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The Scottish Government expects the Scottish National Investment Bank’s gender equality strategy to be published shortly, following approval from the Board when it meets on 3 March 2022.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-06791 on 8 March 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 .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-06791 on 8 March 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 .

The Bank’s recruitment policies and procedures pre-dates development of its gender equality strategy, and please see the answer to question S6W-06789 on 8 March 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 .

I have also asked the Scottish National Investment Bank how it has utilised its gender equality strategy in Bank recruitment policies and processes, and the Bank has provided the following:

"Recruitment of the Scottish National Investment Bank has been ongoing since prior to the launch of the Bank in November 2020.

“The Bank has established a number of guiding principles within its recruitment policy and process to ensure Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Fair Work practices.

"With regards to gender equality specifically, the Bank worked closely with its Recruitment Partner to ensure all adverts reached the widest available candidate pools with flexibility at the heart of our attraction strategy. Gender balance was a key requirement for the Recruitment Partner to ensure balanced applicant pools (where possible and based on candidate availability).

“The Bank set a gender balance target for candidates shortlisted for interview of 50:50, with a minimum threshold of one third candidates being presented for interview being female. Where applicant pools did not meet the basic threshold, further search was undertaken.

“All interview panels are gender balanced, further helping to ensure that appointments are made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.”

The gender equality strategy was last discussed by the Scottish Government and the Scottish National Investment Bank on 14 December 2021.

Decisions on lending and investment are a matter for the Scottish National Investment Bank. I have asked the Bank about how their lending in 2021 aimed to benefit women’s equality in Scotland, and their response is as follows:

“Due diligence of all potential investments includes consideration of gender balance across workforce, management and Board.

“The Bank engages with investees on representation and equality issues, and has required reporting on gender balance (and pay gap) where practical. Moving forward the Bank will aim to have gender equality and gender pay gap reporting for all investments. Where appropriate, the Bank will also consider engagement with investees to enhance opportunities that increase gender equality opportunities in Bank investments.”

The Scottish National Investment Bank has provided the following information about who it consulted with and the feedback received during development of its gender equality strategy:

“In developing its Equality Strategy, the Bank sought input from a wide range of organisations. This was facilitated through written feedback and direct discussion. Organisations consulted included:

Women on Boards

Women’s Enterprise Scotland

Abrdn

Engender

Close the Gap

IoD

Black Professionals Scotland

British Business Bank.

Feedback from respondents was considered and incorporated where appropriate.”

Clinical nurse specialists make a valued contribution to delivering services and supporting patients and families who require specialist care. The Scottish Government has invested £2.5 million annually in the Specialist Nursing and Care Fund since 2015.

The National Cancer Recovery Group (NCRG) recently carried out a short survey in November to identify workforce requirements to inform wider workforce planning. This looked at roles specifically related to cancer, including Cancer Nurse Specialists. Scottish Government Officials and the National Cancer Recovery Group are working collaboratively in the development of the National Workforce Strategy and work will be conducted around the cancer workforce over the coming year.

Information on the numbers of blood cancer specialist nurses is not held centrally.

An overarching Detect Cancer Early social marketing campaign 'Survivors' was launched in 2018. The campaign, developed in close consultation with the Scottish Cancer Coalition, aimed to reduce fear around cancer and empower people to take early action, be it visiting their GP practice or attending screening when invited. To coincide with the campaign, a symptom-checker tool was developed on DCE’s website (getcheckedearly.org) to raise awareness of the early signs and symptoms of cancer, including those that are indicative of blood cancer.

A new Early Cancer Diagnosis Programme Board has been formed, Chaired by Dr Catherine Calderwood, National Clinical Director at the Centre for Sustainable Delivery. This group will be responsible for shaping and supporting the delivery of Scotland’s early diagnosis agenda over the coming years, including any additional public awareness campaigns.

The NHS Recovery Plan 2021-2026 – published August 2021 – commits an additional £20m for our Detect Cancer Early Programme, providing greater public awareness of signs and symptoms of cancer and supporting the development of optimal cancer pathways to improve earlier diagnosis rates. Research will be undertaken in the coming months to better understand the possible barriers and levers to early diagnosis that any new awareness campaigns should focus on.

The Scottish Government is committed to finding cancer early. That is why we have established Scotland’s first three Early Cancer Diagnostic Centres in NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NHS Fife and NHS Dumfries & Galloway. These Centres provide primary care with a new referral route for patients with non-specific symptoms suspicious of cancers including blood cancer (such as weight loss, fatigue and nausea), which don’t meet Scottish cancer referral guidelines.

Our £44m Detect Cancer Early Programme adopts a whole-systems approach to diagnosing and treating cancer as early as possible – ranging from screening and public awareness campaigns to diagnostics and data. The NHS Recovery Plan 2021-2026, published August 2021, commits an additional £20m for the Programme.

As outlined in our NHS Recovery Plan, we will also develop and support the delivery of a new early diagnosis vision for Scotland. Stakeholder engagement will be an important part of its development, with Blood Cancer Alliance included in this. Officials recently met with the Blood Cancer Alliance and committed to working together in future to ensure the experiences of those with blood cancers are reflected in national cancer improvement programmes.