Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-18867 on 21 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 .

We will ensure when commissioning any modelling related to greenhouse gas emissions in the resources and waste sector, the role of biogenic carbon is considered, with a view to informing policy decisions.

The Scottish Government and SEFARI (Scottish Environment, Food and Agriculture Research Institutions) are currently establishing a Specialist Advisory Group to look at waste sector greenhouse gas emissions. As part of its work, the group will consider how biogenic carbon is included in future research on waste sector emissions commissioned by the Scottish Government.

Work is underway to look into this issue, and officials are engaging with Healthcare Improvement Scotland and other stakeholders to scope the issues involved and to consider the most appropriate and proportionate next steps. Discussions with first aid providers or the hospitality and events sector have not taken place at this stage.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-18922 on 22 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 has not made a decision to privatise charge points on the ChargePlace Scotland network.

ChargePlace Scotland’s charging assets are owned by over 400 separate organisations across the public, private and third sectors and therefore are not all in public ownership. These organisations are responsible for procurement, maintenance and commercial decisions relating to their own charge point assets.

ChargePlace Scotland is a charge point management service paid for by the Scottish Government under a Framework Agreement to provide back-office, frontline call-handling and fault management functions on behalf of the charge point owners. The current contract to operate the back-office service runs until at least 2025.

As outlined in response to S6W-18910, the R100 commitment comprises of three strands of activity - the R100 contracts, the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (R100 SBVS) and continued commercial build.

The R100 Central and South contracts were awarded in December 2020 with the R100 North contract awarded in December 2021. As a result, build did not commence through the R100 contracts until 2021. The table below provides the number of connections built in each year since 2020 through the R100 contracts.

Organisations providing first aid at events must comply with their responsibilities under general health and safety legislation, which is reserved.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides guidance on how to manage events safely Events health and safety (hse.gov.uk) .

The HSE confirmed that an amendment in 2013 to the Health and safety (First – Aid) Regulations 1981 removed the responsibility of the HSE to approve first aid training providers and qualifications. The (Health and Safety) regulations now require employers to assess the needs for their workplace and ensure that they provide adequate and appropriate first aid to employees who are injured or become ill at work.

The regulations apply to employees only, but are accompanied by guidance strongly recommending that non employees are considered when employers decide on the first aid cover necessary for their workplace.

The Scottish Government has promoted the use of the UK Government and National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) website, “Protect UK”, to all relevant Scottish stakeholders. This website includes guidance on First Aid preparedness for organisations. This was in response to the recommendation outlined in Volume 1 of the Manchester Arena Inquiry to create a central library for guidance and advice that organisations and members of the public could access.

Scottish Government officials are currently undertaking further work and engagement with stakeholders to scope the potential extent of issues raised by unregulated private first aid companies and consider the most appropriate and proportionate next steps.

The Scottish Government is supporting a wider range of broadband providers through the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (R100 SBVS). We are also supporting full fibre providers by enabling access to rates relief on newly laid and lit fibre up until March 2034 – the longest period of fibre rates relief anywhere in the UK.

The R100 programme has not frozen funding, with the R100 SBVS continuing to offer vouchers for up to £5,000 per premises to deliver connections to eligible properties. While the Scottish Government is using the levers available in order to support suppliers, as telecoms is a matter wholly reserved to Westminster, it is for the UK Government to ensure that a supplier of last resort mechanism is in place to protect customers affected by any financial issues a supplier may face.

Of course, our substantial investment in the R100 and S4GI digital infrastructure programmes, as well as the UK Government’s Project Gigabit and the cross-administration Shared Rural Network programme will also ensure that those affected by such issues in future remain able to access high-quality digital connectivity.

There is no register of authorised first aid providers however, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides guidance which sets out steps an employer should take to ensure the training their first aiders receive is adequate and appropriate for the needs of their workplace. The guidance gives examples of the types of training provider the employer might select: Selecting a first-aid training provider: A guide for employers GEIS3 (hse.gov.uk) .

Under Health and Safety legislation, which is reserved, it is the responsibility of the employer to satisfy themselves of the competence of first aiders. HSE provides relevant guidance on first aid provision and on event safety Events health and safety (hse.gov.uk) . The Events Industry Forum’s ‘ purple guide ’ includes example first-aid and medical assessments for an audience at an event.

The Scottish Government will publish the final Purpose and Principles for post-school education, research and skills [the week commencing 26 June DATE TBC].