Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013: statutory guidance states that if a supported person is dissatisfied with their care, their local authority should make the person aware that they can make use of the local authority's complaints procedure.

Supported people, their families and carers have the right to access a simple, timely and accessible formal complaints procedure if they feel they have been unfairly or unreasonably treated, or if they wish to challenge a decision that the local authority has made about their support. Local authority complaints processes therefore must be compliant with the 2013 Act.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving terms and conditions for the adult social care workforce, to support the development of an attractive, sustainable and effective social care sector.

We recognise paying a recurring fee may be challenging for workers in the current financial environment. The Scottish Government is currently considering options to address issues facing Social Care staff, including the payment of SSSC fees. We will update the sector once this work has concluded.

The Scottish Government’s National Innovation Strategy included an action to publish a "comprehensive plan to establish the Scottish higher education system as a world-class hotbed of startup creation and scaling". This plan, the Entrepreneurial Campus, was published in June, shortly after the publication of the Strategy.

To achieve our aims, the Entrepreneurial Campus, sets out actions across a number of themes in collaboration with our excellent further and higher education institutions, underpinned by regional alignment, inclusivity and a guiding framework for change.

As announced in the Strategy, Scottish Universities are developing a Scottish Innovation Fund to invest in early stage start-ups. We are liaising with relevant Universities as they develop the Fund and will work closely with them as they progress their ambitions.

While product safety policy remains reserved, the Scottish Government fully recognises the harm that the misuse of lithium-ion batteries can bring to those using electric micro-mobility vehicles.

I met recently with Electrical Safety First and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to discuss the danger that these batteries can cause.

Raising awareness of the risks associated with lithium-ion batteries is particularly important as e-bikes become more popular. The Scottish Government strongly urges consumers to only buy products from reputable retailers that they know and trust.

It is currently illegal in Scotland to use an e-scooter unless on private property.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-21565 on 4 October 2023. 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

It is inappropriate to comment on live proceedings or speculate on any possible outcomes and how they will be managed. The Scottish Government’s response to any challenges to Scotland’s Low Emission Zones will be considered on a case by case basis.

There were 17,425 all-sector new housebuilding starts during the 12 months to June 2023. We are aware of the global issues affecting construction which are impacting the pace of housing delivery and are working closely with the construction industry and housing partners to mitigate this where possible.

We are pleased that all-sector new housebuilding completions of 23,346 are at their highest annual, year to end June rate, since 2008. This is an increase of 7% (1,481 homes) on last year, as reported on in the latest set of Scottish Government Quarterly Housing Statistics published on 12 September 2023.

In response to feedback from those with lived experience, we have funded the charity, Health in Mind, to establish specialist peer support groups for those affected by historic forced adoption.

The service launched for enquiries in August 2023 and is ready to offer support to mothers, adult adoptees and anyone else impacted by these historic practices. It is person centred, trauma informed and led by those with lived experience. At present, there have not been enough enquiries to create peer support groups. However, peer support is also being offered on an individual basis. Health in Mind, with the guidance of their lived experience advisory group, continue to promote the service and are focusing on the roll out of service information across Scotland.

We encourage people to consider whether this support might be of benefit to them. Further details of the service, volunteer opportunities and the meet the team events are available online: https://health-in-mind.org.uk/how-we-can-help/national-services/historic-adoption-trauma-support-service/

The Verity House Agreement will better enable local and national government to work together to achieve better outcomes for people and communities across Scotland. The Scottish Government will continue to work in partnership with COSLA to agree a more detailed programme of work, a fiscal framework, and an accountabilities and monitoring framework, to underpin the Verity House Agreement in the coming months.

Decisions on future local government finance settlements will be the subject of negotiations with COSLA on behalf of all 32 local authorities and will be announced as part of the outcome of future Scottish Budgets.

The Scottish Government is investing £34.2 million in the North East Glasgow Health and Care Centre in 2023-24, which is part of £66.4 million investment in the centre that covers the period 2019-20 to 2024-25.

A further £6.0 million is being invested across various other primary care capital projects in NHS Highland in 2023-24.

All of the above projects are progressing on time and within budget.