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In addition to the meetings I had with Colleges Scotland and Universities Scotland soon after becoming Minister, the Scottish Government has engaged extensively with further and higher education institutions, trade unions representing members in these sectors – including the Education Institute of Scotland, the University and College Union Scotland, Unite, and Unison – and the National Union of Students through the Covid Recovery Group, which I Chair. The minutes of the Covid Recovery Group are available on the Scottish Government website at this link: Coronavirus (COVID-19): Advanced Learning Recovery Group - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

This group has worked collaboratively to develop the Beyond Level 0 guidance, which includes guidance on face coverings, to help support students, staff and institutions prepare for the academic year. This guidance was published on 15 July, and is subject to periodic review to account for developments relating to alleviating the harms of the virus, and the latest expert and legal advice as that evolves.

It is consistent with, and where necessary, builds upon, the measures identified within our Strategic Framework and put in place for broader society.

Outwith the Covid Recovery Group, I have met individually with all the Trade Unions and the principals of all colleges and universities since taking up post as Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training. Our Colleges and Universities are at the heart of our recovery and I am committed to working in partnership with Colleges, Universities and Trade Unions to achieve this.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02895 on 23 September 2021. 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 information requested by Mr Briggs MSP is readily available on the SSSC website, and a detailed breakdown by local authority can be obtained directly from the official source.

Every year in August, the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) publishes the ‘Scottish Social Service Sector: Report on 2020 Workforce Data’. This year's edition was the 10th set of official statistics. Official figures, therefore, only go back to 2011.

According to the most recent data, published in August this year, as of December 2020, there were 6,049 social workers employed in local authorities, the highest number recorded, representing a 1.5% increase since the previous year, 2019, or a 6% increase since 2011.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the development of skills to realise the full potential of our screen sector. As set out in the Programme for Government 2021-22, working with Screen Scotland through its partnership with the skills agencies, we will continue to increase skills provision across the sector, including through increasing training and apprenticeship placements. Work is already underway to deliver training targeted at areas of skills needs. This includes two programmes backed by £426,500 from the Scottish Government’s National Transition Training Fund, one which supported trainees learning new skills in production and a second offering training in animation, visual special effects and production accountancy.

In their most recent CAMHS Waiting Times Data Quality Report, Public Health Scotland published that NHS Grampian are experiencing challenges reporting on “did not attend appointment” (DNA) due to the functionality of their current patient management system and database. Work is ongoing to rectify this and NHS Grampian anticipate that they will be able to provide this to Public Health Scotland by the end of 2021 when they expect to have transitioned to their new patient management system.

https://publichealthscotland.scot/media/8867/data-quality.pdf

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02895 on 23 September 2021. 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 .

Our shared policy programme with the Scottish Green Party recognises the important role that community housing trusts play in supporting our remote, rural and island communities and the delivery of more affordable homes in these areas. We will work with these organisations to achieve this aim, including through the availability of Scottish Government operated funds, for the continuation of their important work.

The Scottish Government unequivocally condemns all forms of hatred or prejudice, including anti-Irish racism, and understands the impact that recent events will have had on Irish communities in Scotland. There is no excuse – it is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Scotland is a diverse, multi-cultural society and this diversity strengthens us as a nation. That is why we are determined to tackle all forms of prejudice and discrimination.

We continue to work with Police Scotland who monitor the situation on reported hate crimes and hate incidents closely. The Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans also meets fortnightly with the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, where a number of matters are discussed.

Additionally the Scottish Government meets regularly with faith and belief organisations and consults with organisations representing the Irish-Scottish community. We are continuing to consider further engagement with representatives of communities impacted by recent events to provide reassurance that the Scottish Government take all forms of hate crime and bigotry seriously.

The Scottish Government published guidance in August 2020 setting out the circumstances under which additional grant support requests would be considered for projects contractually awarded prior to the March 2020 lockdown and which were as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional grant support through this route from the Affordable Housing Supply Programme is discretionary and is dependent on the circumstances of the individual organisation, development and the contractual arrangements.

An assessment of applications can only conclude when all the appropriate evidence has been supplied to support the request for additional funding. In the case of a request for support in Dumfries and Galloway, the Scottish Government recently received sufficient evidence to determine the claim and the Housing Association has now been informed of the outcome of that assessment .

The amount spent by each local authority in each year since 1999 on energy efficiency for homes is a matter for individual local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.