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Following the recommendations of the Good College Governance Task Group in 2016, my predecessor Richard Lochhead MSP Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science wrote to the Education and Skills Committee in 2019 outlining the 8 actions that the Scottish Government would take forward in response to the recommendations.

To date, the College Development Network (CDN) has embedded teamwork training within the induction training of board members and now publish college board vacancies on their national website. At present, the Scottish Government has, after a pause due to the Covid-19 pandemic, restarted workaround the Task Group’s recommendations and is currently consulting on proposals to introduce trade union nominees onto College Boards, with the consultation closing on 27 January 2023. This work will sit within a wider package of transformation and change within the tertiary education and skills sector, as the Scottish Government progresses recommendations from the SFC Review of Coherence and Sustainability 2021.

The Scottish Government works with stakeholders through the Good Governance Steering Group, where work around governance reforms in the college sector is discussed; at present as well as the work to implement the recommendation of adding trade unions nominees on boards, there is ongoing work to refresh the Ministerial Guidance. No decision has yet been taken on the timeframe for implementing the other 5 actions in response to the recommendations made by the Good Governance Task Group.

This is a matter for the Scottish Social Services Council. The information requested is not held centrally.

This is a matter for the Scottish Social Services Council. The information requested is not held centrally.

Please refer to my previous answer to question S6W-13027 for the details of which organisations failed the technical checks process and the reasons for this.

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

The Scottish Government has received correspondence from business representative organisations and individual businesses within the retail, hospitality or leisure sectors, or their elected representatives.

Prior to the publication of the Scottish Budget 2023-24, the number one ask of business organisations was to freeze the non-domestic rates poundage, which we have delivered, saving businesses £308 million compared to an inflationary increase, along with a package of reliefs worth £744m. We expect around half the properties in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors to be eligible for 100% Small Business Bonus Scheme relief next year. Properties in these sectors may also be eligible for the transitional relief schemes set out in the Budget.

The value of payments made by our Fuel Insecurity Fund delivery partners varies substantially, from the cost of fuel vouchers to energy bill debt write-offs. Each payment is awarded on an individual case by case assessment, as to the most appropriate support and intervention that can be provided to help achieve a sustainable outcome.

When the Connecting Scotland programme first launched, its early aims were to support people shielding or vulnerable to Covid-19. This allowed for devices, connectivity and skills to be provided alongside guidance and information on how to access health and care services such as Near Me video appointments or finding information on NHS Inform.

Our digital in care homes programme was launched to complement Connecting Scotland and saw over 75% of all adult and children's care homes in Scotland take up the offer of digital devices, data packages and skills. These homes cover over 90% of all residents in Scotland with devices being used to help residents to remain connected to friends and family and to access key services such as the NHS.

The Scottish Government have set out plans in the Digital Health and Care Delivery Plan to launch a new digital inclusion in health and care programme by March 2022 that will look to support people in housing and mental health with greater access to services.

Connecting Scotland is also working closely with the Digital Lifelines team to identify opportunities and further enhance digital services to support people with multiple and complex digital needs. The digital lifeline programme aims to connect individuals and support services to prevent drug related deaths, or reducing the risk of harm.

The Trade and Investment Envoy network was established in 2017 and is made up of appointees who work on a volunteer basis to provide Ministers with strategic business insights and connections. We do not directly measure their contributions, however their programme of activities, which are agreed with the Scottish Government, do make a valuable contribution to building strategic relationships for Scotland.

The network has had great success in opening doors, and identifying strategic opportunities to support our export, capital investment and foreign direct investment efforts. Envoys provide critical business insights, intelligence, introductions and advocacy focused on building trade, as well as inward and capital investor relations, with a particular focus on high growth markets in technology, life & chemical sciences, financial & business services and energy. Envoys have supported numerous Ministerial visits including the Dubai Expo 2020, facilitated Government to Government engagement, assisted Scottish companies expand overseas, participated in various (Ministerial) steering groups and supported GlobalScot network expansion.

Envoys, along with GlobalScots were vital in the development of National Strategy for Economic Transformation, Sector Export Plans as well as supporting the delivery of Scotland’s Inward Investment Plan.

Given the above we are confident that our Envoys have contributed towards Scotland retaining its position as the leading UK destination for inward investment outside of London for the past seven years, landing 122 new projects in 2021 according to the EY Annual Attractiveness Survey 2022.

That decision is still under review by the Risk Management Committee; however they are examining a range of other options to accommodate public and third sector bodies who do not currently use the energy frameworks.

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

Cornton Vale currently holds two distinctly separate population groups. Peebles House accommodates women who have achieved a Low Supervision category, while Ross House accommodates the women with the highest care needs.

The women currently living in Peebles House have taken part in individual discussions supported by SPS, NHS and Social work colleagues to identify the most appropriate location during the transition period. The identified locations for these women are:

• HMP & YOI Polmont
• The Lilias Centre Community Custody Unit
• The Bella Centre Community Custody unit

In order to ensure continuity of care for the women currently living in Ross House with the highest needs, special arrangements are being made to accommodate these women in HMP & YOI Polmont.