Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the recent press release dated 22 May 2021 which is available on the Scottish Government website and can be found at www.gov.scot/news/scotlands-response-to-the-covid-19-crisis-in-india/ .

The establishment of the Site Recovery Group was one of the recommendations from the report of the Buchanan and St Ambrose Independent Review, and we welcome the Group's report.

North Lanarkshire Council has assured us that it is taking action as quickly as possible to resolve the issues raised by the Chair within the Group’s report.

As it is the statutory responsibility of local authorities to manage their school estate, any further questions on this matter should be put to the Council directly.

The UK government`s Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is responsible for the delivery of driving tests in Scotland, however the Scottish government works closely with the DVSA to ensure that waiting times to access a driving test are minimised as much as possible. In collaboration with the DVSA we secured delegated authority earlier this year for some transport operators and the emergency services to undertake driving tests for their own staff, thereby reducing the numbers of people awaiting tests at DVSA test centres. In advance of driving tests resuming when Scotland moved to Protection Level 3 on 26 April 2021, we engaged with DVSA on their remobilisation plans and the development of communications materials to ensure that candidates were “test ready” when they presented for a test. We continue to meet regularly with the DVSA to discuss ways in which we can expedite access to driving tests.

In December 2020, the Scottish Government were delighted to announce that Liberton High School would be included within Phase 2 of the £2 billion Learning Estate Investment Programme.

We remain committed to this funding commitment and expect Phase 2 projects, including the replacement for Liberton High School, to be completed by December 2025.

The Scottish Government is supporting Scotland’s Towns Partnership to set up a national platform for a Scotland Loves Local loyalty card scheme. The scheme is a quick and efficient way to encourage local spend, support local business and build wealth in the local economy, helping communities be more resilient, sustainable and economically secure.

The discretionary power to align with European Union legislation provided through the UK Withdrawal from the EU (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021 entered into force on 29 March 2021. Ministers have not yet used this provision, but will do so where appropriate to maintain and advance the high standards Scotland has enjoyed as part of the EU, including but not limited to the areas of environmental protection, animal health and welfare, plant health, equality, non-discrimination and human rights, and social protection.

The Scottish Government recognises the need to tackle our throw-away culture, which includes so-called ‘fast fashion’. For example, the Revolve Programme run by Zero Waste Scotland already seeks to raise awareness of the benefits of responsible consumption by promoting the environmental benefits of second-hand over new clothing purchases, as well as directing consumers to the network of over 100 certified stores: What is Revolve? | The first choice for second-hand shopping (zerowastescotland.org.uk) .

SEPA has identified that Textiles and Apparel Manufacture will be the subject of a forthcoming Sector Plan. This will set out how SEPA will regulate and engage with the industry to tackle and reduce the environmental impacts from the textile sector: Plans in development | Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) .

The Scottish Government is committed to bringing forward a Circular Economy Bill to advance Scotland's ambitions to promote an economy where materials remain in use for as long as possible, rather than being thrown away, and to establish a fund based on the success of the Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund for innovation in tackling textile pollution and throw-away culture.

The Mental Welfare Commission (MWC) report did not take account of the testing status of patients discharged from hospital. During the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic concerns were raised that people who were in hospital and lacked capacity may have been moved from hospital to care homes without full understanding of the legal requirements to ensure rights are upheld, and the move to care was lawful. This report details the findings of their investigation into these specific concerns.

The report concluded that some people had been moved without the appropriate legal authority, for example a Power of Attorney or Welfare Guardian. You can access the full report on the MWC website at https://www.mwcscot.org.uk/news/moves-hospitals-care-homes-during-pandemic-new-report-finds-wider-concerns-over-adherence-law .

The Scottish Government was first made aware that some people had been moved from hospital without the appropriate legal authority when we received the Mental Welfare Commissions draft report in April 2021.

Regarding the testing status of patients discharged to care homes, as stated in Parliament on 4 November 2020 by the then Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, prior to the Sunday Post publishing their FOI, neither Scottish Ministers nor Government officials had information on the results of covid-19 tests prior to discharge, or where these patients were discharged. The Cabinet Secretary commissioned Public Health Scotland to carry out work to identify and report on discharges from NHS Hospitals to care homes during the first wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic. This report is available on the Public Health Scotland website at https://beta.isdscotland.org/find-publications-and-data/population-health/covid-19/discharges-from-nhsscotland-hospitals-to-care-homes/.

Wind and weather information in respect of the Queensferry Crossing and the Forth Road Bridge are published on a daily basis at https://www.theforthbridges.org/plan-your-journey/wind-and-weather/ . Historical records are available on request at enquiries@bearscotland.co.uk .

Restrictions on care home visiting have been challenging during the pandemic for residents, their families and staff.

On 20 February, the then Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport announced the publication of new guidance setting out an expectation that providers put in place arrangements to enable regular visits to resume from early March, having undertaken necessary planning and risk assessment. This guidance, ‘Open with Care: resuming meaningful contact with care home residents’ was published on 24 February: Open with Care - supporting meaningful contact in care homes: guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

In addition to its focus on the reintroduction of indoor meaningful contact, the guidance also recommends that outdoor visits, including garden and window visits, are supported by care homes. Outdoor visits should not be viewed as replacements to or substitutes for indoor visiting.

Outdoor visits (including window visits) can take place either within or outside the care home grounds. Care homes can increase the frequency and duration of visits away from the care home as they assess it is safe to do so, taking advice from local oversight arrangements as necessary. Those meeting up with residents outdoors do not need to be the same two designated visitors as for indoor visits. As outlined in Section 5.1 of the Open with Care guidance, limits on group sizes should be in line with national Covid-19 restrictions for the general public.

On 17 May 2021, the Scottish Government published additional guidance on outings: ‘ Open with Care: activities and outings away from the care home ’ .

The general principle of the guidance is that, when a resident wishes to go on outings away from the care home, the presumption should be that these should take place in line with general population COVID-19 restrictions/ permissions relevant to the local area, unless there is clear evidence justifying a more restrictive approach.

Outings away from the care home will, for many, be a significant positive change. However, we must not become complacent. Outings must be carefully planned, taking account of individual needs, preferences and local conditions. Local oversight teams play a key role in supporting care homes to facilitate safe outings.

Support for essential visits is unaffected, which should always be compassionately and generously enabled by care homes when needed.

The Open With Care National Oversight Group is monitoring implementation of the guidance, identifying any additional support that might be required, and will report on progress in early June.