Seòmar agus comataidhean

We continue to engage in international developments in relation to COVID-19, including guidance on the issue of vaccine certification, for those who have received both doses of the vaccine. These discussions are led by the World Health Organisation and include consideration of technical details, ethical and equality issues, and privacy standards. The outcome of those discussions will guide our work in this area.

Work at 4 nations level has started to scope and develop a technical solution to allow secure, authenticated access to Covid vaccination status. This is to ensure technology is not the limiting factor should the work underway indicate it would be appropriate to introduce certification at the right time.

We will continue to keep vaccine certification and guidance under review as further evidence around vaccines and immunity emerges. We regularly review our international travel regulations and will continue to do so in light of developments on vaccine certification.

The Scottish Government guarantee provides for timely payment of fixed amounts of income due quarterly under a power purchase agreement between the smelter and Simec Lochaber Hydropower Limited. The Lochaber guarantee does not require the Scottish Government to buy electricity.

The Covid-19 Infection Survey is a UK wide survey which uses PCR testing to estimate the number and proportion of people in each of the four nations of the UK that would have tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the community, regardless of whether they report symptoms. This survey is run by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the University of Oxford on behalf of the Scottish Government.

ONS launched a new Covid-19 Infection Survey question on long COVID, which at each monthly visit will ask respondents who previously tested positive for COVID-19 whether they are still experiencing symptoms, and the extent to which these symptoms are impacting on their day-to-day activities. The question also includes an expanded list of 21 symptoms, including some pertaining to mental health.

This new question will enable ONS to derive a direct estimate of the prevalence of self-reported long COVID for each of the four nations, according to duration and severity, as a follow up to the previously published data for England. The provisional publication date for this analysis is 1 April.

A consultation on a draft new air quality strategy for Scotland, which included several proposed actions relating to domestic fuels, concluded on 22 January 2021. The strategy will be finalised, taking into account consultation responses, and published later in the year.

The Scottish Government's draft new air quality strategy includes a proposal to restrict the sulphur content of all smokeless fuels to 2%. A consultation on the draft strategy closed on 22 January 2021. The strategy will now be finalised, taking into account consultation responses, and published later in the year.

The Scottish Government's policy framework for reducing air pollution levels, including PM2.5, is set out in the Cleaner Air for Scotland strategy. Following an independent review of Cleaner Air for Scotland which identified priorities for additional action, a consultation was undertaken on a draft new air quality strategy which concluded on 22 January 2021. The final strategy, taking into account consultation responses, will be published later in the year.

Prior to the development of the new Higher, a national survey was undertaken to identify the purpose and content that teachers and other stakeholders believed were necessary in such a course. The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) worked with practising teachers and lecturers, academics and industry specialists to develop the new Higher, to ensure it is fit for purpose and develops the mathematical and statistical skills needed for life, employment and further study.

In recognition of the need to support teachers implementing the new course, the Scottish Government is funding Scholar to provide online resources to support the Applications of Mathematics courses at National 5 and Higher from 2021-22. The SQA is developing resources, including additional question papers and exemplar coursework, and is working with Education Scotland and the University of Strathclyde to support the roll out of the qualification.

The University of Strathclyde secured funding from the Scottish Funding Council to develop and provide online courses to upskill teachers in statistics and mathematical modelling to enable them to be well prepared to deliver the new Higher. A significant number of teachers have successfully completed these online courses. In addition, information has been made available to teachers through events such as the Scottish Mathematical Council’s annual conference. The most recent online conference, held on 6 March, had almost 1000 participants, with 130 attending the SQA session on the new Higher course.

The Scottish Government is funding Scholar to provide online resources to support the Applications of Mathematics courses at National 5 and Higher level from 2021-22. The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is developing resources, including additional question papers and exemplar coursework, and are working with Education Scotland and the University of Strathclyde to support teachers with the roll out of the qualification.

The University of Strathclyde secured funding from the Scottish Funding Council to develop and provide online courses to upskill teachers in statistics and mathematical modelling to enable them to be well prepared to deliver the new Higher. A significant number of teachers have successfully completed these online courses. In addition, information has been made available to teachers through events such as the Scottish Mathematical Council’s Annual Conference. The most recent online conference, held on 6 March, had almost 1000 participants, with 130 attending the SQA session on the new Higher course.

The new Higher Applications of Mathematics course is designed to get more young people studying mathematics and developing the skills they need for modern citizenry, such as statistical literacy, financial literacy and being able to use technology to solve problems and inform decision making.

The course has been in development for more than two years and the specification and specimen assessment materials were made available at the start of the current session for first teaching in 2021-22. An additional specimen paper and sample coursework will be made available in June 2021.

There is considerable interest in, and appetite for the new Higher, and there is no intention to delay the introduction of the course.

There are no plans to provide guidance on this specific point. The existing schools guidance available at: Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on schools reopening - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) provides a range of information on preparing for and implementing the return to in-school learning. Schools and local authorities are best placed to make decisions on appropriate arrangements for individual learners during the return to school and beyond.