Friday 04 September 2020

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT

Economy

Colin Smyth (South ) (): To ask the Scottish Government what targets are in place for native woodland planting, and whether it plans to replace those set out in the 2020 Challenge for Scotland's Biodiversity. (S5W-31108) : The current native woodland planting target is 3,000 - 5,000 hectares a year in the 2020 challenge for Scotland’s Biodiversity. The target will be reviewed in line with the new Biodiversity Strategy.

In the period since April 2017, over 4,000 hectares a year of new native woodland has been created.

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government how much it committed at the COP21 summit in 2015 in Paris to allocate (a) annually and (b) in total by 2021 to its (i) Climate Challenge Fund Malawi and (ii) Climate Justice Innovation Fund; how this compares with the actual amount allocated each year, and whether it is on course to achieve the overall target. (S5W-31443) Roseanna Cunningham: At the UN Climate Conference - COP21 - in Paris in December 2015 the First Minister committed a total of £12 million over the following four years to be spent through the Climate Justice Fund.

That commitment has been exceeded.

The Climate Justice Fund currently operates through three major programmes:

• The Climate Challenge Programme Malawi (CCPM) (2017-present) • The Climate Justice Innovation Fund (CJIF) (2017-present) • The Water Futures Programme (2012-present)

Total spend on Climate Justice Programmes 2016-20:

Other Climate Financial Water CCPM CJIF Justice Grant Total Year Futures Funding 2016-17 £1,027,906 - - £1,865,000 £2,892,906 2017-18 £1,850,054 £61,382 £173,341 £911,277 £2,996,054 2018-19 £1,731,121 £1,026,167 £469,764 £433,069 £3,660,121 2019-20 £1,300,423 £1,403,414 £532,434 £45,000 £3,281,271 Totals £5,909,504 £2,490,963 £1,175,539 £3,254,346 £12,830,352

Education, Communities and Justice

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government what criteria will be in place for holiday clubs that plan to open during the October 2020 school holidays. (S5W-31339) : Holiday clubs may be delivered by either regulated childcare providers or by sports or activity providers.

If the club is providing regulated childcare, they will require to follow the guidance published for reopening school age childcare or early learning and childcare services (depending on the age group).

If they are providing an activity which takes place outdoors they will be able to operate if they:

• are providing organised children's sporting activity and can operate within the guidance from their regulated body of sport; or

• are providing a community learning and development service, such as youth work, and are able to operate within the guidance for this sector ; or

• are providing organised outdoor play activity in line with the existing public health guidance for meeting outdoors (observing rules around number of households and maximum number of people)

If they are providing an organised indoor activity for children they should follow the guidance published .

Beatrice Wishart ( Islands) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government when the revised plans for the 2020-21 exam season will be (a) confirmed and (b) announced by the Education Recovery Group. (S5W-31359) John Swinney: We are taking action to prepare arrangements for the assessment of national qualifications in 2021. The Scottish Qualifications Authority has consulted on potential modifications to qualifications and the 2021 exam timetable. The responses to these consultations are currently being considered and a decision will be announced as soon as possible following that.

Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government what information it received about the tolerable range that was employed by the SQA ahead of the exam results moderation. (S5W-31360) John Swinney: I commissioned the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) to develop an alternative approach to certification in the absence of the 2020 exam diet, consistent with their role as an independent awarding body. I was informed of the moderation outcome on 30 July 2020.

Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government what information it received regarding proposals to moderate exam results ahead of the proposed results being shared on 30 July 2020, and whether it will place copies of this in the Information Centre (SPICe). (S5W-31361) John Swinney: I was briefed on the alternative certification model when the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) published their outline approach, and I received a verbal briefing on 30 July on the detail of the process.

Professor Mark Priestley is already looking at the events leading up the SQA awards on 4 August. The review will be provided with correspondence between the SQA and myself. Professor Priestley will provide a report on his findings in September.

Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government what information regarding moderated exam results was shared with (a) the Education Recovery Group and (b) other stakeholders ahead of the initial release of the results. (S5W-31362) John Swinney: I confirm that detailed information relating to the moderation outcome was not shared with either the Education Recovery Group or other stakeholders in advance of publication of the Scottish Qualifications Authority results on 4 August. This is consistent with the treatment of exam results and awarding methodology employed in previous years.

Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government on what date it was made aware of the difference in exam moderation rates in different areas of affluence, and whether it will place a copy of the notification in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe). (S5W-31363) John Swinney: I was informed of the broad outcomes from the 2020 SQA national qualifications on 30 July.

Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government what discussions and/or correspondence it had with the SQA after it was informed about the outcome of the moderated exam results, and whether it will place details of this in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe). (S5W-31364) John Swinney: Under the Education (Scotland) Act 1996, I directed the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) to reverse all downgraded results to the original teacher estimates and to retain those results which were upgraded by SQA as set out in my statement to Parliament on 11 August.

Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government whether it planned to use a similar system of moderation for the 2020-21 exams before it announced that “details will be provided separately before schools return on 11 August, regarding the approach for the assessment of national qualifications for the 2020-21 session”. (S5W-31365) John Swinney: The Education Recovery Group, which I chair, is continuing to consider the recovery phase of the education system, including delivery of the assessment of national qualifications in 2020-2021.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority recently consulted on potential modifications to qualifications and the 2021 exam timetable and the outcomes will be published as soon as possible.

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government for what reason children are allowed to interact outwith a set social bubble in large outdoor gatherings but unable to do so when at school. (S5W-31411) John Swinney: Guidance on school reopening has been informed by the advice of the Advisory Sub-Group on Education and Children’s Issues, and developed in partnership with the Education Recovery Group. It sets out a range of important mitigations to allow schools to reopen safely and minimise risks for pupils and staff.

There are sound reasons for approaches to physical distancing and group gatherings to vary in different contexts, including the drawing of judgements about cumulative risk across the whole of society and the features of distinct environments.

In the school environment there is the potential for significantly larger numbers of children and young people to come together and mix on a daily basis than is normally the case in wider society. Our guidance on school reopening makes clear that, by keeping children and young people in consistent groups in the school environment wherever possible, the risks of direct transmission are reduced, and there can be quicker identification of those who need to self-isolate in the event of an outbreak, thus potentially reducing the overall number of children, young people and staff who cannot attend school in the event of a positive test for COVID-19.

Our school reopening guidance remains under constant review, as does advice on households meeting outside of school settings. If fresh scientific evidence emerges or the path of the virus alters, we will update guidance accordingly to ensure the safety of school communities and the general public.

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government whether Scotland will continue to receive subsidised school milk as part of the EU School Milk Scheme for the 2020-21 academic year, as is the case in England. (S5W-31448) John Swinney:

Milk is an integral part of the school food and drink regulations given its benefits as part of a balanced and nutritious diet.

Schools across the UK can no longer receive subsidised milk under the EU School Milk following the EU’s decision not to provide funding to the UK beyond October 2020. The EU Decision not to provide funding to the UK for the EU School Milk is a result of the UK Government’s decision to leave the European Union. The Scottish Government is continuing to engage with the UK Government on this issue.

Local authorities still retain the power to provide a subsidised milk scheme within their area based on local needs and circumstances.

Health and Social Care Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport on 19 August 2020 (Official Report, c. 10), how many (a) face-to-face and (b) virtual GP appointments have been conducted in each month since March 2020, broken down by NHS board; what action is being taken to restore the full face-to-face service, and by what date this will be in place. (S5W-31293) Jeane Freeman: Information on face-to-face appointments is not held centrally by the Scottish Government as GP practices are responsible for their own patient appointment and consultation arrangements.

Detailed information on Near Me consultations in GP practices by board by week can be found on SPICe, reference 61752. Not all virtual consultations use Near Me and there are also telephone consultations.

While the number of virtual appointments will have risen during the pandemic, GP practices could adopt virtual or other forms of remote working before the pandemic and there is no "full face-to-face service" as such to restore. GP practices are encouraged to retain any new ways of working developed during the pandemic which support access, quality, inclusivity, and continuity of patient care.

Angela Constance (Almond Valley) (): To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-03147 by Claire Haughey on 25 April 2019 (Official Report, c. 5), whether it will provide an update on the work and progress of the Scottish Access Collaborative Gynaecology Speciality Group, particularly regarding endometriosis. (S5W-31450) Clare Haughey: The Menopause and Menstrual Health including Endometriosis Sub Group set up to take forward work in this area has met on three occasions. Endometriosis UK is represented on the sub group, and the sub group considered its submission, “Strategy for Endometriosis in Scotland” at its June meeting.

The Scottish Government Modernising Patient Pathways Programme (MPPP) is taking forward the priorities identified in the Scottish Access Collaborative Gynaecology Design Workshop report. The MPPP Gynaecology work-stream has now resumed following a pause due to the impact of COVID 19 and is initiating work on developing a Pelvic Pain pathway for Scotland. Consistent advice and effective treatment will provide benefit for women with endometriosis.

As stated in The Programme for Government 2020-21, we will continue to develop our Women's Health Plan which will underpin actions to tackle women's health inequalities by raising awareness around women's health and improving access to healthcare for women throughout life.

Organisational Development and Operations

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government whether any of its special advisers have had a pay increase in the last three years outwith the normal annual pay increase applied to the Civil Service and, if so, (a) who and (b) by how much their pay increased. (S5W-31239) Graeme Dey: Prior to 2020, Special advisers had not had access to pay progression within their pay range. In order to put Special Advisers pay arrangements on a consistent footing with other SG civil servants, a pay structure review and job evaluation exercise was undertaken for all Special Advisers. The job evaluation process began in 2018 with resultant pay increases implemented with effect from 1 October 2018. A further review of job evaluation outcomes was carried out in early 2020 and a supporting pay structure incorporating pay progression arrangements was introduced, with resultant pay increases implemented with effect from 1 October 2019. Job evaluation and pay progression are important elements in employment arrangements to support equality and fairness and to ensure equal pay for work deemed to be of equal value. It would not be appropriate to release the personal detail of individual salaries or salary changes. Details of the number of Special Advisers and pay band information is published annually.

Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government what the actual annual uptake is of (a) free school meals, (b) the Council Tax Reduction Scheme, (c) the Best Start (i) Grant and (ii) Food Scheme and (d) Funeral Support Payment, and how this compares with the initial estimate. (S5W-31385) Shirley-Anne Somerville: National eligibility criteria for Free School Meals are set by the Scottish Government, with local authorities retaining the option of applying additional local criteria on who receives free school meals. The 2019 Healthy Living Survey https://www.gov.scot/publications/school-healthy- living-survey-statistics-2019/ recorded 260,842 pupils registered for free school meals. This total includes P1-P3 pupils in receipt of meals as a result of universal provision and those registered as a result of local initiatives. Of these 260,842 pupils, 188,274 (72%) took a meal on survey day. There are no centrally held forecasts for uptake.

As entitlement to Council Tax Reduction (CTR) is based on the means and need of individual households, it is not realistic to collect the data necessary to enable us to determine the annual uptake of the CTR scheme (that is, how many households who would be eligible for CTR are actually in receipt of it in any given year). We do regularly collect and publish data relating to CTR caseload and income forgone due to CTR which is available at the following link https://www.gov.scot/publications/council-tax-reduction-scotland-2019-20/ . New data covering the first quarter of 2020-21 will be published on 8 September.

In its December 2018 forecast for the 2019-20 Scottish Budget, the Scottish Fiscal Commission (SFC) expected that 40,000 Best Start Grant (BSG) payments would be issued in 2019-20. A corresponding Best Start Foods (BSFs) caseload forecast was not published but the spending forecast was consistent with around 22,000 individuals benefitting by the end of the financial year. Statistics show that during 2019-20 around 80,100 Best Start applications were authorised, with each resulting in one or more BSG payments or an inflow into the BSFs caseload or both.

Funeral Support Payment (FSP) was launched on 16 September 2019, halfway through the financial year. SFC’s December 2018 forecast expected that 4,400 people would receive an FSP payment in the first full financial year of operating. Statistics show that during the 6 months of 2019-20 in which FSP was available approximately 2,700 applications were authorised to be paid.