Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6O-03714 on 12 September 2024. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website Meeting of the Parliament: 12/09/2024 | Scottish Parliament Website.

The Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland series now includes attendance on an annual basis. Headline statistics on school attendance for the 2023-24 school year will be published in December 2024. Detailed statistics on school attendance, including a measure of pupils with an absence rate of 50% or more, will be published in March 2025.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

SPS have no specific evidence as to why the use of steroids is reportedly increasing within prisons. However, in collaboration with our Partners at Dundee University, the regular re-calibration of Rapiscan machines does support our ability to identify new substances.

We recognise the profound impact that illicit articles entering our prisons and acknowledge the continued need to support to those in our care who misuse substances and those who are on their recovery journey.

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) is the competent authority in Scotland and has a statutory objective to protect the public from risks to health which may arise in connection with the consumption of food. Partnership arrangements for operations will depend on the nature of the investigation.

FSS shares information with a range of partner agencies, both nationally and internationally. As advised previously, FSS is a member of the Multi Agency Tasking and Delivery Board (MATDB), chaired by Police Scotland, and comprises a number of law enforcement agencies. The MATDB seeks to maximise the benefit of partnership working by sharing information and pooling resource wherever necessary.

The Scottish Government publicly consulted on the draft Onshore Wind Policy Statement between October 2021 and January 2022. A final Onshore Wind Policy Statement was published in December 2022 after careful consideration of the 163 responses received during the consultation period. An analysis of the consultation responses can be found on the Scottish Government website – Supporting documents - Onshore wind policy statement refresh - draft: consultation analysis - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The final Onshore Wind Policy Statement set out our ambition for 20GW of onshore wind to be installed by 2030. The Policy Statement also set out measures that the Scottish Government would take to reach our ambition of 20GW of onshore wind by 2030 and to ensure that Scotland’s people benefit from this ambition.

One such measure was the establishment of the Onshore Wind Strategic Leadership Group (SLG), which consists of government representatives, onshore wind industry leaders, Scottish Renewables, relevant Scottish Government agencies, Supply Chain representatives and a body representing issues affecting local communities. The SLG was tasked with the development of the Scottish Onshore Wind Sector Deal. Since the publication of the Sector Deal in September 2023, the SLG monitors and scrutinises the delivery of the deal. There was no direct engagement with trade unions during the drafting of the Sector Deal.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

SPS continue to work collaboratively with its partners and stakeholders to utilise new technologies such as DeDrone, X-ray body scanners and Rapiscan machines, to detect, deter and prevent illicit substances from entering our establishments. We recognise the profound impact that illicit articles entering our prisons have and we will continue to seek prosecution where possible.

We do also recognise the continued need to support to those in our care who misuse substances and those who are on their recovery journey.

NHS Scotland health care workers supporting those with blood cancer are from a wide range of professions, often supporting patients with other conditions too. There are no plans to model a blood cancer care workforce specifically.

National standards for staffing and facilities providing services are set by guidance such as the Staff Governance Standard. This applies to all staff employed by NHS Scotland Boards. It provides a system of accountability for the fair and effective management of all staff and requires all NHS Boards to demonstrate that staff are: well informed; appropriately trained and developed; involved in decisions; treated fairly and consistently, with dignity and respect, in an environment where diversity is valued; and, provided with a continuously improving and safe working environment, promoting the health and wellbeing of staff, patients and the wider community.

The Scottish Government does not hold specific information on these issues, however information regarding the impact of migraine on workplaces and the economy have been published by organisations such as the Migraine Trust.

The Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council is a strategic leadership group that brings together the Scottish public sector and the offshore wind industry. The group is co-chaired by the Minister for Climate Action, and Brian MacFarlane of SSE.

Group membership includes: Andrew MacDonald (Innovation Working Group Chair, ORE Catapult), Alex Louden (Innovation Working Group Deputy Chair, Ørsted), Andy Riley (Crown Estate Scotland), Claire Mack (Barriers to Deployment Working Group Chair, Scottish Renewables), David Oxley (Highlands, and Islands Enterprise), Jim Brown (Skills Working Group Chair, Energy Skills Partnership), Lloyd Duthie (Supply Chain & Clusters Working Group Chair, Seaway 7), Mark Baxter (Developers’ Forum Interim Chair, Ocean Winds), Paul Wheelhouse (South of Scotland Enterprise), Reuben Aitken (Scottish Development International) and Suzanne Sosna (Scottish Enterprise).

New chairs for the Developer Forum and Skills Working Group will be appointed before the end of 2024.

The Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) is a strategic leadership group that brings together the Scottish public sector and the offshore wind industry. SOWEC has five subgroups that are administered by individual group leads and are tasked with dealing with different industry challenges.

The Scottish Government does not hold a complete list of the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) sub-group members as this is held by individual sub-group leads.

A range of organisations across the sector have been involved to date, including: BP, college sector, Copenhagen Offshore Partners, Crown Estate Scotland, Dundee Council, EDF Renewables, Equinor, ESB, Energy Skills Partnership, Floatation Energy, Forth & Tay Cluster, Fred Olsen, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), HIE/DeepWind Cluster, Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm, Mainstream, Muir Mhor, Nadara, Net Zero Technology Centre, Northland Power, Ocean Winds, Orsted, RenewableUK, RWE, Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Renewables, ScottishPower, Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Funding Council, Shell, Simply Blue Group, SSE Renewables, University of Strathclyde and Vattenfall.