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Supporting the recovery and when ready, the sustainable exit, of those with experience of commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) is a key aspect of the recently published principles which will underpin the developing Framework to challenge men’s demand for prostitution, and support those with experience of it.

The Scottish Government funds a range of services aimed to address commercial sexual exploitation and to support those who may be exploited through it. This includes £700,000, over two years, through the Delivering Equally Safe (DES) Fund to projects tackling commercial sexual exploitation, where the support available can include advice on employment and support to exit CSE. The DES fund also supports the CSE Aware project, which aims to improve awareness within the public and third sector of the support needs which those with experience of CSE may have.

In addition, as part of expanding the reach of Fair Start Scotland, Scottish Government’s devolved employability support service, an employability project is being delivered to support women exit CSE by offering tailored and holistic support, identifying and removing barriers.

Through our Victim Centred Approach Fund we are also providing the Trafficking Awareness Raising Alliance with £622,000 per annum over a three-year period, to provide support and assistance to women who have been trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation.

Commercial sexual exploitation is recognised as a form of gendered violence within Equally Safe: Scotland’s strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls.

The law in Scotland prohibits many activities associated with prostitution, including: trading in the prostitution of others and running a brothel, procuring for the purposes of prostitution as well as publicly soliciting or loitering for the purpose of purchasing sex. No one can lawfully be forced into sexual activity without their consent. Trading in the prostitution of others and procuring for the purposes of prostitution are still offences whether or not they are committed online. The Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act 2015 gives police and prosecutors greater powers to detect and bring to justice those responsible for trafficking as well as strengthening protections for survivors.

The Programme for Government includes a commitment to develop a model for Scotland which effectively tackles and challenges men’s demand for prostitution. This is being taken forward through the development of a Framework to challenge men’s demand for prostitution and support those with experience of it.

Principles to underpin the Framework were published in December 2022. It is expected that the principles will inform relevant policy and practice across government and the wider public sector. The principles reinforce that there is no place for the commercial sexual exploitation of any individual in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is working in partnership with local authorities, third sector organisations and UK colleagues to assess and mitigate any safeguarding concerns, including the risk of human trafficking relating to displaced people from Ukraine.

This includes chairing a Trafficking and Exploitation Strategy Ukraine sub-group which comprises key operational partners and frontline support services and enables the sharing of trafficking specific information, assessment of ongoing risk and the elevation of any concerns to the Ukraine Safeguarding Strategy Group.

Police Scotland instigated Operation Escarpment to effectively manage and coordinate the required policing response in Scotland. This included human trafficking threat assessments for the Ukrainian diaspora and those arriving who may be vulnerable to exploitation. Potential trafficking and exploitation of displaced people from Ukraine continues to be actively monitored.

The Social Care Staff Support Fund is available for social care staff who are absent from work due to having covid-19, or self-isolating in line with public health guidance, to support and encourage infection prevention and control in social care settings.

Scottish Ministers strongly encourage employers to access the Fund on behalf of any staff member who meets all of the eligibility criteria.

The guidance on the Fund includes routes of recourse for any social care worker who has not received support from the Fund that they believe they are entitled to.

Local Authority and Health and Social Care Partnerships will have their own internal and governance processes in place and must adhere to their duties in relation to accounting for public funds. This includes ensuring that payments for additional costs are made in line with the Social Care Staff Support Fund Guidance.

Unlawful deduction of wages is completely unacceptable and any employees in this situation should seek advice.

Employment law is reserved to the UK Government, and HMRC are the enforcement body for non-payment of wages. The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS), provides information and advice on workplace rights and entitlements. Anyone can get free and impartial advice from calling the ACAS helpline number on 0300 123 1100. Alternatively there is help online at: https://www.acas.org.uk/

Scottish Ministers cannot intervene in disputes between employers and their staff, however I would be grateful if there is any information on this matter that you could share with my office.

All care homes in Scotland are required to be registered with the Care Inspectorate. The Care Inspectorate register can be searched by provider here: https://www.careinspectorate.com/index.php/care-services.

Data regarding funding given to individual care homes is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. Neither is it held by the Care Inspectorate or Public Health Scotland.

Local authorities and integrated health & social care partnerships are responsible for commissioning services for people in their area. It is the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them, including any public funding for care homes, on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.

I refer the member to the answer to questions S6W-13962 and S6W-13990 on 31 January 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

Scotland’s Digital Health and Care Strategy sets out a commitment to “work with partners to ensure patients and residents of health and care services have full access to free wi-fi, both bedside and in public areas within healthcare settings”.

As mentioned in answer to question S6W-13982 on 31 January 2023 a number of programmes being taken forward in Scotland that support the use of asynchronous communication. Whilst it is therefore not possible to give an exact figure related to asynchronous communication only, since the publication of the Digital Health & Care Strategy in October 2021 to December 2022, the Sottish Government has invested around £2 million in relevant systems.

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 latest trunk road Network Management Contracts (NMCs) in the two northern units commenced on 16 th August 2022. Both contracts are contracted to run for a minimum eight years and include the trunk roads in the Highlands and Islands. The focus on the new contracts strives for increased quality and innovation which delivers best winter practice in Scotland, serving communities and businesses by operating a safe and efficient network. Overall, from a winter service perspective, there have been significant changes delivered by the NMC contracts. These include enhancing our operational responses during snow events with a particular focus on vulnerable locations, extension of patrol routes as well as a proactive approach in treating our footways. To provide a joined-up approach where trunk road and local authority footpaths intersect, our Operating Companies consult with each respective local authority to agree levels of service provided.

Defects on roads, including potholes, can appear as the result of a number of factors, and it is up to roads authorities to maintain roads that they are responsible for. On the trunk road network, the Operating Companies are required to complete regular safety inspections and safety patrols. Their inspection teams are on the network to identify defects, including potholes, prioritise them based on the potential risk to road safety and where possible repair them or call for back-up.

While specific winter plans sit with Scotland’s Railway delivery partners (Network Rail, ScotRail, and other train and freight operators) Transport Scotland continue to engage with the industry to ensure plans are developed and delivered as required.

Established in 2001; led and managed by Scottish Enterprise, GlobalScot is a worldwide network of business professionals, entrepreneurs, business leaders and community figureheads, who have a connection to Scotland and work voluntarily to help the wider Scottish business community thrive internationally by providing market intelligence, connections and mentorship. They also act as advisors and advocates in promoting Scotland as a place to live, work, invest and study. GlobalScots were vital in the development of the National Strategy for Economic Transformation, and Sector Export Plans as well as in supporting the delivery of Scotland’s Inward Investment Plan.

As, this is an operational matter for the Scottish Enterprise, who administers the GlobalScot network. I have asked their Chief Executive to respond.

All Ministerial engagements and travel information (including costs) are proactively released 3 months in arrears and available here Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scottish Government officials make provisional overseas travel plans as part of official government business diary management and planning for Ministers. Until the date of the visit, these are provisional and contingent on Parliamentary Business and other commitments and issues arising.