Seòmar agus comataidhean

We recognise that long waits are unacceptable and we remain committed to meet the standard that 90% of patients start treatment within 18 weeks of referral.

We have asked all Boards to set out their plans and trajectories for meeting the waiting times standards and clearing backlogs by the end of March 2023. To support this, we have already allocated £9.25m from the Mental Health Recovery and Renewal Fund, for the first year of clearing waiting list backlogs in CAMHS and Psychological Therapies. This is part of a wider investment supported by a £120m Recovery and Renewal fund to transform services, with a renewed focus on prevention and early intervention.

We expect businesses to take appropriate action to minimise the risk of transmission (to other employees and to customers) where a member of staff tests positive. Employers should also take appropriate steps and work with Test & Protect to identify any potential close contacts. We expect employers to support staff to self-isolate for the full period required, acknowledging that working from home may be an option.

The Scottish Government, along with public, private and third sector partners and the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) issued a joint statement outlining fair work expectations in July to support the transition out of lockdown. Among its provisions were that no worker should be financially penalised for following medical advice, that any absence relating to COVID-19 should not affect future sick pay entitlement or other entitlements like holiday or accrued time, and that any absence related to COVID-19 should not result in formal attendance related warnings or be accumulated with non-COVID related absences in future absence management figures.

The Scottish Government is taking a range of action to improve digital inclusion across Scotland, including in the Glasgow region.

We know that cost is one of the greatest barriers to getting online, closely followed by a lack of skills. Since May 2020 the Scottish Government has invested £48 million through the Connecting Scotland programme to provide a device, connectivity, and training and support to those on low incomes, allowing them to realise the full benefits of being online. Connecting Scotland is delivered in collaboration with key partners, including local authorities, COSLA, SCVO and third sector organisations, and telecoms companies. The recently published report Connecting Scotland - A Year in View demonstrates the scale of the investment and the impact of the programme so far. To date, Connecting Scotland has distributed almost 7,000 devices to organisations based in Glasgow. As set out in the Programme for Government, by the end of this Parliament, we will ensure Connecting Scotland has supported up to 300,000 households to get online, backed by £200 million of investment.

We are also making substantial investments in Scotland’s digital infrastructure, despite responsibility for broadband being reserved to the UK Government.

Our Reaching 100% (R100) programme – consisting of the £600 million R100 contracts, our Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme and commercial coverage – will help to deliver universal superfast access across Scotland.

The Scottish Government engages with the UK Government through the British Irish Council digital inclusion workstream, and officials regularly engage with telecoms companies on digital inclusion issues.

Inbound international travel restrictions were eased across the four nations on 4 October. These changes mean that people who have received two doses of different vaccines are regarded as having completed a full course of the vaccine and therefore are treated as ‘fully vaccinated’ for travel purposes. This applies to people who have been vaccinated by accepted vaccines in countries that are already eligible under the vaccinated traveller policy.

Travellers from non-red list countries who have been fully vaccinated in a country that meets recognised standards of certifications will no longer be required to provide evidence of a negative test result before they can travel to Scotland, and will not be required to self-isolate or take a day 8 test. They must still currently take a day 2 PCR test, though we have announced that we intend to align with the UK post-arrival testing regime later in October, with further details to be announced in due course.

Those who are not considered eligible fully vaccinated travellers must continue to take a pre-departure test, self-isolate for 10 days upon arrival and take day 2 and 8 tests. All arrivals from red list countries must continue to book and stay for 10 days in a managed isolation hotel.

Travel restrictions are in place to prevent cases of COVID-19 being imported to Scotland. Travel restrictions will be in place as long as they are required and Scottish Government will continue to liaise with affected groups and stakeholders over any restrictions and exemptions that may apply.

Further guidance for international arrivals can be read at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-international-travel-quarantine/pages/red-amber-and-green-list-countries/

ScotGEM students are very specifically entitled to apply for a £4,000 per year ‘return of service’ bursary. This means for every year they take this they are committing to stay and work in NHS Scotland for a corresponding amount of years. Once the first cohort of ScotGEM students graduate in Summer 2022, we intend to evaluate the effectiveness of the ScotGEM bursary in retaining trainee doctors in hard to fill posts within our healthcare service. Further consideration to any extension can be made at that point.

ScotRail is exploring potential options to provide contactless ticket infrastructure on the rail network as part of a mix of products to offer passengers.

Contactless payment is already accepted at all stations on ScotlRail’s network for tickets. Mobile ‘phone ticketing has also been introduced. To extend ticketing systems to tap in style contactless ticketing would need considerable investment in ticketing infrastructure, such as gates, as well as back office systems and potentially a fares structures review, which is why this is subject to consideration in the context of changing travel and ticket purchase patterns.

Within schools, Curriculum for Excellence's flexible guidelines allow teachers to decide upon the content of lessons that best meets the local needs and circumstances of all children and young people in attendance. However, we are working with stakeholders to consider the greater opportunities for children and young people to engage in swimming lessons and water safety education within communities.

The National Learn to Swim Framework, which is supported by Scottish Water and delivered by aquatic partners every week, already helps children to become safe, competent, and confident swimmers and these water safety themed lessons are an essential part of the Framework to help educate on water safety.

As this is a live planning application it would not be appropriate to comment on the merits of the case so as not to prejudice the decision making process.

The Garngad chord was initially considered as part of the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP). The proposal was permanently removed from the programme scope after a further option development appraisal confirmed that the continued operation of Cumbernauld services into Queen Street Station, could be delivered more cost effectively without the requirement for the chord and also without a reduction in the overall outputs of EGIP. Transport Scotland has no plans to deliver the Garngad Chord.

Future transport investment decisions, such as the reopening of the former stations at Glasgow Cross and Glasgow Green, are being considered within the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2). As concluded in the Initial Appraisal: Case for Change for the Glasgow City Region, the re-opening of disused rail lines and associated stations within Glasgow City Centre was one of the interventions recommended for the next stage of appraisal, together with wider proposals for a Glasgow Metro.

The appraisal process for STPR2 is considering the performance of all options against the transport outcomes we are seeking, the Transport Planning Objectives, which are aligned to our National Transport Strategy priorities and outcomes. The interventions will seek to contribute to our vision of a sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport system helping deliver a healthier, fairer and more prosperous Scotland for communities, businesses and visitors.

Therefore, we need to consider the social and economic benefits and impacts based on performance against these objectives and the five Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance criteria, to determine the overall Value for Money. This also takes into account risks, uncertainties and other factors such as affordability, deliverability and the wider acceptability of options. This will be an important consideration given pressures on current and future public finances.

Also underpinning STPR2 is the Sustainable Investment Hierarchy where we will aim first to reduce the need to travel unsustainably, make better use of and enhance existing infrastructure, before investing in new capacity. This hierarchy is also central to Infrastructure Investment Plan. STPR2 will conclude later this year, with publication of recommendations for investment and an appropriate statutory consultation period.