Seòmar agus comataidhean

The most recent statistics indicate that there has been an increase in the use of cocaine and crack cocaine over recent years and we are seeing this reflected in the drug-related death statistics. It is believed this increased use may be related to decreases in price and increases in purity. We also know that availability of cocaine across Europe has been at record levels in recent years.

This increase is part of a growing pattern of poly drug use. Of the 458 deaths where cocaine was implicated, there were 16 where cocaine was the only substance involved. Poly drug use continues to present new and complex challenges for treatment services and we continue our efforts in surveillance to understand and respond to emerging drug trends.

We continue to work closely with Police Scotland, drug treatment services and key stakeholders to closely monitor the situation and ensure the appropriate services are in place for those most at risk.

People should be provided with high quality person centred treatment regardless of the type of drugs they are using. Alcohol and Drug Partnerships use both national and local data and intelligence to commission appropriate services that respond to the immediate and changing needs of their population.

It is also vital that we continue to closely monitor drug trends, as well as the harms associated with drug use. One of the key pieces of work being taken forward by the Drug Deaths Task Force is work to improve our public health surveillance of drugs.

The Drug Deaths Taskforce are in regular contact with colleagues at Public Health Scotland around receiving data relating to drugs and receive this quarterly, which is then fed back to the Taskforce.

There are also a range of projects funded by the Taskforce, which have identified key issues around drug trends and harms in a wide range of areas across Scotland, and this information is being collated and will be shared and used to help make important decisions around highlighting trends and harms along with tackling these efficiently and quickly.

The scientific report published on 9 August by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change makes absolutely clear the severe threat and heightened risk the climate emergency poses to the planet. However, it also shows that with immediate, concerted international action to reduce emissions, it is still possible to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5°C in the longer term.

Offshore fossil fuel exploration and development is an area where key decisions on licencing, regulation and policy are reserved to the UK Government. On 12 August, the First Minister wrote to the UK Prime Minister calling for significant enhancements to the climate conditionality associated with offshore oil and gas production. As set out in that letter, there is no doubt how important our highly skilled oil and gas industry and workforce are to Scotland, but we must ensure that they, and the existing infrastructure, can help Scotland seize the opportunities of the just transition to net zero - we cannot rest on business as usual in the face of a climate emergency. In this context, the Scottish Government has also recently committed to undertake a programme of work and analysis to better understand Scotland’s energy requirements as we transition to net zero and how these align with our climate change targets and the aims of the UN Paris Agreement. This work, which will report by the end of 2022, will supplement a wide range of evidence that will be considered to take an informed policy decision on the contribution of North Sea production to the global climate emergency and to Scotland’s economy, security and wellbeing.

In terms of other forms of fossil fuel extraction, the Scottish Government has previously confirmed a finalised policy position of no support for onshore unconventional oil and gas development in Scotland and will develop policies on conventional onshore oil and gas development and coal extraction in alignment with our climate change obligations and wider energy policy.

We are proud that Scotland is at the forefront of global efforts to respond to the climate emergency. Legally binding targets have been set to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors of the economy by 2045 at the latest, with a world-leading interim 2030 target of a 75% reduction. In December 2020, the Scottish Government updated our Climate Change Plan to set out how we will deliver this ambition as part of a green recovery from COVID-19. The indicative Nationally Determined Contribution document we have published in advance of the COP26 Summit outlines the full range of actions we are taking to contribute to the Paris Agreement, through reducing our emissions, building resilience to the impacts of climate change and supporting international efforts, for example by using our position as Co-Chairs of the Under 2 Coalition and through doubling our Climate Justice Fund.

The Green Book notes that immunosuppression is one of the clinical risk groups for COVID-19 immunisation. This immunosuppression may be due to disease or treatment, including patients undergoing chemotherapy leading to immunosuppression, patients undergoing radical radiotherapy, solid organ transplant recipients, bone marrow or stem cell transplant recipients, HIV infection at all stages, multiple myeloma or genetic disorders affecting the immune system (e.g. IRAK-4, NEMO, complement disorder, SCID).

All the UK governments receive their expert clinical advice from the JCVI and the Committee has been closely monitoring this issue throughout the vaccination programme both from real world data from the UK programme and from the literature review from across the world.

The Committee are fully aware of the potential sub-optimal response to two doses of the vaccine by some immunosuppressed individuals and that’s why they recommended that these groups of people should be given highest priority for a booster programme in the autumn.

Furthermore, the Scottish Government welcome the results of the OCTAVE study led by Prof. McInesss of Glasgow University. OCTAVE is one of a number of studies looking at vaccine effectiveness through measuring immune response.

The study found that “while 40% of these clinically at-risk patient groups were found to have a low or undetectable immune response after a double dose of the vaccine, we are encouraged that this figure isn’t higher. However, it is possible even partial protection may be clinically beneficial, and this is something we will closely monitor."

These preliminary results of OCTAVE and the results of continuing and forthcoming research will be instrumental in helping inform how best to vaccinate patients with immunosuppressed conditions and protect them from COVID-19 infection in the future.

We await the JCVI’s final advice on any potential Covid-19 booster programme, with the interim advice being that this should begin in September 2021, in order to maximise protection in those who are most vulnerable to serious COVID-19 symptoms ahead of the winter months.

The Scottish economy faces unprecedented challenges as it recovers from the pandemic and transitions to becoming a net zero economy. To guide the economy through this period, the Scottish Government has committed to delivering a new 10 year National Strategy for Economic Transformation.

The Advisory Council for Economic Transformation was established to help shape and drive the strategy. The Advisory Council’s work will be complemented by an extensive programme of stakeholder engagement, including environmental stakeholders, and the views put forward by the public through the consultation. This is a national endeavour and so the Scottish Government wants to hear directly from business, workers and stakeholders right across the country on how to transform the economy and help us reach net zero.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused economic hardship for many householders throughout Scotland and is why the Scottish Government reacted quickly to provide vital support to help people, communities and businesses during this unprecedented period. The Scottish economy faces major challenges as it recovers from the pandemic and transitions towards becoming a net zero economy. To support the economy during this period, the Scottish Government has committed to delivering a new 10 year National Strategy for Economic Transformation. The strategy will, through the Advisory Council for Economic Transformation and the views received through the programme of stakeholder engagement and the public consultation, fully take into account the impact of the pandemic as it sets out the key actions to transform the economy over the next 10 years.

I have not met with Stop Climate Chaos Scotland representatives since I came into post. Mr Lochhead, Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work was scheduled to meet Tom Ballantine, chair of SCCS on 26 August.

I regularly meet with the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) to discuss a range of issues. The most recent liaison meeting took place on 16 September 2020 via MS Teams and the next meeting is scheduled to take place on 15 September 2021.

At the meeting in September 2020 I expressed my thanks for the continuing work and flexible approach taken by firefighters during the Covid pandemic period and underlined the importance the Scottish Government places on Fair Work principles. Matters discussed included communication between FBU officials and SFRS mangers, paid union facility time, firefighter pay, broadening the role of firefighters and Scottish Government funding to SFRS.

Scottish Government through Energy Saving Trust provided loans through the Local Carbon Transport Loan to households on the following incomes:

A) £20,000 or under - 167 loans

B) £20,001 - £30,000 - 587 loans

C) £30,001 - £40,000 - 531 loans

D) £40,001 - £50,000 - 398 loans

E) £50,001 - £60,000 - 305 loans

F) £60,001 - £80,000 - 264 loans

G) £80,001 - 100,000 - 87 loans

H) £100,001 or higher - 85 loans

The figures are based on the combined income of the household and not the income of the applicant. The information is based on the loans paid from 1st January 2019 - 5th August 2021, we are unable to provide data from before January 2019, this data also includes combined family incomes.

Transport Scotland engages and consults with taxi operators on an ongoing basis through various strands of the agency’s work. Taxi operators are key consultees for matters related to rail station access and operators have participated in national Low Emission Zone consultations and attended various stakeholder events including Mobility as a Service. Transport Scotland values the ongoing participation from taxi operators in helping to inform and influence policy making through these engagement channels.

The First Minister’s Environmental Council encompass a diverse range of global experts. The group’s membership and remit was announced on the 22 nd of August (details here ). Appointments were made in line with the guidance and requirements set out in the Scottish Government’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, People Strategy and guidance on arranging advice for Ministers. Whilst the First Minister’s Environmental Council is an ad hoc group we have also aligned to the Code of Practice published by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.