Seòmar agus comataidhean

Roads authorities have existing powers to issue legal directions against any work happening on their network, including to curtail works which overrun without an acceptable reason. These are discretionary powers, and it is for each authority to determine whether it is appropriate to use those powers in each situation.

The planned 2024 review of road works Fixed Penalty Notices (Fines) will see the expansion of the number of issues that Roads Authorities can address, and an increase in the value of the penalty itself. This is in addition to the Road Works Commissioner’s penalty, which was increased from £50,000 to £100,000 in 2022. The Commissioner can issue this penalty where a utility firm consistently fails to co-operate with the roads authority.

Outside of the specific example of road works, for example, in building developments, we have no current plans to enhance those powers but recognising the challenging fiscal environment Councils face, we are committed to developing a Fiscal Framework with Local Government in order to ensure the sustainability of local services.

The Scottish Government is responsible for setting the strategic policy for the NHS in Scotland. Legal responsibility for service delivery rests locally with Health Boards who configure services taking into account local circumstances and the reasonable needs of their patient populations.

Specifically in relation to long COVID, the Scottish Government has established a £10 million long COVID Support Fund and commissioned the establishment of a National long COVID Strategic Network, which has a strategic and national coordinating role to support the delivery of healthcare and support for people with long COVID.

I refer to my answer to question S6W-21155 on 22 September 2023, which outlined activity being undertaken by the Network to support evaluation, including the collection of patient related experience and patient outcome measures. 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

Scottish Government officials have been sharing information about RAAC with local authorities’ Scottish Heads of Property Services (SHOPS) and Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES) networks since July 2022. Scottish Government officials shared the latest guidance from the Institution of Structural Engineers with the SHOPS and ADES networks in May.

In recent weeks, I have personally met with COSLA to discuss RAAC on 31 August, 5 September, 11 September and 21 September. We have agreed to continue doing so weekly during this phase of the response. Minutes of such meetings are not routinely published.

I wrote to local authorities regarding RAAC on 2 September and 5 September, along with the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice.

Through the Block Grant, the Scottish Government's policy towards local authorities’ spending is to allow them the financial freedom to operate independently. It is their responsibility to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them, including on youth work, on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.

11 out of 14 territorial NHS Scotland Boards have long COVID pathways in operation. The following table outlines anticipated commencement date of the remainder, where applicable.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-21155 on‎ 22 September 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-21155 on‎ 22 September 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 have commissioned NHS National Services Scotland to establish a National Strategic Network to ensure the development of our approach to supporting people living with long COVID is informed by evidence and expertise. As part of this activity, NHS National Services Scotland has commissioned the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) to facilitate a long COVID Lived Experience Network to support people affected by long COVID to engage with and inform the activity of the Strategic Network.

An Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) has been conducted for the Lived Experience Network to inform its approach and identify issues impacting on people with protected characteristics, including those from minority ethnic communities. When individuals join the network, they are asked to complete a voluntary equalities monitoring form to support with monitoring representation. Regular audits of the membership of the network are conducted to highlight any gaps in representation. This informs where further targeted outreach is needed and to identify areas for improvement.

NHS Boards’ use of the C-19 YRS digital screening tool will provide disaggregated data on who is accessing services, including by ethnicity and other protected characteristics. The collection of health data through the tool will be used to map the provision and effectiveness of long COVID services.

Under the leadership of Public Health Scotland (PHS), the long COVID Strategic Network has developed a theory of change and logframe which form the basis of a comprehensive framework to evaluate long COVID services. Both the theory of change and logframe were developed in close consultation with representatives across the Network, including people with lived experience of long COVID, clinicians, researchers, service planners, local boards, PHS and Scottish Government officials.

The theory of change provides the context around what the Network is aiming to achieve, while the logframe is the complementary tool enabling the tracking of milestone indicators linked to process, outputs, and outcomes. For example, indicators include those linked to the implementation of long COVID service pathways, generation of research and evidence, and the development of an education and training strategy.

In addition, patient related experience and patient outcome measures will be recorded through NHS Boards’ use of the C-19 YRS digital screening tool. The provision of heath data through this tool will be of vital importance in understanding the provision and effectiveness of long COVID services. Where possible, the data will be disaggregated by age, gender, ethnicity, and deprivation quintile. This will support understanding of any inequitable variation in service provision, experience and outcomes which may need to be addressed through service changes.

A data and intelligence group has been established to oversee reporting against the monitoring and evaluation framework. This will allow the Network to have an informed understanding of overall progress of its support to the provision of long COID services.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-21155 on‎ 22 September 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