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The Scottish Government appreciates the contribution volunteers make to society. Volunteering at creative and cultural events offers unique opportunities to gain new skills, get experience and to be part of something special. While there are currently no plans to increase the provision of microgrants to support and promote volunteering via Creative Scotland, direct funding to national and local intermediaries supports the national and local volunteering infrastructure. For example, Creative Lives, a Creative Scotland Regularly Funded Organisation, supports volunteer-led and community-focused activity through microgrant schemes. They have worked closely with Creative Scotland to develop Cash for Culture, a fundraising guide for voluntary arts and community-led creative groups seeking funding for activity.

We provide Volunteer Scotland with a core grant of £832,000 (2023-24) and Third Sector Interfaces receive £8,481,200. In addition, the Volunteering Support Fund (£3.3m over 2021-24 period) delivered by Impact Funding Partners on behalf of the Scottish Government, is helping people overcome barriers to volunteering. The funding is for local community grass-roots organisations to support and promote volunteering among a variety of groups who experience disadvantage or barriers to volunteering.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of the Skills Investment Plan for Scotland’s historic environment sector to support our workforce in developing the skills required to manage, protect and conserve our built heritage.

We acknowledge that action delivery from the 2019 plan was impacted by both the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.

The Scottish Government will continue to deliver support for Scotland’s historic environment through sponsorship of Historic Environment Scotland, which is leading on developing the current Skills Investment Plan, building on the lessons learned from previous plans and increasing resource to maximise delivery.

The Scottish Government has a robust process in place for creating, updating and withdrawing COVID-19 guidance. The extended use of face masks and face coverings guidance across health and social care settings was withdrawn on 16 May 2023. This followed advice from Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection (ARHAI) Scotland and Public Health Scotland (PHS) that health and social care settings should revert to the National Infection Prevention and Control Manual and the Care Home Infection Prevention and Control Manual. Both manuals hold personal protective equipment guidance based on clinical need and risk assessment.

ARHAI Scotland and PHS continue to monitor and analyse COVID-19 data, including variants, hospital clusters and deaths. This is considered alongside reviews of the current scientific literature. The Scottish Government regularly reviews this information together with any new emerging evidence. Any change to guidance would consider the epidemiological context and the latest scientific evidence and is continually under review.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-23070 on 4 December 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 .

My officials are continuing work on a detailed review of the policies and operating arrangements that underpin the Home Owners Support Fund (HOSF), including detailed analytical work on property thresholds and allowances that has taken more time to develop than originally anticipated. I now expect this work to be concluded by the end of the current financial year.

The scheme continues to be open, and applications remain steady. We are not seeing additional demand for the programme at this time.

HOSF also continues to sit alongside support for advice services and legal aid for homeowners. We continue to support free welfare, debt and income maximisation advice services with funding of over £12.3 million allocated this year. A further £2.3 million is available, through the Scottish Legal Aid Board, to offer direct assistance and legal representation for people at risk of or facing court action connected to debt related eviction or repossession.

This investment provides households across Scotland with a holistic, multi-channel offering, ensuring they are able to access advice and support in a manner which best suits their needs.

In addition, as part of the UK Government’s Mortgage Charter, announced in June this year, the UK’s largest mortgage lenders and the Financial Conduct Authority agreed a set of standards that they will adopt when helping borrowers worried about higher rates.

Anyone who is concerned about the paying their mortgage should contact their lender as soon as possible.

We have committed to continue consideration of the justification for, and practical operation of, Compulsory Sales Orders in the 2023-24 Programme for Government. Parliament will be informed of the outcome of this work in due course. In the meantime local authorities already have powers to utilise Compulsory Purchase Orders, and we have further committed to reforming and modernising the Compulsory Purchase Order process.

The financial pressures across public services, not just health care, are by far, the most challenging since devolution as a result of rising inflation, and the ongoing impact of Covid and Brexit.

It is therefore necessary to make very challenging decisions, including reprofiling budgets, across Government in order to meet our statutory requirement to deliver a balanced budget.

Our published delivery plan, linked here Care in the Digital Age: Delivery Plan 2023-24 – gov.scot (www.gov.scot), reflects our planned deliverables against the current budget which includes the agreed savings of £11.6m.

The SPCB can confirm that following consultation with MSP staff on training via, a training needs analysis, interviews and engagement forums, a bespoke development programme has been established, specifically for MSP staff. There are a number of training modules open to all MSP staff, covering a variety of development areas and these are all detailed on the intranet pages which all colleagues have access to.  MSP staff can book into and participate in any programme relevant to their role if agreed by their employing MSP. This year the SPCB have listened to what MSP staff colleagues are telling us they need and have therefore made significant investment in training on Mental Health First Aid, Speechwriting, ACAS ‘Training for Managers’ and UK/Scottish Benefits from the £40,000 central budget so far. 

In addition to training offered via the central budget MSP staff can also access additional training that is open to both SPS and MSP staff via our e-learning platform ‘Learning Pool’ and ad hoc online and in person sessions that run throughout the year. 

The SPCB is keen to maximise the central budget to the benefit of all MSP staff and in doing so ensure economies of scale.  Whilst requests for specialist individual training can be made these are considered in the context of the wider MSP staffing group to ensure that equal and fair access to training is offered and that we can offer training that represents value for money and delivers economies of scale. MSPs may also apply to the SPCB direct for reimbursement of the fees or other charges incurred in providing appropriate training for a member of staff.  MSPs wishing to access this provision of the Members’ Expenses Scheme will be assisted to do so by People and Culture staff. 

The SPCB is proud to work with colleagues across all UK and Ireland legislatures to share best practice, innovative ideas, opportunities for shared learning and shared events (e.g., Mental Health Month, Trans and Non-Binary Awareness Week, National Inclusion Week during which seminars and information events are available to all).

The SPCB seeks to ensure that the training opportunities offered to MSP staff in the Scottish Parliament meet both the needs of the individual, their employer and the Parliament as a whole.  It would not be possible to offer the same training as colleagues in the UK Parliament and other UK legislatures as our needs will be different as is the context (training provided to the Scottish Parliament must be considered in the Scottish context within which we operate).  The team that supports MSP staff training regularly conduct reviews of the providers and their content to ensure that quality, effectiveness and value is maintained and where required will seek alternative provision.  The team operates within our procurement guidelines and uses their knowledge and expertise to ensure a quality provider is selected to work with colleagues and maintain our standards in providing relevant, quality training to MSP staff.  

The SPCB can confirm that they are committed to ensuring that all training offered to MSP staff is of the highest quality and that it meets our procurement standards.  As such we will continue to engage with MSP staff to ensure that the training meets their needs and that of their employing MSP.  MSPs and their staff can contact People and Culture colleagues for further support.  Delegates that attend training courses are asked to complete an evaluation form, which is reviewed and acted upon should any issues be raised.

The SPCB will continue to oversee engagement with MSP staff colleagues to review and continually improve our training offering.  We are in the final stages of seeking representation from all groups in order to re-establish the MSP Staff Training Forum, which will provide a mechanism for two-way engagement on training needs and effectiveness.  We will also continue to utilise other feedback mechanisms, including the Caseworker Forum, to ensure that we continue to provide what colleagues need and what represents the greatest return on investment for the Parliament.