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The Transitional Support Fund will open for applications on 3 September, and information as to how eligible childcare providers can apply for a grant will be available from: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-
support-to-childcare-sector/pages/transitional-support-fund-for-childcare-providers/ .

There will be a single standard secure online application form to ensure the application process is as straightforward as possible. This approach will make it easier for childcare providers to apply for the grant, including those providers with multiple settings spread over different local authorities. It will avoid local authorities having to develop their own application process and workflows.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-31190 on 26 August 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.

The Scottish Government condemns all acts of vandalism. Vandalism is a crime regardless of the motivations for it, or the targets the vandalism is aimed at. Protection of monuments is a matter for Police Scotland and the Scottish Government fully supports them to take appropriate action to both ensure that statues are protected and that those involved in vandalism are brought to justice. There is already legislation in place to deal with the vandalism and desecration of statutes and memorials, including war memorials, and the Scottish Government has no plans to introduce new legislation specifically relating to the vandalism of war memorials at this time.

Information on the coronavirus (COVID-19) business support fund grants including the number of grant applications made and grants awarded by each local authority is available online and can be accessed via this link: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-business-support-fund-grant-statistics/ .

The fund closed to new applications on 10 July, and we will continue to publish updated statistics when additional information is available.

The Scottish proximity tracing app is currently being developed and will be available from App stores this Autumn. The App will enhance NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect system and use Bluetooth technology in smartphones to support contact tracing. The App is free and will be built on the decentralised model using the joint Apple-Google technology. It is completely anonymised, voluntary to download and is for anyone who is aged 16 and over.

Detailed information on the design, development and purpose of the App will be made available prior to launch at: www.testandprotect.nhs.scot . In addition, we will also publish a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA), an ethic’s sheet and Equality Impact Assessment, which takes into account Human Rights, ahead of national roll-out.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

The tables below detail the average occupancy rate and the average design capacity of each prison over the preceding 12 months.

JULY 2020

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

There has been no change in the capacity of each establishment as a result of the provisions made to ensure the safety of prisoners during the COVID-19 pandemic.

I would refer the member to the response provided to S5W-31159 on 25 August 2020 which provides the occupancy level of each establishment for the past 12 months.

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

To help support childminders who have suffered financially throughout the pandemic, the Childminding Workforce Support Fund (CWSF) opened on 16 July to provide grants up to a maximum of £350 to eligible childminders.

The demand for the Fund was considerable and given the volume of applications the Scottish Childminding Association decided to pause for new applications on 17 July. In view of the level of demand for the Fund, the Scottish Government is working with the Scottish Childminding Association to agree further funding support to childminders.

Information on further support will be made available when details have been finalised.

We are still working through calculating the final position on the Small Business Grant Scheme and there is likely to be a tail as individual Local Authorities continue to work through outstanding claims and appeals. Consequently forecast outturn on the schemes is still within a range and final figures have yet to be confirmed.

However, we have already redeployed some of the funding, as our financial support exceeds the business support consequentials passed on from the UK Government and actively worked to fill the gaps in the UK scheme. This included £185m to support the self-employed and SMEs which was allocated across three main funds for the newly self-employed, for the creative, tourism and hospitality sector and for viable but vulnerable SMEs.

We will continue to support Scotland’s businesses by passing on every penny we receive from the UK Government for this purpose, and more, directly to Scottish businesses.

We continue to review and identify where additional support may be required, and press the UK Government for additional fiscal flexibilities which are focused, limited and temporary.

The Small Business Support Grants and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants are administered and awarded by Local Authorities. The Scottish Government has collected data on a weekly basis pertaining to the total number of business support grant applications made and the total number of grants awarded by each local authority. Property or business-level data on applications or awards is not held centrally.

Our financial support exceeds the business support consequentials passed on from the UK Government and actively works to fill the gaps in the UK scheme. This includes a £185m fund to support the self-employed and SMEs is broken into three main funds for the newly self-employed, for the creative, tourism and hospitality sector and for viable but vulnerable SMEs. All three funds are now closed to new applications.

We continue to review and identify where additional support may be required, and press the UK Government for additional fiscal flexibilities which are focused, limited and temporary.