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The Strategic Framework sets out the package of business support from 2 November providing grants of up to £3,000 for businesses required to close by law, and grants of up to £2,100 for those businesses that remain open but are required by law to modify their operations.

The eligibility of a business depends on where the premises are located and the level of restrictions are in place at any point in time.

The schedules of The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 contain the measures which apply to business for each level, and information is also published on the Scottish Government website at https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-strategic-framework-business-fund/pages/eligibility/

The Strategic Framework sets out the Scottish Government's package of business support measures from 2 November. The Strategic Framework Business Fund offers grant support of up to £3,000 for businesses required to close by law, and grants of up to £2,100 for those businesses that remain open but are required by law to modify their operations.

We have also announced a Contingency Fund specifically to support businesses that are not eligible for the closure and hardship grants but that are experiencing disruption as a result of restrictions. We have already allocated a portion of the Contingency Fund to nightclubs and soft play centres and are continuing to consider where the remainder of the Contingency Fund would be most effectively deployed in supporting businesses impacted by restrictions.

We recognise it has been an extremely challenging time for everyone across Scotland and we are grateful to employers and employees in continuing to support Scotland’s efforts in controlling coronavirus. They can do this by continuing to work from home, where this is possible.

Recognising the impact this approach can have, we encourage employers to work with staff representatives on providing appropriate assistance to employees working from home including provision of equipment and reimbursing business costs.

On 19 July 2020, we issued a joint statement with the Scottish Trade Union Congress, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Institute of Directors and Scottish Council for Development and Industry, outlining the shared commitment to putting Fair Work principles at the heart of our economic recovery https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-fair-work-statement/ . The statement urged employers to support workers to follow the guidance available and to facilitate flexible working arrangements, including working from home.

On 23 July 2020 we published cross sectoral guidance on working from home to support employers and the self-employed with the continuation of working from home. In developing this guidance we worked with employers, trade unions and key stakeholders to ensure that the guidance was evidence-based, fair, ethical, clear and realistic.

Within this guidance, there is a specific section on pay, expenses and finance which signposts employers to the HMRC guidance which includes information for employers on which expenses can be reimbursed and which are taxable where their employee works from home due to coronavirus. Employers may consider if they wish to make a payment of the flat rate £6 per week/ £26 per month non-taxable allowance for working from home expenses, such as electricity, heating or broadband costs permitted by HMRC guidance. That is of course a matter for individual employers which needs to take account of their own financial situation at the current time.

We also signpost employees to review the HMRC guidance and see if they are eligible to claim for tax relief for additional household costs if they are working from home due to the pandemic and where these costs have not been met by their employer.

The following tables show the number of school pupils leaving publicly funded secondary schools in 2016-17 to 2018-19 by month and stage of leaving. Pupils leaving date is collected in Skills Development Scotland (SDS) ‘Opportunities for All’ dataset and is based on information provided by Local Authorities or pupils contact with SDS Advisors.

The Scottish Government do not currently hold information on the number of pupils leaving school after the 2018-19 school year.

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A list of the academic institutions represented at the academics roundtable on 1 October, together with a summary note of the discussions at that meeting, can be found on this webpage: https://www.gov.scot/policies/international-development/2020-covid-19-review/ .

The list of events which I will hold or attend, as Minister for Europe and International Development, as part of the Scottish Government review of its approach to international development, are set out on the Scottish Government’s website: https://www.gov.scot/policies/international-development/2020-covid-19-review/ .

New events are being added as they are arranged, and these include open access events, both in Scotland and in our partner countries.

We are not running a formal written consultation in the way that we did in 2016, where at that time we were aiming to arrive at a new Scottish Government international development policy. Within this 2020 review, our partner countries are not changing. What we are looking at and reviewing instead is our approach to our work: to ensure that going forward we are re-focusing our work on areas where we can make the biggest contribution and difference in our partner countries against the backdrop of the new reality of COVID-19; and with a resulting refresh of our Strategy in mind.

The list of events which I will hold or attend, as part of the Scottish Government review of its approach to international development, are set out on the Scottish Government’s website: https://www.gov.scot/policies/international-development/2020-covid-19-review/ .

New events are being added as they are arranged, and these include open access events with (a) civic society representatives in both Scotland and (b) in each of our African partner countries.

In terms of such open access and discussion events with civic society representatives in each of our partner countries, I:

• attended a roundtable hosted for the Scottish Government by the Malawi Scotland Partnership (MaSP) in Lilongwe with Malawi civil society on 14 October, to listen to their views in relation to prioritisation of thematic areas in light of COVID-19; and
• will similarly hear direct from Zambian and Rwandan civil society through a virtual roundtable to follow in each country.

In terms of open access and discussion events with civic society representatives in Scotland, I have for example most recently:

• attended the Scottish Parliament's Cross Party Group on Malawi, with its inclusion of civil society speakers, on 23 September, to discuss the review and take questions;
• given an opening address at Scotland's International Development Alliance annual conference "Digital Summit: Global Development Beyond COVID-19" on 24 September, followed by Q&A on the review;
• attended Scotland's International Development Alliance quarterly roundtable on 7 October, to discuss the review and other lives issues with their members; and
• hosted a civil society workshop with the Scottish international development sector, on 28 October, to reflect on, and discuss, the draft set of Principles underpinning our Review; this 2 hour workshop also included delegates from partner countries.

Further, over the coming weeks, I will:

• host a second Civil Society workshop with the Scottish international development sector, on 3 November, again to reflect on, and discuss, the draft set of Principles underpinning our Review; and
• attend the Scottish Parliament's International Development Cross Party Group, with its inclusion of civil society speakers, on 4 November.

The Scottish Government recognises that due to Covid-19, there will be increased pressures on many household energy bills both as a result of increased usage when people are spending more time at home, including for homeworking, and/or reduced incomes. We also recognise that households in or at risk of fuel poverty are often those that are most vulnerable to the Covid-19 outbreak (e.g. older people, adults and/or children with long term health conditions).

Households requiring urgent financial assistance can apply to their local authority for a crisis grant from the Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF). That is why we have provided an extra £42 million for the SWF to meet additional demand arising as a consequence of COVID-19. That is on top of the £35.5 million already provided for 2020-21. On 20 October we announced that £20 million of the additional funding provided to the SWF in March will now be available for Local Authorities to use flexibly to ensure that households who are in need, but may not be immediately eligible, can nonetheless access support.

In addition, through our Wellbeing and Supporting Communities Funds, we are supporting over 100 organisations helping those struggling with their energy costs. This includes the Fuelbank Foundation, which has been working in conjunction with our advice service, Home Energy Scotland, to ensure help is available to households with pre-payment meters who are at risk of being left without access to energy, by offering them same-day top-ups.

The current position of no background sound in hospitality, including low level music and audio from television, is a measured and cautious approach to reduce risk. As per First Minister's comments, it is being kept under review and government has engaged with industry experts to consider how guidance can be developed to allow low level background sound to be managed safely when transmission rates are back to a manageable level.