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Work to develop the establishment of Scottish Cities of Refuge will start later in this Parliamentary term.

The development of Cities of Refuge will align with the approach of our New Scots refugee integration strategy, which sets out the vision of a welcoming Scotland, where people seeking protection are supported to rebuild their lives from the day they arrive.

From March 2020, a series of Temporary Special Leave Measures (specifically through https://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/dl/DL(2020)05.pdf and https://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/dl/DL(2020)30.pdf )were introduced to both support NHS Colleagues and assist in the prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic from spreading across our NHS Sites.

In particular:

• Since March 2020, NHS Staff who have been absent due to COVID-19 have been paid in full as if they had been at work; and,

• Those absences have not counted towards normal sickness absence triggers for those staff.

As we are now at a different stage in dealing with COVID-19 it was confirmed (on 24 June), and in broad alignment with other UK Nations, that all Temporary Covid Policies (including Special Leave) will be removed ( https://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/dl/DL(2022)21.pdf) .

In particular, from 1 September 2022, NHS colleagues who are absent due to COVID-19 will revert to contractual sick leave entitlement.

I can confirm that on that date, no-one will see their Sick Pay stop with the vast majority receiving six months full pay followed by six months half pay.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all people living in Scotland with epilepsy are able to access the best possible care and support, and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care.

That is why in 2019 we published a Neurological Care and Support – National Framework for Action 2020-25, which sets out a vision that everyone with a neurological condition, including epilepsy, can access the care and support they need to live well, on their own terms. Since October 2020, we have invested £324,500 in funding via the Framework to projects that specifically improve the health and wellbeing of people with epilepsy in Scotland.

The Scottish Government and COSLA published a National Workforce Strategy on 11 March 2022. The Strategy commits to publishing new workforce projections in the autumn, once we have had the opportunity to consider Health Board and Health and Social Care Partnerships' three year workforce plans. The staffing needs for services and professional specialities across NHS Scotland such as epilepsy care will be, in partnership with stakeholders, factored into the development of these projections. As part of this work, we are actively listening to colleagues to understand where the current pressures are, and what actions can be taken to mitigate their impact on staff. Decisions on local staffing requirements are, however, the responsibility of individual NHS Boards.

Scottish Government support schemes available to farmers, crofters and land managers to support nature-rich farming and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions are:

Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS)

AECS provides important funding to the sector to help achieve our commitment to support farmers, crofters, and land managers to support and deliver nature restoration. To date a total of £242 million has been committed to 2,970 businesses of which a total of 495 organics contracts have been approved, with £28.8m committed.

Sustainable Agriculture Capital Grant Scheme (SACGS)

The scheme opened on 26 April 2022 to Scottish farmers, crofters and agricultural contractors who store and/or spread livestock slurry or digestate. 3,148 businesses have been supported over the life span of the scheme with a total of £12.80m invested. As of the 12 July 2022 we have issued a further 572 SACGS 2022 offers of grant worth £4.74m.

Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme (CAGS)

A part of crofting activity revolves around livestock production associated with low-intensity systems of high nature value with a natural balance between food production and the environment. From 2016 to 2022 over £16m in CAGS funding has been approved, helping over 3,000 crofters with their businesses – 85% of all eligible applications being approved.

Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund (KTIF)

The Fund periodically opens to support knowledge transfer and innovation based projects contributing to improving biodiversity or emission reductions. Since 2015, Scottish Government has supported 45 projects under the KTIF to a tune of approximately £7.5 million. The Fund has supported just under 20 different organisations and in 2021 the knowledge transfer based projects alone ran training events which had a total attendance of roughly 1,500.

Scotland’s Farm Advisory Service (FAS)

FAS provides a range of low and no cost ideas to help farmers identify, support and improve biodiversity on their land, raising awareness of woodland planting and the benefits for businesses, carbon sequestration and habitat and ideas to help farmers manage carbon on their farm and adapt to a changing climate, making their business more resilient to future changes. Since 2016 Scottish Government has supported the FAS to a tune of just under £21 million as of May 2022, delivering over 4,300 bespoke advice products. In 2021 FAS delivered 167 events to approximately 5,000 farmers, crofters and land managers.

Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS)

In the life of FGS, we have approved £312m worth of projects, providing financial support for the creation of new woodland and the sustainable management of existing woodland, to 3,816 projects (completed) from a total number of 5,204 projects with approved funding. Payments to date amount to circa £235m.

To meet our increasing ambitions to deliver greater woodland creation hectares year on year until 2024/25, we have a proposed budget of £71m for the financial year (22/23) and a further £76m and £80m proposed for the following two financial years.

Scottish Government has not undertaken a recent assessment of mixed sex wards in NHS hospitals.

Since 2005 the Scottish Government has expected Boards to ensure that all of their facilities comply with the guidelines and recommendations on the elimination of mixed sex accommodation produced in 1999 and 2000 following a review of mixed sex accommodation, as well as relevant legislation including the Equality Act 2010.

This Government supports the appropriate use of the separate and single-sex exceptions contained in paragraphs 26, 27 and 28 of Schedule 3 of the Equality Act 2010 by service providers, where it is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. When taking decisions on where a person should be accommodated in the NHS, account should be taken of the rights of all.

Responsibility for complying with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 rests with individual organisations. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has produced guidance to support separate and single sex service providers.

The Scottish Government expects everyone to be treated fairly and equally and with respect when seeking healthcare. NHS staff will make every effort to ensure that the privacy and dignity of all patients are maintained in Scottish hospitals.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-09064 on 21 June 2022 which includes a link to the Affordable Housing Supply Housing Programme annual out-turn reports.

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

Scotland has led the way in the delivery of affordable housing across the UK with 111,750 affordable homes now delivered since 2007, over 78,000 of which were for social rent, including 19,339 council homes.

Despite the well documented global issues, not only have we met our previous 50,000 affordable homes target, we have now started to deliver against our commitment to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, 70% of which will be for social rent and 10% in remote, rural and island areas. More than £3.6 billion funding is being made available in this Parliamentary term, continuing to ensure the right homes in the right places.

Many thousands of people across Scotland have already benefitted from safe, warm, accessible homes that meet their needs, in a place where they can be part of a thriving community, and others will continue to benefit well into the future.

I know that the energy price increases we have seen recently will be concerning to many Scottish consumers, not least of all those in vulnerable circumstances.

I also know that consumers using prepayment meters pay a higher tariff for their energy. Unfortunately, regulation in the gas and electricity supply markets remains reserved to the UK Government meaning the Scottish Government’s potential actions are limited.

We are doing what we can within our reserved powers. We have extended our Fuel Insecurity Fund through 2022-23 and made available a further £10m to support those facing fuel insecurity. The Fuel Insecurity Fund includes support for the Fuel Bank Foundation to expand their existing Fuel Bank network in Scotland, to provide same-day support to prepayment meter users at risk of imminent self-disconnection We will seek to ensure that those receiving help are not just provided with financial support but that they are also connected with wider advice and support on energy efficiency, income maximisation and how to reduce energy bills.

The Investing in Scotland’s Future: Resource Spending Review confirmed that the Scottish Government will work closely with COSLA to agree a New Deal for Local Government, in advance of the next financial year. This will be based on the twin pillars of a new Fiscal Framework and an accompanying partnership agreement with Local Government. The New Deal will also build on the Local Governance Review, and help to bring a sharpened focus on ensuring the review arrives at a set of findings which can transform local democracy in Scotland.

NHS Board’s baseline revenue allocations are set out annually in the Scottish Budget, as published on the Scottish Government’s website. In addition, resource and capital spending limits are reported in Board’s annual accounts, which are published on their websites.

Since 2018-19, funding for frontline boards has increased by 17.4%.

The Scottish Government allocates funding to territorial NHS Boards based on the NRAC formula. The NRAC formula takes into account factors in addition to population levels, including relative deprivation and need for healthcare in different NHS Board areas.

Since 2012-13, almost £2.6 billion additional funding has been committed to those NHS Boards below their NRAC parity levels, bringing all boards to within 0.8% of parity.

More information on the NRAC formula is available at: Resource Allocation Formula in Scotland - Finance - Data & intelligence from PHS (isdscotland.org)