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In recognition of the particular challenges the North East has faced as result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the downturn in oil and gas, we have allocated £14.3m to the North East Economic Recovery and Skills Fund, which offers over 3,000 training opportunities in addition to supporting hundreds of local businesses at a critical time for the local economy. We have worked closely with local partners to develop proposals aligned to the City Region economic priorities of diversification and net zero transition, including local authorities, Skills Development Scotland, Opportunity North East, Scottish Enterprise, the Scottish Funding Council and local universities.

This programme aligns with existing nationwide upskilling and reskilling programmes of support for colleges and universities as we work towards a just transition, including the Young Person’s Guarantee, the National Transition Training Fund, the Flexible Workforce Development Fund and the Green Jobs Workforce Academy.

In 2022-23, we are also progressing key actions from the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan (CESAP) focused on inspiring and empowering young people; supporting upskilling to meet emerging green jobs requirements; aligning work-based learning, Further and Higher Education provision to meet the needs of the net zero transition; facilitating behaviour change and helping employers capitalise on opportunities, and driving change in the skills system. The CESAP is being driven forward by an Implementation Steering Group comprised of central and local government and its agencies, education and skills providers, industry and independent experts.

This is a matter for the NHS Boards. The information requested is not held centrally.

The Scottish Government recognises that accurate data on the number of people diagnosed with long COVID is needed to forecast and plan for the need for healthcare services arising from long COVID. Public Health Scotland will lead on surveillance of long COVID. It is currently anticipated that this surveillance will be undertaken via the EAVE II study, in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh ( About EAVE II | The University of Edinburgh ). Funded by the Medical Research Council, the EAVE II study has used a pseudonymised patient dataset to track the COVID-19 pandemic across Scotland. In a separate project funded by the Chief Scientist Office, the EAVE II dataset will be used to create a tool to identify people at greatest risk of developing long COVID. The findings will in due course provide information about the number of people diagnosed with long COVID, including a breakdown by NHS Board.

The Public Health Scotland COVID-19 Shielding Programme impact and experience survey which was published in March 2022 reported that 81% of respondents still make decisions that are mainly influenced by fear of COVID-19 infection, and 36% still try to minimise all physical contact with other households. While this data relates to a survey completed between 25 October 2021 and
‎ 7 November 2021, we know there are still people who continue to limit activities and contacts with other households.

Our case transfer processes have been developed in line with our case transfer principles, which were developed with input from our experience panels, others with lived experience and wider stakeholders. We have worked and continue to work with existing benefit recipients, other key stakeholders including the Disability and Carer Benefits Expert Advisory Group, and the Department for Work and Pensions to develop and test our case transfer processes, including to ensure they deliver against these principles.

We have delivered roadshows over spring and summer focusing specifically on the detail of the case transfer process for people in Scotland who will see their awards move to Adult Disability Payment. We have included case transfer messaging in all our Adult Disability Payment communications such as media releases, opinion pieces, social media posts on Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland channels and paid for marketing campaigns that have run in the pilot areas including radio, social media, digital and print. We are also providing a stakeholder toolkit which will include specific fact sheets, video content and FAQs. We are also producing a specific leaflet to explain the differences between Disability Living Allowance and Adult Disability Payment and signposting individuals on where to seek independent advice, consistent with the recommendation of the Scottish Commission on Social Security.

We will continue to communicate, engage, and work closely with stakeholders as we near the national launch of case transfer for Adult Disability Payment to ensure those currently in receipt of adult disability benefits in Scotland, and those that support them, have a solid understanding of how their awards will transfer to Social Security Scotland.

Case transfer guidance, which provides people with further information on the case transfer process to Adult Disability Payment is available at: https://www.mygov.scot/browse/benefits/benefit-transfer .

The Scottish Government welcomed the findings in the Review which was funded through our £14.3m North East Economic Recovery and Skills Fund (NEERSF). The Review clearly demonstrates that, with the right investment, the North East of Scotland could support 9,000 more offshore energy jobs by 2030 than it currently does.

The just transition to a net zero economy is one of our greatest economic opportunities. Scotland has the potential to be a net zero global energy hub, that leaves no one behind by supporting existing oil & gas roles into the renewables and low carbon roles of the future.

The Scottish Government previously provided a response advising where the £12 million to support the wellbeing of people working in health, social care and social work was allocated and what was spent. https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers/question?ref=S6W-08799

A breakdown of the funding provided by the Scottish Government for each service is as follows;

In the financial year 2021/22, £12 million was allocated to support the wellbeing of people working in health and social care of which £11.5 million was spent. We allocated £1,145,895 to the Workforce Specialist Service to deliver psychological and psychiatric support to regulated practitioners who provide care to others. £921,029 was allocated on formal psychological interventions that formed the Workforce Development Programme and £366,650 was allocated to the NES Coaching for Wellbeing service. To ensure staff have access to support when they need it, £138,666 was allocated to the National Wellbeing Helpline and £175,142 on the National Wellbeing Hub.

The Workforce Wellbeing fund was set up to support staff who work in adult social work and social care. This fund has been managed outwith the Scottish Government by Inspiring Scotland and the total allocated on this wellbeing initiative was £1,100,000. In addition, £12,332 was allocated to Programme Support and £93,525 in further wellbeing services which include CRUSE Grief and Loss Counselling, Elite Training, Awesome Postcards and a workforce respect marketing campaign. A total of £7,561,432 was directly allocated to Boards and HSCPs. This money was to be spent on, but not limited to, spiritual care, psychological first aid, catering and rest facilities to further support the wellbeing of the workforce.

We continue to work with boards and stakeholders to evaluate the impact of funding and how it meets the needs of the workforce.

The Vaccination Transformation Programme (VTP) covers all routine immunisations that are delivered in Scotland. GP practices no longer provide any vaccinations under their core contract from 1 April 2022. Health Boards have assumed overall responsibility for the delivery of vaccination programmes, which are being facilitated through national digital solutions.

Health Boards developed their plans, tailoring these to meet their local population needs, while providing a safe and effective vaccination and travel health service.

Health Boards have determined how best to deliver all vaccination programme, with models varying across Scotland to align with local requirements. Health Boards may continue to utilise GP premises to provide vaccination services, with their own staff delivering vaccinations. This allows Health Boards the flexibility to arrange mass vaccination centres at community venues, delivering through existing health teams (such as Midwives or Community Pharmacies), or establish new clinics to meet local needs.

The Scottish Government continues to support Health Boards on their transfer of routine vaccination delivery from GPs under the VTP.

The Vaccination Transformation Programme (VTP) reforms the delivery of vaccination services by supporting locally designed and delivered services by all NHS Boards and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) in Scotland.

The VTP allows individual Health Boards the flexibility to determine and implement a delivery model that best suits their local population and needs. This would ensure that vaccination services are patient centred, locally and easily accessible and tailored ensuring equitable access across Scotland.

Though the vaccination services delivery models would change as per the needs and requirements of local area. The VTP ensures consistent management of National Immunisation programmes and applicability of national standards ensuring that high standards of vaccination delivery are duly met.

The following table shows all superfast broadband connections delivered to properties in the North Lot via the R100 Programme each month from 1 January to 31 July 2022. As requested these are broken down by local authority area.

This is a matter for Public Health Scotland. The information requested is not held centrally.