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NHS Boards are expected to ensure that patients, including those living with severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) have access to a range of professionals to provide the appropriate management of their condition. We would further expect clinicians to have good awareness of guidance relevant to their practice area and apply these taking account of individual circumstances and discussions with the patient.

In light of the final National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline for ME/CFS being published, we are considering how best to review and update existing Scottish guidance, and will be reviewing the need for specialist services as part of this work.

We are regularly engaging with our stakeholders, including the third sector, people with lived experience and clinicians working in this area, to drive forward care and the development of pathways. We plan to undertake a structured programme of stakeholder engagement in early 2022 to initiate the revision of Scottish guidance and to identify opportunities for improvement.

We have recently supported the creation of a Priority Setting Partnership by the James Lind Alliance and Action for M.E. to agree the top 10 priorities for future research on ME/CFS. This approach brings patients, carers and clinicians together to identify and prioritise research uncertainties in the field of ME/CFS, before disseminating the results to research funders.

We are investing £4.5 million of funding to implement the Neurological Care and Support Framework. Commitment 13 of the Neurological Care and Support Framework involves supporting neurological research, and we welcome proposals for ME/CFS research.

We are investing £4.5 million of funding to implement the Neurological Care and Support Framework. Through the framework, we have funded Action for ME to produce an online CPD learning module on ME/CFS for GPs and health professionals in Scotland, which aims to support person-centred care, informed by good practice and current research. In June 2021, officials presented the module to the Scottish Deans Medical Education Group, who agreed to consider introducing into medical school curriculums.

We are also liaising with NHS Education Scotland who have committed to producing a Practice-Based Small Group Learning module on ME/CFS following publication of the final National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, and we understand that this work is now underway.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04189 on 22 November 2021. 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-04189 on 22 November 2021. 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 additional £40 million for the culture sector was announced in light of the consequential funding expected from the £300 million uplift to the Culture Recovery Fund in March 2021 UK Budget. The Scottish Government has so far only received £9 million of these consequentials. We are still seeking clarity from HM Treasury on why the £40 million has not yet been passed on in full to us and are continuing to press the UK Government to deliver the remaining £31 million.

Despite only receiving to date £9 million of the consequentials, we have made available £25 million to support recovery in the culture sector, principally through the Cultural Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund (COVRF) and the Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund (PAVRF). £17.2 million has been awarded to performing arts venues and culture organisations via Creative Scotland. £1.25m has also been announced for funding for the Public Library Covid Relief Fund. This leaves £6.55m remaining to be allocated, £2m of which is capital. We are working with the culture sector to understand ongoing needs, and announcements on the final allocations will be made in the coming weeks.

The total revenue funding provided by the Scottish Government to North Ayrshire Council as part of the annual local government finance settlement, in real terms, is set out in the following table.

It should be noted that the basis of local government funding changed with effect from 1 April 2008. The total revenue funding figures for 2008-09 onwards include previously ring-fenced funding which was outwith the annual local government finance settlement. It should also be noted that the funding for Police and Fire transferred out of the local government finance settlement with effect from 1 April 2013. As a result of these two changes the period between 1999-00 and 2007-08 is not directly comparable with the period between 2008-09 and 2012-13. Similarly the period between 2008-09 and 2012-13 is not directly comparable with the subsequent period from 2013-14 onwards.

The real terms figures were calculated using the October 2021 HM Treasury GDP deflators.

I am most grateful to my colleague, Mr Burnett, for raising the important matter of overseas recruitment for social care providers. Regarding the recent funding for NHS boards; this funding cannot be routed to social care providers, who sit outwith the NHS. However, I would be happy to explain to Mr Burnett the work which is ongoing to address recruitment within the sector.

The Scottish Government are working hard to attract more people to a career in the social care sector. For the past two years the Scottish Government has funded an Adult Social Care Marketing Campaign. A further national marketing campaign launched on 8 November to attract more people to the sector.

We believe that Scotland’s social care services benefit greatly from the staff in the workforce who come from overseas. The sector is deeply concerned about the impact that the post-EU Exit loss of freedom of movement will have on recruitment to critical frontline social care roles. Scottish Government and key sector partners will continue to engage with UK Ministers to highlight why Scotland’s social care sector must have access to workers from outwith the UK, to help meet shortfall in workforce capacity and avoid the subsequent impact on our most vulnerable citizens. We also highlight that Scotland’s care workers are qualified, registered and regulated.

We will continue to push for a migration system tailored to Scotland’s needs, including a Scottish Visa, and work with partners and employers to develop proposals that suit their requirements.

The Scottish Government currently directly employs the following number of solicitors, set out below by pay band/grade. SCS - Director is the most senior grade with legal trainees being the most junior grade. It should be noted that there are other individuals who may be qualified solicitors employed in non-legal roles in policy/operational directorates across the Scottish Government but that information is not centrally known or held.

Directorate for Legal Services

In the following table, the data provided covers the period from when the Scottish Government took control of the shipyard to the present day. The table includes a yearly workforce count, and a count taken when the shipyard entered administration on 16 August 2019. The Agency/Contracted count includes workers employed through agencies and contractors working under FMPG management control, including interims.

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

The SPS does not hold the requested data. Since 2013, SPS has asked all persons on admission to custody to self-declare any known disability. The response is recorded on SPS’ internal system as either: yes, no or prefer not to disclose. However, the type of disability it is not specifically recorded.

Every individual in SPS custody is interviewed by a Healthcare Professional on admission in order to assess their healthcare needs. Where there is an identified need for additional support or reasonable adjustments whilst in custody, SPS, NHS and our education service partners will work in partnership to facilitate this.