Seòmar agus comataidhean

The First Minister will chair the Investor Panel and has appointed Angus Macpherson, CEO, Noble & Co as co-Chair. Ministers and officials have been working closely with Mr Macpherson to identify suitable Panel members with the knowledge, experience and expertise in global capital investment markets and green finance to drive this work forward. The first meeting of the Panel will take place on‎ 12 December.

The Panel’s primary focus will be on attracting capital investment to the physical infrastructure required for a just transition and to provide advice on how we can create the right conditions to attract private investment to support policy objectives.

The amended final Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) for Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), published on 22 December 2021, gave our assessment of the impact of DRS on online sales. The BRIA is available here; see paragraphs 215-218:

https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/impact-assessment/2021/12/deposit-return-scheme-scotland-final-business-regulatory-impact-assessment/documents/deposit-return-scheme-scotland-final-business-regulatory-impact-assessment-bria/deposit-return-scheme-scotland-final-business-regulatory-impact-assessment-bria/govscot%3Adocument/deposit-return-scheme-scotland-final-business-regulatory-impact-assessment-bria.pdf

As stated in the response to S6W-12236 on 1 December 2022, we are considering measures to address concerns that have been raised by industry, including representatives of the food delivery industry, regarding the obligation to provide a takeback service for scheme articles sold online under DRS.

Customers buying drinks through online sales do not have to use the takeback service provided and can return their empty containers to any return point.

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 are taking the capacity issues at Dargavel Primary School very seriously, and we continue to be in close contact with Renfrewshire Council.

On 30 November, I met with Dargavel Primary Parent Council, Neil Bibby MSP and Natalie Don MSP, and had a constructive discussion about this important matter. Officials will remain in close contact with the Council on this matter going forward.

Scottish Government officials meet regularly with their Welsh Government counterparts sharing best practice, including discussing mobility programmes and ways to maximise participation opportunities for those who need it most. In this context, wider discussion around mobility and exchange, including Taith, take place regularly to ensure both sides collaborate, are up to date and improve efficiency in developing and delivering opportunities for learning and exchange.

Decisions on how the £5 million of loss and damage funding will be allocated are yet to be taken. Decisions will be made on the recommendation of needs assessments and undertaken in consultation with stakeholders and communities. These funds are in addition to the £2 million we announced last year, of which £1.7 million is already on the ground. Funds to date have been allocated through participatory mechanisms with those communities most impacted as well as to funding research on needs assessments and case studies.

Decisions on how we will approach monitoring and judge the efficacy of the recently announced £5 million funding to loss and damage are yet to be taken. Decisions will be undertaken in consultation with stakeholders and communities. In line with the £2 million announced last year that is already being evaluated, we will ensure robust monitoring and evaluation is built in throughout the programme design.

The obligation to provide a takeback service for scheme articles sold online under Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is structured so that retailers can work together to put in place a third-party solution to collect containers; this should minimise the number of additional journeys required.

We are aware that some in industry have been raising concerns on this specific point; this is one factor we are considering as we examine opportunities to streamline the way in which retailers discharge this obligation, as set out in the answer to S6W-12236 on 1 December 2022.

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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-11806 on‎ 15 November 2022. 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 understands that there is normally a GP or practice nurse routinely present at Leadhills Surgery every week. There has recently been reduced presence due to annual leave but patients were able to see a doctor in the main surgery in Moffat if necessary.

In line with the UK Wide DDRB recommendations, Junior Doctors in Scotland have been awarded a 4.5% pay uplift this year, the same position in Wales. Junior Doctors in England did not receive a 4.5% uplift due to agreeing a previous multi-year deal.