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The Advisory Sub-Group on Education and Children’s Issues has concluded that the previous position on self-isolation for children and young people as contacts was not commensurate with the risk going forward and should be revised to exempt all children and young people from isolation as close contacts unless they are symptomatic or have a positive test. The sub-group concluded that, when a COVID-positive case is identified, school-aged close contacts should be advised to book a PCR test as soon as possible, and only end self-isolation and return to school if/when they receive a negative PCR test result. Further details of the sub-group’s conclusions can be found in their recently published advice .

Updated guidance on reducing the risks in schools published on 3 August details changes to self-isolation for schools in line with sub-group advice, which apply from 9 August onwards.

Under the current Forestry Grant Scheme (2014 - 2024), Scottish Forestry estimate that 160 million trees have been planted.

Of these, 93.6 million were non-native conifers (predominantly Sitka spruce, Douglas fir and other species), and 10.4 million were native conifers (mainly Scots pine). A further 52.5 million were native broadleaves (typically oak, alder, ash, birch, hazel and hawthorn) and 3.5 million were non-native broadleaves (sycamore, beech etc).

The Scottish Government does not offer any tax incentives to support woodland creation through any devolved taxes.

Before the Summer break, schools and education leaders were advised to provide all staff and secondary pupils with a pack of Lateral Flow Devices (LFDs) test kits prior to going on leave that they can use to restart testing in the week prior to return. In addition, they were also advised to ensure they have sufficient stock to support testing for at least the first few weeks after the return and to make any necessary orders before the Summer break – though of course they are also free to make additional test kit orders after their return to school in August. In preparation for the return of schools this month, the Scottish Government has allocated sufficient stocks of lateral flow tests to support the continuation of the twice weekly testing programme in all schools and ELC settings across Scotland.

The Scottish Government has taken a range of actions, in collaboration with key partners including the UK Government, local authorities and Young Scot, to support staff and secondary pupils to test and record their results regularly. For example, in response to user feedback about the discomfort that some pupils experience when using tests, we will be transitioning from LFDs that require both throat and nasal swabs to a nasal-only LFD model over the first months of the new term. These new LFDs are also quicker to use, cutting down on the time it will take staff and pupils to test. Feedback suggests also that some participants are testing but not recording results for a range of reasons. We have shared relevant feedback with UK Government partners about the UK-wide online reporting portal to support ongoing improvements. To make reporting easier, users of the self-reporting portal now have the ability to create a “household account” where the results of multiple family members can be inputted at the same time without having to manually enter their child’s details every time they report. Best practice has been actively shared with local authority Directors of Education and we have refreshed national communications in advance of the new term, including a communications pack developed in collaboration with Young Scot that will be provided to every secondary school in Scotland. All local authorities have also been asked to ensure that their return to school communications make clear the need to test and record results prior to return and twice-weekly thereafter.

Physical distancing requirements were removed on 09 August when all areas in Scotland moved beyond Level 0, although some precautionary measures will continue to be in place. The cross-sectoral guidance for laboratories and research facilities has been replaced by a single piece of safer workplaces guidance.

The Scottish Government continues to promote testing in its communications and public messaging. To raise awareness of how individuals can access testing at walk-through test centres and mobile testing units, the Scottish Government has:

• supported local authorities and health boards to promote new sites by creating a communications toolkit, which includes templates for news releases, social media content and signage,
• engaged with local authorities and health boards to inform them of upcoming Test and Protect communications campaigns and new site openings, and,
• promoted new sites online with the public and health journalists, broadcasters and bloggers with a Ministerial quote and UK Government news release.

Drawing on the expert advice provided through the Covid-19 Advisory Sub-Group on Universities and Colleges, we have been working intensively with student bodies, institutions and trade unions to now have published guidance, which supports the wider resumption of in-person learning and student activities for the next academic year. This focuses on the reduction and management of risk and good practice for achieving this, whilst institutions are also asked to ensure measures go further than the minimum baseline where that is necessary to keep people safe.

Requirements for entering Scotland are currently aligned on a Four Nations basis and differ depending on whether the individual arrives from a red, amber or green listed country.

All arrivals are required to provide a negative Covid-19 test in the three days prior to travel, they are then required to undertake the following actions:

• Red – studying in the UK is currently one of the allowable reasons for entering Scotland from a red-list country. International students over 18 years old arriving from a country on this list, or who have been in a red list country in the 10 days prior, are required to enter managed quarantine for 10 days.
• Amber – International students arriving from amber-list countries, or who have been in an Amber list country in the 10 days prior, are required to isolate in their place of residence for 10 days, additionally they are required to take a Covid-19 test on or before day 2 and on or after day 8 of their 10 day isolation.
• Green – International students arriving from green-list countries are not required to isolate unless the result of a COVID-19 test taken on day 2 after arriving back in Scotland is positive.

In line with local partnerships’ responsibility for local suicide prevention planning and delivery, NHS Forth Valley recently appointed a strategic suicide and drug related death prevention co-ordinator who is engaging with the National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group’s delivery lead for local suicide prevention action planning. This has enabled support and advice on local suicide prevention planning and evaluation in line with the (NSPLG) April 2021 guidance ( https://www.cosla.gov.uk/about-cosla/our-teams/health-and-social-care/local-area-suicide-prevention-action-plan-guidance ). Further details on local suicide prevention planning, including specific activities taking place in the area, can be provided by the local co-ordinator.

More broadly, the Scottish Government understands that mental health and suicide prevention has been identified as a strategic priority in the Falkirk area, and that the Community Planning Partnership has developed practical resources to support people with their mental health, including in response to the impacts of the pandemic.

The National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group (NSPLG) published guidance to support local area suicide prevention action planning in April 2021 ( https://www.cosla.gov.uk/about-cosla/our-teams/health-and-social-care/local-area-suicide-prevention-action-plan-guidance ). The guidance supports the delivery of Action 1 of the Suicide Prevention Action Plan ‘Every Life Matters’, which is sponsored by COSLA.

Whilst responsibility for suicide prevention planning and delivery sits locally – with recommendations and decisions informing action at that level - the NSPLG will review progress on the development of local suicide prevention action plans across Scotland in April 2022. Meantime, there is ongoing engagement between the NSPLG’s delivery lead on local suicide prevention action planning and local suicide prevention leads. This supports the development and continuous improvement of suicide prevention plans - through advice, support and sharing of good practice. It also ensures there is appropriate alignment and learning between national and local plans.

Local suicide prevention partnerships are at different stages of developing action plans following the publication in April 2021 of the National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group (NSPLG) guidance ( https://www.cosla.gov.uk/about-cosla/our-teams/health-and-social-care/local-area-suicide-prevention-action-plan-guidance ). The guidance sets out advice on developing appropriate governance, engaging with those who have lived experience, undertaking a local needs assessment and developing outcomes which would inform an action plan.

Some local partnerships already have established plans in place, whilst others are at an earlier stage of developing plans in line with the guidance. Many have increased the priority given to mental health and suicide prevention over the course of the pandemic.

As set out in response to S6W-01462 on 6 August 2021, to support local partnerships there is ongoing engagement between the NSPLG’s delivery lead on local suicide prevention action planning and local suicide prevention leads. This supports the development and continuous improvement of suicide prevention plans - through advice, support and sharing of good practice. It also ensures there is appropriate alignment and learning between national and local plans. Whilst responsibility for local planning and delivery rests with local partnerships, NSPLG will review progress on the development of local suicide prevention action plans across Scotland in April 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 .