Seòmar agus comataidhean

An Accelerated National Innovation Pathway has been established to standardise and facilitate the adoption of health and care innovations. The Scottish Health Technology Group also supports standardisation by providing robust governance and advice. Digital technologies are required to meet clinical safety standards such as Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) and compliance with MHRA regulations.

Scotland’s first Data Strategy for health and social care will articulate further national principles and deliverables around the ethical use of data. The strategy is due for publication this year

The next evaluation is planned for the end of the current funding cycle (to March 31 2026) and will include all funding that has been allocated from within the Climate Justice Fund. The evaluation will cover whether or not the funding has achieved it’s strategic objectives, and whether the Fund as a whole is continuing to demonstrate best practice in delivering climate justice against the three pillars of justice that were adopted following the previous evaluation.

I can confirm that budget for the Climate Justice Fund is currently expected to be £6m for Financial Year 2023-24 subject to parliamentary approval of the budget.

Architecture and Design Scotland works to help deliver Scottish Ministers’ policies and objectives for the built and natural environment by providing advice, resources and advocacy, and through a programme of projects and initiatives. It does not provide grants or loans to external organisations.

In 2014-15 Architecture and Design Scotland facilitated the Stalled Spaces Scotland project on behalf of Scottish Government which provided funding to local authorities to enable stalled space projects to be delivered with communities. The following table details the local authorities and amounts awarded. Those organisations were required to match fund the award.

This is a question for the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland (RoS). She advises me that, following the impact of the pandemic, RoS has stabilised and started to improve the position this year, in line with the strategy set out in their Corporate Plan .

RoS has committed to clearing the stock of older casework within the duration of the current Corporate Plan. RoS is in fact slightly ahead of target on their strategic objectives and the series of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) used to measure progress. KPI statistics are published quarterly on the RoS website .

The Scottish Government carried out a consultation on the Future of Gaelic and Scots as part of the work to develop the proposed Scottish Languages Bill. As part of the consultation, the Gaelic and Scots Division undertook a variety of public engagement events to ensure views of local communities were reflected. This included attendance at conference run by the authors of the research, The Gaelic Crisis in the Vernacular Community. The responses to the consultation are now being analysed and will help shape any future legislation.

There are currently no plans for the Network Support Grant to end in March 2023. The Network Support Grant replaced both BSOG and emergency COVID support grants from 1 April 2022.

The Network Support Grant Plus was always a temporary fund, designed to further support operators as we emerged from the pandemic, due to the pressure still experienced, and to aid recovery. The Network Support Grant Plus was extended in both July and October, coming to an end in March brings us into line with the end of the funding in England and Wales.

It is important that the support we give transport operators continues to evolve to make sure it remains fit for purpose and is sustainable long term. Support is also provided to bus operators through our concessionary travel schemes which allows free bus travel to all children and young people under 22 as well as disabled people and everyone over 60. We also provide support to operators to decarbonise their bus fleet, assisting them with the purchase of zero emission buses and charging infrastructure through our Scottish Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme and the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund.

The intent of the Network Support Grant is to support the bus network and it is up to operators to use their own commercial judgement and decide which individual routes they run in the open de-regulated market, as established by the Transport Act 1985. Scottish Ministers have no powers to intervene.

Spend on the digital front door will come from the Digital Health and Care budget, which is £99.6m for 2022-23. Further details can be found in the answer to question S6W-13979 on 30 January 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

Total budget allocations for Architecture and Design Scotland since it was established in 2005 are provided in the following table:

Architecture and Design Scotland operates in line with an agreed Framework Document which sets out the basis within which the organisation operates. The Framework Document requires the organisation to produce an Annual Report on its activities and submit accounts to the Scottish Parliament each year. The Framework Document for Architecture and Design Scotland and Annual Reports can be accessed at https://www.ads.org.uk/our-corporate-documents

The relevant Scottish Government Minister meets the Chair of Architecture and Design Scotland annually to discuss the efficacy and operations of the NDPB. Monitoring of the efficacy of the organisation also takes place via regular meetings between Scottish Government officials and the senior leadership of Architecture and Design Scotland. Scottish Government’s Chief Planner meets annually with the Chair and Chief Executive of Architecture and Design Scotland and the Scottish Government’s Chief Architect meets with the Chief Executive on a 6 weekly basis. Scottish Government officials conduct monitoring and liaison meetings with Architecture and Design Scotland on a monthly basis to discuss the operations and efficacy of the NDPB.