Seòmar agus comataidhean

Rainforest expansion and restoration is a key Scottish Government priority. Scottish Forestry manages the Woodland Carbon Code which offers opportunities to expand and restore Scotland’s rainforests in line the Scottish Government’s Interim Principles for Responsible Investment in Natural Capital, which can be found at https://www.gov.scot/publications/interim-principles-for-responsible-investment-in-natural-capital/ .

Whilst there are no imminent plans to commission a report similar to the one for peatland, Scottish Forestry have also just appointed a new Rainforest Action Co-ordinator and one of the tasks is to develop a framework of potential funding sources. Part of that work will be to further encourage private investment where possible, working closely with partners and stakeholders such as the Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest, and commission work as required.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-17922 on 30 May 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

Approaches to measuring green jobs are still under development and as a result estimates on how many green jobs exist differ.

A definition of green jobs was published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in March in 2023 “Green jobs” update, current and upcoming work - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk) . ONS will now develop a detailed framework to underpin this definition, including the identification of appropriate activities (what the definition does and does not cover) and grouping them into useful sub-categories.

In the meantime our focus is on extracting the greatest number of job opportunities linked to the net zero transition, including via grants from the Green Jobs Fund to create new green jobs throughout Scotland and the Just Transition Fund to support people’s jobs and livelihoods in the North East.

The Scottish Government can confirm there are no known shortages of radionuclides involved in bone scans.

Medicines shortages can arise for various reasons such as difficulties with manufacturing or with the supply of raw materials. The production of medicines is complex and highly regulated, and materials and processes must meet rigorous safety and quality standards. While disruptions in medicine supply can occur, they are often short in nature.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-18200 on 1 June 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

As part of the landmark Bute House Agreement between the Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party, we are strengthening our approach to fair work conditionality in public sector grants.

The conditionality will apply to grants awarded across the public sector on or after 1 July 2023 and introduces a requirement to pay at least the real Living Wage to all employees, and provide appropriate channels for effective voice.

Limited exceptions may apply to ensure the conditions remain proportionate, and our Fair Work First guidance provides further detail on this. The conditionality does not apply retrospectively to public sector grants awarded before 1 July 2023, and will apply to recipients of eligible agriculture grants awarded on or after 1 April 2024.

The Scottish Government expects public sector grants awarded before 1 July 2023 which involve multi-year funding to incorporate this conditionality as part of the grant agreement for any subsequent funding years for the project concerned. We have published updated Fair Work First guidance to assist grant recipients and funders with implementing this stronger conditionality.

Where trade unions are recognised, evidence of the collective element of effective voice will be their recognition agreement. We expect in such cases that employer organisations will work with their trade unions to evidence meeting the other aspects of the new requirements and any wider Fair Work First commitments.

Our Fair Work First guidance provides an overview of some acceptable forms of evidence for employers to demonstrate effective voice and real Living Wage conditionality.

Grant recipients are asked, both at the application stage and on conclusion of the grant, to provide a statement confirming they are meeting all the Fair Work First criteria, this should be signed by a trade union representative or a worker representative where there is no formal trade union recognition agreement. It will be for the relevant grant administrator to monitor and ensure compliance, in line with normal grant management practice.

The Scottish Government has invested £5,793,617 on the management and maintenance of the A77 since January 2023. This figure includes all aspects of maintenance including major resurfacing, drainage improvements and routine maintenance activities such as vegetation clearance and grass cutting. It also includes targeted road safety measures, maintenance of bridges and structures and winter service.

Between January 2007 and December 2022, the Scottish Government has invested £64 million in five separate major capital schemes on the A77. These schemes are:

A77 Haggstone Climbing Lane & A77 Glen App Improvements - £18.7m

A77 Park End to Bennane - £5.5m

A77 Symington to Bogend Toll - £10.6m

A77 Maybole Bypass - £29m

There has been no expenditure on these schemes in 2023.

Ground investigations for the slope stability works at A77 Glengall have been completed and initial design work to find a solution for slope stability have been undertaken. Further design work is now ongoing which is currently programmed to conclude in September 2023. Works on the slope will be programmed thereafter depending on the progression of the design adopted.

The Scottish Government aims to ensure that the mental, social and physical needs of all those diagnosed with cancer are considered equal.

In 2022 the Cancer Prehabilitation Implementation Steering Group oversaw the publication of the Psychological Therapies and Support Framework for People Affected by Cancer .

The Framework not only sets out general principles for high quality holistic care, but also incorporates a number of tools that will aid implementation across Scotland. The Framework highlights the four levels of psychological care and support which are supported through expert evidence, and presents two models for implementation that are applicable across sectors, including health, care and the third-sector.

I also refer the member to the question S6W-17800 answered on 18 May 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