Seòmar agus comataidhean

The UK is currently experiencing the largest outbreak of avian influenza to date, which has affected commercial and backyard flocks of poultry and other captive birds, as well as wild birds, including our internationally important seabird colonies.

While maintaining high levels of biosecurity among domestic flocks helps protect against disease, addressing the disease among wild birds can pose significant challenges. The Scottish Government is taking the current situation very seriously and continues to work with a range of partner organisations to monitor and respond to the situation where action can be taken, recognising the importance of communication and coordination in preparedness and responses.

As part of the co-ordinated GB response to avian influenza, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) on behalf of Defra, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government, carries out year-round surveillance, including testing of dead wild birds reported to Defra’s GB-wide national telephone helpline. This helps us capture information on the general location and strains of avian influenza that might be prevalent across Great Britain, as well as species affected.

Dedicated monitoring at key colonies can also assist in the response to the outbreak in wild birds, which is why we welcome the significant work by NatureScot, the National Trust for Scotland, RSPB Scotland, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and other partners to collect data on the number of dead wild birds located at key colonies, as well as monitoring apparent population changes.

Working with our partners, the Scottish Government will continue to review its response planning to current and future avian influenza outbreaks, based on the latest scientific advice and existing disease control measures. We will also be identifying with partner organisations whether anything else can be done to respond to the outbreak and improve the resilience of our internationally important seabird populations.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-09352 on 12 July 2022. 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 line with the requirements of the Scotland Act 1998, Boundaries Scotland must report its recommendations to Scottish Ministers by 1 May 2025. The timing of the review is otherwise a matter for Boundaries Scotland but it is likely that it will start the review this autumn with initial consultation taking place in the first half of 2023.

The Scottish Government are committed to continuing to improve the promotion, quality, and implementation of Self-directed Support.

Due to changes in SG accounting systems and SG Retention Policies it has not been possible to obtain details of all funding awarded since 1997. Since the Self-Directed Support Scotland Act 2013 came into force in 2014, Scottish Government has provided a total of £46.6m to Strategic Delivery Partners which include Social Work Scotland, Inspiring Scotland, In Control, Self-Directed Support Scotland, The Alliance and Transformational Funding to all Local Authorities.

It has not been possible to estimate funding spent solely on promotion of direct payments and Self-Directed Support since 1997. This is due to funding recipients not recording actual spend for direct promotional activities, however all funding recipients promote the use of direct payments and self-directed support in all activities funded

We recognise that language is a critical element of integration and that this may be challenging for displaced people and hosts alike. We appreciate those that have opened their homes to guests from Ukraine.

We have published guidance to support hosts who have generously opened their homes to displaced people and we would suggest hosts make use of free online translation services. The Scottish Refugee Council also provides helpful guidance around interpretation here: Where to find help and information if you are from Ukraine - Google Docs

It may be helpful to note that when displaced people are accessing public services, such as GPs and social services, licensed interpreters are available.

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’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 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.

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 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.