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Education Scotland recognises the effects of the pandemic on learning and those who work in education. This is why Education Scotland continues to undertake a wide range of programmes to provide additional support for learners and educators alongside all the other work being done by Education Scotland.

HM Inspectors of Education resumed the routine programme of early learning and childcare settings and school inspections in August 2022. The programme had been paused since March 2020 due to the pandemic. HM Inspectors of Education have provided advice to schools and settings outlining how they will reflect the COVID-19 context during inspections.

Education Scotland’s regional improvement teams worked with Regional Improvement Collaboratives (RICs) and local authorities to provide bespoke support throughout the pandemic and continue to do so. An example of this is the ongoing work of Attainment Advisors to support effective use of Pupil Equity Funding and a range of professional learning activities to support schools to close the poverty related attainment gap. It may be helpful to be aware of two recently published resources which add value to schools and local authority work in relation to equity and excellence: Scotland's Equity Toolkit: supporting recovery and accelerating progress (education.gov.scot) and Pupil Equity Funding: Looking inwards, outwards, forwards (education.gov.scot) .

A programme on Self-evaluation for Continuous Improvement which focuses on effective self-evaluation, a closer look at HGIOS?4 (How Good is Our School?, version 4) quality indicators, use of data for improvement, evaluative writing skills and supporting improvement conversations has been delivered to approximately 700 colleagues from the eight local authorities within the West Region between October 2021 and June 2022. Plans are in place to roll this out across other regional areas during 2022-23.

Since the launch in March 2022 Education Scotland staff have been implementing the refreshed Scottish Attainment Challenge: Framework for Recovery and Accelerating Progress. Officials have worked collaboratively with local authorities to support development of local Stretch Aims, including work with schools to ensure a shared understanding of this new approach. In line with the new Framework, Education Scotland has introduced a model of universal, targeted and intensive support. Through this new approach local authorities and schools can access additional bespoke support aimed at accelerating progress with key improvement priorities.

Officials from Education Scotland have worked across local authority areas to support curriculum development during the recovery phase so that schools can meet the needs of all learners. This has included work with Headteachers on Interdisciplinary Learning, reflecting on how children and young people learned through the pandemic, and sharing the child-centred and developmentally appropriate curriculum design approach set out in Realising the Ambition: Being Me .

The National eLearning Offer (NeLO), which was developed to support remote learning while school buildings were closed, continues to support those who may be learning remotely for any reason and offers educators with resources for use in classroom settings as well. Nearly 2,000 learners have been enrolled for Study Support sessions alone this term. NeLO offers thousands of live, interactive and recorded resources for educators and learners at all levels.

Furthermore, Education Scotland continues to provide mental health and wellbeing support for the education workforce (including schools, Community Learning and Development, and early learning and childcare settings). This support includes coaching, supervision spaces and support specifically for post-probationary teachers in the early stages of their career. This package of support has been welcomed by teachers and practitioners (92% of respondents to the Workforce Support post programme evaluation rated the quality of Workforce Support received in 21-22 as ‘good’ or ‘very good’).

ScotRail has challenging performance targets to deliver and it is expected to work in close partnership with Network Rail to ensure passengers are provided with a reliable and punctual service.

As the member will be aware, ScotRail’s published reporting for the prior period (21 Aug - 17 Sep) shows that more than 9 out of 10 trains arriving at both Ayr and Girvan stations met the industry standard Public Performance Measure (PPM) target across a 12 month rolling period, and services at both stations scored above the network average on PPM.

Lifeline Ferries are devolved and therefore are discussed only with broader maritime issues where these are relevant to island ferry services.

The Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, ensures that action can be taken if the welfare needs of greyhounds are not being met. This applies whether the dogs are still racing or retired. Part 2 of the Act applies to all persons responsible for animals, including breeders, trainers and owners of racing greyhounds.

The Scottish Government strengthened this Act via the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act 2020 so those found guilty of cruelty offences now face up to five years imprisonment and unlimited fines.

The Scottish Government has gone further, announcing on 06 October (S6M-05949 – Greyhound Racing in Scotland ) that greyhound racing would be included in the planned consultation on extending licensing legislation to animal care services which may include dog training, walking and grooming services.

Licence fees are set by licensing authorities to cover their costs in establishing and administering licence schemes in their areas. The Scottish Government has set out in guidance for licensing authorities the parameters that they may want to consider when setting licence fees to ensure fees are affordable for smaller accommodation units.

Larger accommodation units have the potential to generate significantly greater income than smaller units. Secondary letting will also typically yield greater income than home sharing (or home letting for limited periods).

In a control area, change of use of a dwellinghouse, which is not a host's only or principal home, to provide short-term lets will always require planning permission. This applies to both houses and flats. In a control area, it is a mandatory condition of licence that planning permission has been obtained or an application is in progress.

Outwith a control area, planning permission may be required where local planning authorities determine a proposed change of use is material, on a case-by-case basis.

In all cases, each planning application will be determined on its individual planning merits in line with local development plan and policies unless there are material planning considerations that would justify a departure from the development plan.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6T-00856 on 21 September 2022 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at Meeting of the Parliament: 21/09/2022 | Scottish Parliament Website

The Scottish Government has committed to introducing a Human Rights Bill in the 2021-26 Parliamentary session. We will consult formally on proposals in 2023.

To date, there have been two Fitness for Judicial Office tribunals in Scotland. Both remain ongoing.

The Court Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 sets out that the First Minister, must, if requested to do so by the Lord President, constitute a Fitness for Judicial Office tribunal. Once constituted, under the Act of Sederunt (Fitness for Judicial Office Tribunal Rules) 2015, the process and procedure of the tribunal is a matter for the Lord President and the Chair of the tribunal and not Scottish Ministers.

Once the tribunal have made their decision, the First Minister will lay the tribunal’s report before the Scottish Parliament. Until such a time, it would not be appropriate to provide further details relating to these tribunals as the process is ongoing.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of police responses to mental health distress emergency calls.