Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Green Freeports bidding process closed on 20 June and five bids were submitted from: North East Scotland Green Freeport; Clyde Green Freeport; Forth Green Freeport; Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport; and Orkney Green Freeport. Neither P&O Ferries nor DP World are involved in any of these bids.

The Scottish Government has been clear that fair work practices sit at the heart of Green Freeports and any application which does not show a clear commitment to fair work practices will not be supported by the Scottish Government. We are determined to ensure that Green Freeports will create significant numbers of good, green jobs, and deliver positive benefits for Scotland’s businesses, workers and communities.

As of 1 July 2022, a total of 1,031 installations have been delivered using interim vouchers at a value of £399,468. A further 204 interim vouchers have been issued at a potential value of £73,847. In addition, 1,237 installations have been delivered using main vouchers at a value of £3,104,256, with a further 762 main vouchers issued at a potential value of £2,631,657.

It is worth noting that vouchers issued do not always lead to installations being completed and, therefore, may not lead to actual spend – this can be for a number of reasons, such as the beneficiary deciding they no longer wish to proceed.

The Scottish Government welcomed Professor Muir’s recommendation in relation to the creation of a shared framework for the inspection of early learning and childcare (ELC) to be developed between the education inspectorate and the Care Inspectorate. We have today launched a consultation to seek the sector’s views on current inspection arrangements in ELC and school-age childcare and a proposal for a shared inspection framework. This can be accessed at the consultations page of the Scottish Government’s website until 28 October.

The Scottish Government provide annual funding to the Energy Saving Trust to manage and administer the Low Carbon Transport Loan (LCTL). There are no applications submitted before the 1 December 2021 pending completion. 74 applications are currently awaiting vehicle delivery before loan payments are issued to loan applicants.

There is considerable uncertainty in variables (e.g. crime levels, types of crime committed, previous histories of those accused of and sentenced for offences etc.) which impact on the decision-making within the criminal justice system in areas covered by the Bill's provisions. Also relevant is the independent nature of many of the component elements of the criminal justice system. As such, it is not possible to provide an analysis of the number of crimes, if any at all, estimated to be recorded if the Bill were to be enacted as currently drafted.

The financial memorandum for the Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill outlines the estimated impact of all the provisions contained in the Bill.

The Scottish Government vision is for Scotland to be a leading Fair Work Nation by 2025, where fair work drives success, wellbeing and prosperity for individuals, businesses, organisations and society. This includes tackling the drivers of workplace inequality for women and ensuring they are supported to enter and progress in all of Scotland’s workplaces.

Menstrual health and menopause are top priorities in our Women’s Health Plan, published in August 2021. Scottish Government has committed, through the Women’s Health Plan, to develop a menopause and menstrual health workplace policy, as an example of best practice, starting with NHS Scotland, and promote this across the public, private and third sector.

Our recently launched NHS Inform Women’s Health platform includes accessible information to help women feel more informed and confident about the menopause and includes information on menopause and the workplace, for those experiencing the menopause as well as line managers and employers. It also includes new and refreshed resources for girls and women on menstrual health including managing symptoms, PMS, conditions such as endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome.

The platform can be accessed at: https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/womens-health

Through our Fair Work First policy we are leveraging employers’ commitment to fair work by applying Fair Work criteria to public sector grants, other funding and contracts where it’s relevant and proportionate to do so. Through this we are asking employers to adopt fair work practices such as enabling workers to have an effective voice, tackling gender pay gaps and offering flexible working from day one of employment which can especially benefit women experiencing menstrual or menopausal issues while at work.

The Guidance on due diligence: human rights for investment sets out recommendations on how we, our executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) should undertake appropriate due diligence on companies, including their human rights record, before entering into an investment relationship with them. This advice aims to enhance existing due diligence checks, and is referenced in the Scottish Public Finance Manual. The majority of private investment relationships are entered into, and managed, by Scottish Government agencies and NDPBs. It is for the accountable officer of each agency and NDPB to ensure that their organisation complies with guidance issued by Scottish Ministers. The Scottish Government does not maintain a record of the number of checks carried out.

The Scottish Government’s super sponsor scheme was introduced on 18 March 2022, to offer sanctuary in Scotland to displaced people from Ukraine. It works within the UK Government’s Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme and provides a fast and safe alternative to private sponsorship, meaning people can travel immediately and be provided with temporary accommodation, meals and a range of support, from assessing medical needs to applying for benefits. The Scottish Government is extremely thankful for the generosity of everyone right across Scotland who has expressed an interest in hosting, or who has offered their support to people displaced by the current conflict.

Statistics published on 7 July by the UK Government show that, as at 5 July, 22,451 confirmed applications sponsored by the Scottish Government had been made under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, and 17,377 Scottish Government sponsored visas had been issued. Scotland has to date welcomed 7286 displaced people from Ukraine – 11.5% of all arrivals in the UK – 4666 of whom arrived under the super sponsor scheme. Scotland has welcomed the highest number of applications, visas issued and arrivals per head of population of the four nations of the UK.

The rate of visa applications, visas issued and arrivals in Scotland under the super sponsor scheme continues to rise. As at 5 July, visa applications listing the Scottish Government as sponsor were up 21% on the previous week, with visas issued up 27% and arrivals under the super sponsor scheme up 20%. Based on applications submitted already, we could see between 9,000 and 18,000 additional arrivals in the coming weeks and months.

As set out in a policy position paper published today, the Scottish Government’s priority is to provide safe, comfortable accommodation and a wraparound support offer to the displaced people from Ukraine who have arrived in Scotland, and to those who will arrive in the weeks ahead, having applied for visas already.

In order to achieve that objective, the Scottish Government has taken the decision to pause the super sponsor scheme from 9:00am on Wednesday 13 July for a period of 3 months. This will allow us ensure that those displaced people who are already here, and those who will shortly be travelling to Scotland, are able to stay in appropriate temporary accommodation and get the right support ahead of moving into safe, sustainable longer-term accommodation.

The pause on new applications will not affect anyone who has already made an application or had their visa granted.

We will review our position in three months, but of course if circumstances change during that time we will bring that date forward.

This is a humanitarian crisis requiring a whole of Scotland response, and the Scottish Government will continue to work closely with local councils and with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to ensure that those displaced people who are already here, and those who have applied and are granted permission to travel, will be safe, secure and supported for as long as they need, after the dangers they have faced at home.

The delivery of Keep Well health checks are no longer centrally overseen by the Scottish Government. It is up to local NHS Health Boards with their area practices to decide on administering these checks. The Community Links Worker programme has now been rolled out to practices particularly in deprived areas and offers support to individuals experiencing for example financial, housing and social isolation concerns. The Links Workers can refer back to GPs for a clinical assessment including for liver disease should any concerns arise.

Public Health Scotland produce an Annual Statistical Report on Acute Hospital Activity and NHS Beds Information , including data on hospital stays with a diagnosis of sepsis by NHS Board and local authority area at tables 5 and 6.

PHS also monitor sepsis prevalence by maintaining a sepsis clinical data profile within their performance management and benchmarking database, based on patients receiving care in general acute specialties. This data is for use by NHS Boards, local authorities, health and social care partnerships and the Scottish Government. It is updated quarterly – the most recent profile update was made in May 2022 and includes data up to December 2021.

The Scottish Patient Safety Programme (SPSP), led by Healthcare Improvement Scotland, has been supporting clinical teams to improve their recognition of sepsis and to deliver six simple interventions (the “sepsis six”) which, when delivered within an hour of recognition, will improve survival for these patients. This response is kept under constant review and updated in line with new guidance as it emerges, such as the recent Academy of Medical Royal Colleges guidance on Sepsis management.

Building on this successful work, SPSP launched a revised deteriorating patient driver diagram and change package in September 2021. Sepsis forms a core part of this change package. The SIGN Deteriorating Patient Guideline, currently under review, will also include an updated section on sepsis.