Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Scottish Government is supporting Scotland’s Towns Partnership to set up a national platform for a Scotland Loves Local loyalty card scheme. The scheme is a quick and efficient way to encourage local spend, support local business and build wealth in the local economy, helping communities be more resilient, sustainable and economically secure.

Testing for people who do not have COVID-19 symptoms was made available to everyone in Scotland on 26 April. Everyone can now access free lateral flow devices (LFD), for testing at home twice a week. To get a LFD test you can:

• order an LFD test kit pack online at GOV.UK for home delivery
• collect a test kit from your nearest COVID-19 test site , by applying the “pick up sites for test kits” filter on the site finder.

As announced at the launch of the universally accessible testing offer, we continue to explore other options for increasing accessibility of testing across Scotland including the option to collect LFD test kit from pharmacies. I expect to be in a position to confirm these arrangements shortly.

The Scottish Testing Programme is kept under constant review in line with the latest clinical and scientific advice.

As of 17 May 2021, the sum of £410,171.22 has been paid from the Tenant Hardship Loan Fund. The total value of successful applications is £472,404.72, with the remaining funds in the process of being paid. This is part of a range of measures to support tenants.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-35553 on 10 March 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 .

In addition to our work with the airports, the Scottish Government also has regular engagement with airlines. Most recently this included productive discussions held in April with 19 airlines, all of which are important to Scotland’s international connectivity. Given the commercial nature of these discussions I am unable to share specific details.

We recognise that globally, as well as here in Scotland, the aviation industry faces one of the longest recovery periods given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on route networks, which is why we have extended the 100% non-domestic rates relief for the aviation sector for another year (2021-22).

The Mental Welfare Commission (MWC) report did not take account of the testing status of patients discharged from hospital. During the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic concerns were raised that people who were in hospital and lacked capacity may have been moved from hospital to care homes without full understanding of the legal requirements to ensure rights are upheld, and the move to care was lawful. This report details the findings of their investigation into these specific concerns.

The report concluded that some people had been moved without the appropriate legal authority, for example a Power of Attorney or Welfare Guardian. You can access the full report on the MWC website at https://www.mwcscot.org.uk/news/moves-hospitals-care-homes-during-pandemic-new-report-finds-wider-concerns-over-adherence-law .

The Scottish Government was first made aware that some people had been moved from hospital without the appropriate legal authority when we received the Mental Welfare Commissions draft report in April 2021.

Regarding the testing status of patients discharged to care homes, as stated in Parliament on 4 November 2020 by the then Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, prior to the Sunday Post publishing their FOI, neither Scottish Ministers nor Government officials had information on the results of covid-19 tests prior to discharge, or where these patients were discharged. The Cabinet Secretary commissioned Public Health Scotland to carry out work to identify and report on discharges from NHS Hospitals to care homes during the first wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic. This report is available on the Public Health Scotland website at https://beta.isdscotland.org/find-publications-and-data/population-health/covid-19/discharges-from-nhsscotland-hospitals-to-care-homes/.

We recognise the importance to sustainable aquaculture of high fish health and welfare standards. We will therefore consider the EU’s Strategic Guidelines on Sustainable Aquaculture alongside other sources of advice such as the UK Animal Welfare Committee, the British Veterinary Association and the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission.

The contracts for the Central and South lots of the Reaching 100% (R100) programme were signed on 16 December 2019. Contract signature for the North lot was completed on 11 December 2020, following dismissal of a legal challenge which had delayed contract signature.

As outlined in the response to S6W-00008 on 24 May 2021, the Scottish Government provided Openreach with a finalised speed and coverage template (or SCT) for the R100 North lot contract at the end of March 2021, which covers both the Highlands and the north east of Scotland. The remodelling exercise to finalise their coverage footprint is ongoing and will be subject to rigorous review through Scottish Government governance and assurance structures, and those of Building Digital UK (BDUK). The full picture across the R100 North lot contract area is expected to be available by Summer 2021.

The roll-out of R100 build in the North lot – and the associated survey work – will be completed in phases, and build plans will be reflected in our online checker at scotlandsuperfast.com.

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 greatly values the work of Scotland’s offshore workers and have been in regular discussions with Oil and Gas UK throughout this pandemic. Scottish Government appreciates and values the work that offshore workers are doing in what can be difficult circumstances.

The order in which people will be offered the vaccine in Scotland is based on advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The Scottish Government is vaccinating in line JCVI priority as quickly as supply allows us to do so.

Decisions to prioritise one population group over another are not taken lightly, nor are they straightforward. That is why prioritisation decisions are guided by the independent expert advice from the JCVI. Currently there is a mass vaccination centre open at the P&J Live at TECA in Aberdeen. If any offshore worker cannot attend their appointment, they should contact the helpline to reschedule.

Ministers have not discussed the outcomes of the Island Communities Impact Assessment on HIAL’s Air Traffic Management 2030 Strategy with HIAL. Officials attended the HIAL Board meeting on 25 February 2021 where the issue was discussed. The minutes of the meeting are available on the HIAL web site at https://www.hial.co.uk/downloads/file/295/hial-board-minutes-february-2021 .

The Scottish Government is making good progress with the development of a Women’s Health Plan and aims to publish it within the first 100 days of this new government.