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The Fair Fares Review is progressing well, with work underway with stakeholders and delivery partners to explore the challenges and opportunities facing our public transport system. Also, developing and assessing potential options for change that ensure a sustainable and integrated approach to public transport fares that supports the long term viability of public transport in Scotland. This work will be supported by a broader programme of public engagement planned to commence later this summer.

It is vital that the Fair Fares Review is informed by the most robust and up-to-date evidence and accordingly the review will report by the end of this year in order to take cognisance of emerging evidence such as the Year 1 evaluation of the U22 free bus travel scheme and early findings from the removal of the Scotrail peak-time rail fares pilot. This report will recommend a package of measures that can be considered for implementation from 2024-25 onwards that provide opportunities to address the wider issues impacting on the cost and availability of public transport services across all modes of public transport and that will help ensure that the costs of transport are shared more fairly across government, business and society.

Since its first meeting on 17 May 2023, the New Deal for Business Group has been working at pace to examine how the Scottish Government can improve its relationship with businesses and partners to help build a fairer, greener and growing wellbeing economy.

The group, which I co-chair with Dr Poonam Malik of Strathclyde University, has been considering the key areas of a shared awareness of economic conditions and performance; ensuring the best environment to do business; enhanced partnership working and a transition to a wellbeing economy

Today, I am publishing a report on the progress of and the recommendations of the group which can be found here:

https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781835210826

The report has been informed by the work of five subgroups and focusses on regulation, business partnership, Non-Domestic Rates, Wellbeing Economy and Data and Metrics.

The report has been sent to the First Minister for his consideration and we are developing an implementation plan to support the recommendations being taken forward.

I would like to thank all of those who have contributed to the NDBG and its Subgroups, bringing their knowledge and expertise to this important work.

Today I am pleased to announce the launch of the new Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Scotland, in partnership with COSLA.

The Strategy sets out our new long-term shared Vision for Mental Health and Wellbeing in Scotland, which is:

“of a Scotland, free from stigma and inequality, where everyone fulfils their right to achieve the best mental health and wellbeing possible .”

The Strategy is rightly ambitious. It covers all ages and all levels of need, and is built around the three pillars of “Promote, Prevent, Provide”. The Strategy identifies a set of outcomes that illustrate what a high-functioning whole system should look like, and the standard of support that anyone should be entitled to expect when they ask for help for any aspect of their mental health.

The Strategy reflects what we have heard over 18 months of consultation and co-production, with a particular focus on the voices of lived experience and the role of inequalities.

Whilst recognising that specialist services will always be a critical part of the whole system, the Strategy has a particular focus on the principles of prevention and early intervention, with support, care and treatment being delivered in a way that is as local as possible, and only as specialist as necessary. It also focuses on the social determinants and underlying causes of poor mental health, including inequalities. As well as being published jointly with COSLA, it is a cross-Government Strategy.

The accompanying Delivery Plan and Workforce Action Plan will both be agreed with stakeholders, and will be published in Autumn 2023. I will seek to secure a slot for a Ministerial statement at that stage to ensure that all members can contribute to a discussion on the full package of Strategy and Delivery Plans.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781805259275

Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy Executive Summary: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781805259282 .

I met with the Law Society of Scotland to discuss the Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill on 24 May 2023.

The Scottish Government continues to engage with the Law Society and is committed to continue engagement with stakeholders representing both consumer and legal perspectives as the Bill proceeds through Parliament.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on how many adult social care workers are not currently receiving the adult social care workers minimum pay, broken down by sector.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19223 on 28 June 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

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the administrative, management and other operating costs of each Integration Joint Board.

The Scottish Government receives quarterly financial reporting from IJBs which includes information regarding funding and expenditure. This exercise began in 2018 and no data collection was performed by the Scottish Government in respect of IJB funding or expenditure prior to this. The reports consolidate information already in the public domain as published by individual IJBs, and are published on the Scottish Government website. They can be found here: NHS Scotland and Integration Authorities consolidated financial reporting: 2020-2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).

Should the information requested not be available from this resource then a direct enquiry should be made with the relevant IJBs.

As well as the full public consultation, the development of the Bill was a result of extensive engagement with key stakeholders including a number of bodies and organisations representing the legal and the consumer perspective.

This engagement informed the consultation proposals and the measures in the Bill aim to provide for a proportionate approach that balances and delivers the key priorities of stakeholders.

To date, the Scottish Government has allocated £2.132 million in support of the Digital Prescribing and Dispensing Pathways programme. The proposed allocation for this current financial year is £2 million.

NHS Scotland’s Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD), launched in 2021, is playing a central role in working with Health Boards to sustainably improve and transform Scotland's health care system through innovation, collaboration and clinical leadership.

Hosted by NHS Golden Jubilee and commissioned by the Scottish Government, CfSD brings together existing transformation programmes with an innovation team to support the rapid rollout of new techniques, innovations and safe, fast and efficient pathways for Scotland’s patients.

From 2021-2023, we invested £8.6 million in CfSD programmes and £7.2 million in core staffing to support the transformation programmes, including:

• The Detect Cancer Early (DCE) Programme
• Clinically led Specialty Delivery Groups (SDGs)
• Once for Scotland pathways including Active Clinical Referral Triage (ACRT), Discharge Patient Initiated Reviews (PIR) and Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS)
• The Accelerated National Innovation Adoption (ANIA) pathway, including Cytosponge and Colon Capsule Endoscopy (CCE)
• The National Green Theatres Programme

The CfSD, which is supported by almost 60 WTE staff, work with experts and patients from across Scotland to ensure that people receive the right care, from the right people, at the right time. It also works with partner organisations on a number of national workforce development programmes, including Accelerating the Development of Enhanced Practitioners. Further details on the CfSD’s work can be found here: The national Centre for Sustainable Delivery (nhscfsd.co.uk)