Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13019 on 16 December 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 .

A breakdown of the £191 million was provided in the Guide to the Autumn Budget Revision which is available on the Finance and Public Administration’s website here https://www.parliament.scot/~/media/committ/4489

This guide document will also be published on the Scottish Government’s website following the consideration of the Autumn Budget Revision by the committee.

There are no backlogs or delays at Disclosure Scotland in processing PVG disclosure checks. During this calendar year, and on a week-by-week basis, Disclosure Scotland has completed over 95% of all types of disclosure applications in under 7.5 working days. Most adult social care PVG checks are prioritised by Disclosure Scotland as part of a Scottish Government initiative. Disclosure Scotland publish their performance weekly.

The costs for maintenance of the swimming pool at the Scottish Government's Victoria Quay property in each of the last five financial years is:

2018-2019 - £31,365 - inclusive of Facilities Management planned preventative maintenance costs and sub-contractor specialist costs.

2019-2020 - £31,365 - as above.

2020-2021 - £30,345 - pool closed to staff for part of the year due to COVID and ppm maintenance reduced.

2021-2022 - £26,945 - pool closed for entire year and ppm maintenance reduced.

2022-2023 - £20,862 - pool closed for entire year and maintenance paid to date in the current financial year.

There are no lifeguards employed.

The pool has been shut since the start of Jan 2020.

It has been used 0 days in 2020, 21 and 22 and was available for use throughout 2018 and 2019.

The list of active groups and sub-groups within the Finance and Economy portfolio includes:

• Apprenticeship Approval Group (AAG)
• Business Support Partnership
• Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan - Implementation Steering Group
• Clyde Mission Strategy Group
• Community Wealth Building (CWB) Bill steering Group
• Creative Industries Leadership Group
• Developing the Young Workforce Employers Forum
• Digital Collaborative Governance Group
• Economic Leadership Group
• European Structural and Investment Funds Programme Board
• European Structural and Investment Programme Monitoring Committee
• European Structural and Investment Programme Monitoring Committee Working Group
• European Structural and Information Technology Board
• Financial Services Growth and Development Board
• Flexible Workforce Development Fund Senior Strategic Group
• Foundation Apprenticeship Enhancement Group
• Green Freeports Programme Board
• Industry Leadership Chairs Group
• Innovation Strategy Steering Group
• Input-Output Expert Users Group (IOEUG)
• Lifetime Skills Offer Steering Group
• Life Sciences Scotland Group
• Ministerial Trade Board
• National Strategy for Economic Transformation Delivery Board
• National Strategy for Economic Transformation Portfolio Board
• National Strategy for Economic Transformation Skilled Workforce Programme Board
• Public Sector Network Steering Group
• Regional Economic Policy Advisory Group
• Retail Industry Leadership Group
• Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board (SAAB) Group Board
• Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board (SAAB) Standards And Frameworks Group
• Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board (SAAB) Employer Engagement Group
• Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board (SAAB) Employer Equalities Group
• Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board (SAAB) Apprentice Engagement Group
• Scottish Business Growth Group
• Scottish Cities Alliance Chief Executive Officers Group
• Scottish Cities Alliance Delivery Group
• Scottish Cities Alliance Leadership Group
• Scottish City Region and Growth Deal Delivery Board
• Scottish Economic Statistics Consultation Group
• Scottish Government and Business Organisations Meeting
• Scottish Government Labour Market Evidence Programme
• Scottish Taskforce for Green and Sustainable Financial Services
• Skills Ministerial Group
• Strategic Leadership Group for Advanced Manufacturing
• Sub-Scotland Economic Statistics Group
• Tourism and Hospitality Industry Leadership Group
• Wellbeing Economy Governments (WEGo)
• Young Persons Guarantee Equalities Subgroup
• Young Persons Guarantee Employer Advisory Group
• Young Persons Guarantee Implementation Planning Group

Please note these groups will be kept under review.

We will set out our approach to the future electricity market in an Independent Scotland in the forthcoming Net Zero prospectus paper.

All of the employees of the Scottish Government earn above the real Living Wage, with the minimum full-time salary on our pay scales being £22,182 (£11.48 per hour).

For indirectly employed staff, agency workers doing the same grade of work as Scottish Government employees receive the same rates of pay as Scottish Government employees under our pay parity rules, and so are also earning above the real Living Wage as a minimum.

As a condition of Scottish Government procurement terms, employees of contractors working in Scottish Government buildings are paid the real Living Wage and the recent increase to the real Living Wage will be paid with effect from 1 November 2022.

The 2022-23 Autumn Budget Revision, and the associated guide, details how all Barnett Consequentials and other funding movements have been formally allocated to date.

The net funds available for deployment following the conclusion of the Autumn Budget Revision are £94 million. However all of these funds are being held against a number of pressures on the Scottish Government Budget, including the conclusion of some public sector pay agreements and the costs associated with resettlement of Ukrainian refugees.

The Spring Budget Revision will detail the final Scottish Budget allocations, utilising all funding that remains available.