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The Scottish Government are currently funding a dedicated resource in NHS Education for Scotland to scope the current skills landscape and identify where earn as you learn programmes could be expanded and where further development work is required with aim of widening the pathways into health and care careers, including in rural and island areas.

We already work collaboratively with professional bodies and higher education institutions (HEI) on the delivery of education programs that can meet the needs of the NHS workforce. Work is underway through the AHP Education and Workforce Policy Review to support the development of alternative delivery models of education such as part time and distance learning.

The Scottish Government are currently funding a dedicated resource in NHS Education for Scotland to scope the current skills landscape and identify where earn as you learn programmes could be expanded and where further development work is required with aim of widening the pathways into health and care careers.

All local authorities are under a statutory duty to ensure their menus comply with the standards set out in The Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2020. What food and drink they choose to include on their menus, including locally sourced, is a matter for each local authority taking into account local needs and preferences.

We encourage local authorities to use local and sustainable produce in school catering, which is supported by the Scotland Excel procurement framework.

The UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021 is one means by which the Scottish Government implements its alignment policy. The section 1(1) power has been used once to introduce secondary legislation, in respect of The Public Water Supplies (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022.

This legislation, laid on 22 December 2022, aligns with the EU Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184 (Recast) on the quality of water for human consumption. This Directive is designed to protect water intended for human consumption (“drinking water”) from source to tap, put in place measures for access to water and drive-up resource efficiency by tackling pollutants at source. This instrument also ensures alignment of health-based standards, as recommended by the World Health Organisation, and enables better reporting of these standards in Scotland.

The Scottish Government will continue to use this power if it is the most appropriate means to deliver alignment and advance important regulatory standards. If this power is used, the Scottish Government will inform parliament through the agreed reporting process.

All local authorities are under a statutory duty to ensure their menus comply with the standards set out in The Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2020. What food and drink they choose to include on their menus, including fresh produce, is a matter for each local authority taking into account local needs and preferences.

In September 2024, the Scottish Government published guidance for schools and education authorities on school uniform and clothing. This was published alongside supporting resources for pupils and parents and carers. The total cost of publication was £2,106.32.

Compliance with the standards set out in the Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2020 is monitored by Education Scotland Health and Nutrition Inspectors as part of their school inspection programme, helping to ensure that children and young people are provided with balanced and nutritious food, drink and meals to support their healthy growth and development.

We have committed to refresh the Supporting Children’s Learning Code of Practice during this parliamentary term. We have been working collaboratively with a range of education partners and policy areas over the past 19 months, to ensure it continues to fully support schools and local authorities to fulfil their duties under the ASL Act. An update on progress was set out in our third progress report, published in November 2024.

In alignment with my response to the Education, Children and Young People Committee, a public consultation will be held in early 2025, providing an opportunity for wider stakeholders with an interest in the Code of Practice to share their views.

The summary report on access to counsellors in secondary schools and children and young people’s community mental health services for the period January to June 2023 has now been published on the Scottish Government website at: Access to counsellors in secondary schools and children and young people’s community mental health services – summary reports - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The Smart, Digital, Integrated Ticketing and Payments Delivery Strategy 2024 was published in August and is available on the Transport Scotland website.

The strategy outlines how the Scottish Government will progress smart and integrated ticketing, including improvements to our national concessionary schemes, such as smart vouchers for ferry concessionary travel and a new Traveline Scotland journey planning service, which launched in September. It also outlines the steps and dependencies required to deliver a national integrated ticketing system.

A new national integrated ticketing system for Scotland is part of the wider work to advance the future of public transport in Scotland, and is being progressed to the timeline as laid out in the strategy roadmap. Delivery of the strategy is supported by the work undertaken by the National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board (NSTAB) which was established in 2023 to advise Scottish Ministers on the strategic direction of smart ticketing in Scotland, including a technological standard. Timescales for delivery are set out in the NSTAB workplan published on the Transport Scotland website.