Seòmar agus comataidhean

I met with the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland on 10 June 2021.

At this introductory meeting we discussed matters of mutual interest, including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill and children and young people’s participation in decision-making.

Green recovery must form a central part of Scotland's emergence from the COVID-19 pandemic. In relation to air quality, the key challenges will be to understand how the air pollution reductions seen during lockdown periods can be maintained long-term and sustainably, and how these changes can benefit the long-term health of the population

On 15 July 2021 the Scottish Government published its new air quality strategy 'Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 - Towards a Better Place for Everyone' (CAFS 2). CAFS 2 sets out a series of actions to deliver further air pollution reductions over the next five years. These actions include work being progressed across Government which will benefit air quality, such as continuing to take forward introduction of Low Emission Zones in Scotland's four largest cities, a £500 million funding commitment to active travel over the next five years, a reduction in motor vehicle kilometres by 20% by 2030 and the ban on the sale of new diesel and petrol cars and vans, also by 2030.

We are also taking forward proposals to control the sale of the most polluting domestic fuels, produce a code of good agricultural practice for improving air quality in Scotland and develop a public engagement strategy on air quality. At the same time we will ensure that CAFS 2 integrates fully with other Government plans and strategies that have implications for air quality, such as the Climate Change Plan update, the National Transport Strategy 2 and National Planning Framework 4.

Since May 2020 the Scottish Government has published 3-4 week projections of infections, hospital and ICU occupancy in its weekly publication Modelling the Epidemicin Scotland Coronavirus (COVID-19): modelling the epidemic - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . It is published each Thursday at 5.30pm. These projections take account of the uncertainty in transmission rates, and indicate the variability as to whether infections will increase, remain level or reduce in coming weeks.

The number of new cases has been increasing over the last week. The estimate of R has increased and now spans one. Hospitalisations have been declining from a peak in mid-July, but have now levelled off. Potential future changes in hospital occupancy and intensive care use depend on both current infection levels and the impact of the relaxations of measures which will take a few weeks to become apparent.

In the publication we have not been projecting the numbers of people expected to die with Covid 19 in recent weeks. The number of daily deaths has fallen to very low levels, too low to produce accurate projections.

The Scottish Government remains committed to offering Covid vaccination to everyone who is eligible. We continue to do so in line with clinical advice.

Following the JCVI’s latest advice on the vaccination of younger people we are now inviting all 16 and 17 year olds to come forward for first dose.

Sixteen or 17 years olds have been able to self-register for an appointment at: https://www.nhsinform.scot/vaccineregistration since 6 August and have been able to attend mainland drop in vaccination clinics from 10 August. They can only be able to attend clinics offering Pfizer, as this is the only vaccine currently licenced for use in the under-18 age group.

Please find the requested information set out in the following table.

The new contract will see the continued provision of online assessments for children and young people in P1, P4, P7 and S3. The Specification of Requirements published as part of the Invitation to Tender identified the areas in which continuity of provision is required (general assessment principles, presentation policy and coverage; reports coverage; training coverage; branding), and highlighted some areas around which enhancements were sought. The primary difference between the phase 1 contracts and the phase 2 contract is that rather than continuing to deliver two online systems through two separate contracts, phase two will see the establishment of a single assessment platform, which will provide access to both the Scottish National Standardised Assessments (SNSA) and their Gaelic Medium Education equivalents, the Measaidhean Coitcheann Niseanta airson Foghlam tron Ghidhlig (MCNG).

The Scottish Government is in discussion with key stakeholders involved in the provision of swimming lessons and water safety education. We recognise the importance of swimming lessons in helping to build water confidence and learning to be safe in and around water, as well as the benefits swimming provides to physical and mental health. We would encourage parents/guardians to contact their local swimming lesson provider to discuss when their children are able to attend lessons.

The Scottish Genetic Laboratory Consortium is commissioned by NHS Services Scotland National Services Division (NSD) through four Laboratory sites in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow.

Genetic services are a matter for NSD and local Health Boards therefore the information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

However we can advise that the Scottish Genetic Laboratory Consortium use a number of testing methodologies for accurate tumour profiling.

Next generation sequencing (NGS) for the most common cancers is now available across all four Scottish Consortium Laboratory sites. The application of NGS means that several clinically important genetic variants can be tested for simultaneously. Such testing expedites rapid and accurate diagnosis of the particular cancer and informs the most appropriate treatment for patients based on the genetic profile of their tumour which can also be referred to as Precision Medicine.

NGS testing is being delivered by the Consortium laboratories for colorectal cancer, lung cancer and melanoma as well as a number of less common solid tumours.

Since May 2021 we have a system in place through NHS Inform to provide people with a record of their vaccination status if they need this for international travel. Scottish residents who want to demonstrate their vaccination status can request a certificate through NHS Inform before they travel. This can take up to 14 days, but current turnaround is typically 2-3 days.

It remains the case that if people are returning from an amber list country and are not fully vaccinated in accordance with the exemption, they must self-isolate for 10 days at their accommodation in Scotland and must book a day 2 and day 8 testing package , prior to departure. Details of this can be found at the link below.

It also remains the case that if people they are returning from a red list country they should follow the managed isolation guidance as set out on:

Coronavirus (COVID-19): international travel and managed isolation (quarantine) - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

People need to be aware that countries may move between the red, amber or green list country at short notice. They are advised that they should not assume that a country on the green, amber or red list now will remain on the same list over the weeks and months ahead.