevention. This includes projects that provide advocacy support to disabled women. We have extended the fund till 2025.

We have also, along with our partners, established a Gender Based Violence Steering Group to reduce incidences of violence and empower women with learning/intellectual disabilities and/or autistic women to have safe and loving relationships.

The latest Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS) results estimate that 3.4% of females aged 16+ with a disability experienced at least one violent crime in 2019/20, which is above that for all females aged 16+ (2.0%). The survey defines disability as a physical or mental health condition or illness lasting or expected to last at least 12 months, and which reduces a person’s ability to carry out day-to-day activities.

We will continue to gather this evidence, including publication of the next SCJS findings in Autumn 2023. These results will cover a full years’ worth of interviews through to December 2022, with the prolonged gap since 2019/20 due to the earlier suspension of the survey in March 2020 to restrict social contact during the pandemic.

We also recently incorporated updated questions on partner abuse and violence against women and girls into the 2023/24 survey, which were identified as a key priority by survey users.

We know there can be many barriers preventing someone who is experiencing domestic abuse from leaving that relationship and we are firmly committed to looking at what we can do, within our devolved powers, to provide financial support to women so that financial uncertainty does not create a further barrier.

We are currently working with partners, including Scottish Women’s Aid (SWA), the Convention Of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) to explore how a fund providing immediate financial support to women leaving an abusive relationship could be developed and delivered.

Scotland has led the UK in providing affordable housing. We are making £3.5 billion available in this Parliamentary term, towards the delivery of more affordable and social homes. An estimated 3,480 households with children have been helped into affordable housing in the year to March 2023.

We also know that many victims of domestic abuse will have particular housing and support needs, and that is why we are also firmly committed to implementing the social housing tenancy related provisions at Part 2 of the Domestic Abuse (Protection) (Scotland) Act 2021 and aim to bring these provisions into force by early 2024, subject to the necessary rules and forms of court also being in place.

As part of the Homelessness Prevention Duties we propose to make it a legal requirement for social landlords to develop and implement a domestic abuse housing policy which outlines how they will support their tenants who are experiencing domestic abuse.

The Scottish Government has had no discussions with the Scottish Housing Regulator about allocation rules for the victims of domestic abuse. The legal framework for social housing allocations in Scotland is the responsibility of the Scottish Government. The Social Housing Allocations Practice Guide for social landlords published by the Scottish Government is clear that landlords should consider giving a high level of priority to anyone who is experiencing domestic abuse.

The Scottish Government is committed to a just transition to net zero, which means working with people, businesses and communities across Scotland to ensure they can access support and advice, and that the costs and benefits of the transition are spread fairly.

Our Public Engagement Strategy for Climate Change sets out our vision: for all of Scotland to understand the challenges we face and embrace their role in our transition to a net zero and climate ready Scotland. Our people-centred approach to climate change policy, moves from encouraging incremental changes in attitudes and behaviours, to supporting a society-wide transformation.

Of particular relevance to SMEs, this year we will publish our new Heat in Buildings Public Engagement Strategy setting out how we will work with a range of partners and wider trusted messengers to increase awareness and understanding of Scotland’s net zero ambitions and associated heat decarbonisation targets with the public and organisations alike. This will include explaining what these changes will mean for property owners on the ground, and how they can access existing advice and support.

The Scottish Government currently funds a substantial service for SMEs to receive advice on reducing their energy costs, installing energy efficiency and renewable heating measures through Business Energy Scotland. In October, we increased the funding available in the SME Loan scheme where SMEs can now apply for a £20,000 cashback grant for energy efficiency measures up to 75% of the cost of the installation.

We are progressing recommendations from the New Deal for Business Group on labour market participation, with a focus on supporting parents into employment through school age childcare and nurturing the skills which businesses need for a transition to net zero.

We are rapidly fulfilling commitments made in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation, including developing a lifetime skills offer for adults, which will ensure future support is targeted at those who need it most. Our apprenticeship programme is enabling employers to invest in their work force and provide greater opportunities to those at the start of their careers.

UK government has temporarily eased visa rules for some construction workers in order to help fill job shortages. However, UK Government immigration policy fails to address Scotland’s distinct demographic and economic needs and highlights the need for a tailored approach to migration to best support Scotland’s communities, economy, and public services to flourish. With full powers over migration, Scotland could boost its workforce and tackle recruitment challenges, many of which have been caused by the end of free movement and the Brexit imposed on Scotland by the UK Government.

The Scottish Construction Leadership Forum (CLF) is the main forum for Scottish Government and industry interaction. The Skills and Workforce Working Group of the CLF, comprising public and private sector members, is currently co-developing a Transformation Action Plan to take action on the issues faced by the industry.

The creation of data sets relevant to planning performance and housing need and demand has been discussed recently with COSLA and Homes for Scotland in the context of the following:

• Housing to 2040 Strategic Board – the role of data in the housing sector was discussed. Both COSLA and Homes for Scotland are represented on the Board.
• Housing Review Group – the group is using data to inform responses to pressures on affordable housing availability. COSLA is represented on this group.
• Meetings with Ministers and/or officials – the Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning and the Minister for Housing met jointly with Homes for Scotland in June 2023 and discussed data sets in the context of additional data to supplement existing Housing Need and Demand Assessments (HNDAs). Scottish Government officials have also met with Homes for Scotland to discuss the HNDA process.
• Digital Planning Data Strategy – this aims to unlock the value of planning data. COSLA is engaged in the future implementation of the strategy.
• Developing research proposals for a Gypsy / Traveller Accommodation Needs Toolkit – COSLA has been involved in the development of the research bid.

Scottish Government works closely with COSLA to ensure children and young people with neurodevelopmental support needs, including those with autism, receive support which meets the standards set out in the National Neurodevelopmental Specification for Children and Young People.

The Specification makes clear that support should be put in place to meet the child or young person’s requirements when they need it, rather than be dependent on a formal diagnosis.

As part of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Joint Delivery Board, which was co-chaired by COSLA and Scottish Government, a Task and Finish Group was established to support the implementation of the Neurodevelopmental Specification. The Group, which COSLA was part of, recommended undertaking Tests of Change to test and implement aspects of the standards and principles of care outlined within the Neurodevelopmental Service Specification.

The tests of change have involved close partnership working between NHS Boards and local authorities. These are ongoing and learning will be shared nationally to help achieve successful implementation of the Specification across all local areas. The work of the Board has now finished and the Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Sport has accepted its recommendations. The Board’s final report will be published in the coming months.

In addition we are providing local authorities with £15 million per year to deliver community-based mental health services for children and young people. A number of councils have used their funding to put in place supports for autism.

For example, in Inverclyde, the Cygnets Programme provides group and peer support for parents and carers with children and young people who are experiencing difficulties due to autism spectrum condition. West Dunbartonshire offers pre-diagnostic and post-diagnostic support and training for families whose child has a new diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.

In March 2021, in partnership with COSLA, we published our Towards Transformation Plan as a follow-on to the Scottish Strategy for Autism and the Keys to Life Learning Disability Strategy. The Plan seeks to shape supports, services and attitudes to ensure that the human rights of autistic people and people with learning/intellectual disabilities are respected and protected and that they are empowered to live their lives, the same as everyone else.

We continue to work on delivering the action in our Towards Transformation Plan and also, are currently consulting on proposals for a Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodiversity Bill which will inform future strategies for neurodivergent communities, including autistic people.

The information requested is not currently held centrally by the Scottish Government.

Gender reassignment surgery is a specialised field, and due to the highly specialist nature of this surgery, it is carried out in the UK under a four-nations contract, which is managed by NHS England’s Gender Dysphoria National Referral Support Service (GDNRSS). These surgeries are coordinated by NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) on behalf of NHS Scotland.

NSS is in discussion with NHS England’s GDNRSS around the regular provision of these data.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that people can learn as flexibly as possible fitting in with individuals' life circumstances. That is why SG provide funding through Scottish Funding Council (SFC) for the Upskilling Fund and the Part-Time Fee Grant (PTFG) to provide this flexibility to learners looking to study shorter courses or study in their spare time.

We are seeing good evidence of employer engagement across the country on the Upskilling Fund, currently in its fourth year, in a range of curriculum areas. Institutions are working with a large number of employers, including: Scottish Power, FirstPort, NUF Scotland as well as with local authorities and NHS Scotland. The SFC are planning a full evaluation of the fund’s effectiveness and the report can be expected in Spring 2024.

As part of the support package provided by Student Award Agency Scotland (SAAS), SAAS continue to actively promote this support through a combination of funding awareness sessions, online campaigns, and through both the Student Information Scotland website and the SAAS website.