Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-32775 on 9 November 2020. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

Decisions on levels are made by Scottish Ministers taking account of all the relevant facts and circumstances available. This includes the use of five indicators used to inform decisions on what COVID-19 level applies to each local authority, details on which are available on the Scottish Government’s website in our modelling paper (published 28 October)  https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/advice-and-guidance/2020/10/coronavirus-covid-19-allocation-of-levels-to-local-authorities/documents/modelling-paper/modelling-paper/govscot%3Adocument/Modelling%2B-%2BPaper%2B-%2BLocal%2Bauthority%2Blevels%2B28%2Boct.pdf and specific slide pack file://scotland.gov.uk/dc1/fs5_home/u201241/Covid+indicators+-+Slidepack+29+Oct+1051%20(3).pdf

The indicators used are the number of cases per 100,000 people, including for particular age groups, using both the latest actual data and a two week forecast; the test positivity rate; and the number of people likely to need acute hospital care or intensive care in future weeks. Each indicator has a signal – a number from 0 to 4 that matches with the corresponding levels. Details on the thresholds that act as a signalling mechanism are provided within these papers, but it should be noted that these remain a work in progress, nor are decisions on levels automatically triggered by them.

Wider considerations will also apply, through the Four Harms assessment, in recognition that action taken to suppress the virus can itself cause harm to wider health the social and economic wellbeing of Scotland. This includes the prevalence of infection elsewhere, including neighbouring areas; demographics; economic profile of an area, including levels of deprivation; trends in the data; and the effectiveness of public health measures.

Further consideration is being given, by the National Incident Management Team and others, to public health advice on the application of levels and to the development of potential additional indicators for future use.

The Programme for Government was published on 1 September 2020 and within that we commit to using all the tools at our disposal working with business and the third sector in a national mission to help create new jobs, good jobs and green jobs .

This will include jobs created as a result of our £230m Economic Recovery Stimulus Package, £66m of which has been allocated to the green recovery, and our £100m Green Jobs Fund.

To support the Mission we recently published Scotland's Inward Investment Plan: Shaping Scotland's Economy which seeks to deliver 100,000 direct jobs over the next decade. We have launched a consultation on our draft Infrastructure Investment Plan for Scotland 2021-2022 to 2025-2026 which we anticipate supporting around 45,000 jobs. We are also investing £1.6 billion in transforming our homes and buildings over the next Parliament, expanding and accelerating our heat and energy efficiency programmes as part of a Green Recovery. We estimate this will support at least 3,000 jobs in the first year of the programmes, growing to at least 5,000 in the final year (2025-26).

Over the next five years, Scottish Enterprise, with Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and South of Scotland Enterprise, will invest £50 million from the Green Jobs Fund to help businesses which provide sustainable and/or low carbon products and services to develop, grow and create jobs. More widely, the work of the enterprise networks continues to support new jobs.

For example, Scottish Enterprise is working with North East Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (NECCUS) to develop a strong CCUS cluster resulting in new jobs for the oil and gas supply chain. It is developing a strong pipeline of FDI projects aligned to creating ‘green’ jobs in areas such as decarbonisation of transport and energy transition. It is also developing proposals to create a potentially significant number of jobs in production, and potentially export, of blue and green hydrogen.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise is supporting job creation in the key sectors, including tourism and hospitality, energy and creative industries upon which the regional economy depends. It is also pursuing new opportunities in the growing space sector, life sciences, energy and the marine economy where the Highlands and Islands has natural, place-based advantages. It is continuing to invest in enabling infrastructure that creates jobs, including digital, land and property.

South of Scotland Enterprise is working with energy provider, People’s Energy, to create an initial 100 new jobs over the next few months in Selkirk, with plans for further recruitment. It is continuing to support business recovery alongside support for business start-up and growth and attracting investment in the South of Scotland.

The First Minister announced on 29 October that the levels across Scotland from 2 November would be based initially on a local authority unit of geography. There is however discretion to apply levels in future to whichever geography is most likely to be effective in suppressing the virus.

We would encourage the landlord Highlands & Islands Enterprise to discuss this proactively with BiFab Board of Directors and management, who are the current leaseholders of the yard.

We know that the pandemic has had, and will continue to have, a substantial impact on the mental health of the population for a long period of time. That is why on 8 October 2020 we published Scotland’s Mental Health Transition and Recovery Plan. The Plan outlines the Scottish Government’s response to the mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and is comprehensive, containing over 100 actions.

As well as promoting good mental health and wellbeing, the Plan prioritises rapid and easily accessible support for those in distress and ensures safe, effective treatment and care of people living with mental illness. It also covers the mental health impacts on people living with long-term physical health conditions or disabilities. As well as a tailored programme of work which will help individual NHS Boards respond effectively to the anticipated increase in demand in the months ahead.

The Plan also outlines a set of key actions which we have committed to take forward at pace. We are now working with key stakeholders to focus on the Plan’s implementation, and will put in place comprehensive governance.

The EHRC Scotland is part of EHRC which is an independent UK-wide body, not operated or funded by the Scottish Government and we do not hold the information requested.

The Family Friendly Working Scotland partnership ceased operations on 31 March 2020 and is no longer funded by the Scottish Government and we do not hold the information requested.

The EHRC is an independent UK-wide body, not operated or funded by the Scottish Government and we do not hold the information requested.

Further to the COVID-19 Strategic Framework, and in keeping with the move to a levels based approach, Regulation 6 of the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 provides a power of entry for all “relevant persons”, along with detailed conditions as to how and when that power may be exercised.

The Scottish Government has informally consulted with public bodies and other relevant stakeholders affected by the levels-based approach, which the Regulations implement, including Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority and Local Authorities.

As with the other measures taken to tackle the public health emergency, Regulation 6 will be in place for no longer than is justified and, like the other Regulations currently in force, will be reviewed on a regular basis.

Police Scotland continue to apply the 4Es approach of Engagement, Explanation, Encouragement with Enforcement only as a last resort, and has reported that, to date, compliance with the Regulations has generally been good.