Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-29713

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of the proposed £115 million of savings in the Health and Social Care budget outlined in its fiscal statement on 3 September 2024.

On the 3 September 2024, the Scottish Government pre-budget fiscal update outlined savings measures of £115.8m in the Health and Social Care budget, with funding redirected to support emerging pressures within Health and Social Care, not used for wider SG spending.

A breakdown of the savings can be found at: Scottish Government Pre-Budget Fiscal Update: Letter to Finance Committee - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Question reference: S6W-29719

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to (a) complete and (b) fund its cladding remediation programme, in light of reports that some of the consequential funding that it received for this purpose has been allocated elsewhere.

The Scottish Government expects the cost of cladding remediation work to be met through a combination of responsible developers assessing and remediating their own buildings, consequential funding from the UK Government, and a devolved Building Safety Levy. This effectively matches the funding approach that the UK Government is taking in England.

Scottish Ministers have said they will spend the equivalent value of the £97.1 m received in consequentials on cladding remediation at the time it is appropriate to spend it.

Question reference: S6W-29723

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government which company has been contracted to undertake the economic impact assessment for the Grangemouth Refinery.

Question reference: S6W-29718

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the £97 million in consequential funding that it received in relation to fixing unsafe cladding has reportedly not all been spent on cladding remediation.

Question reference: S6W-29547

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what review it has undertaken of its funding of LGBT Youth Scotland, in light of reported allegations regarding safeguarding and the protection of children.

Question reference: S6W-29314

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance has been issued on flag policy to (a) local authorities, (b) government agencies and (c) other governmental departments in the last six months.

The Scottish Government publishes detailed flag flying guidance annually on the Scottish Government website Guidance - Flag flying on government buildings: 2024 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) and a link to the guidance is also available on the Scottish Government’s intranet pages, available to Directorates and other government departments. In addition, this flag flying guidance is issued to local authorities and government agencies.

The guidance sets out the relevant flag to be flown in recognition of national anniversaries and Royal events. It also provides advice on the half/masting of flags following national/international tragedies and events.

This guidance applies to Scottish Government buildings only and is provided to non-Scottish Government organisations for information purposes. It remains the prerogative of each organisation to set their own flag flying programme.

Separate communication was issued by email to Scottish Government external flag flying contacts in June 2024 in relation to the 80th anniversary of D-Day and for the Coronation of Their Majesties in May 2023.

Question reference: S6O-03766

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Just Transition Commission's recent report on the future of Grangemouth.

Question reference: S6W-29730

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 18 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many vacancies there currently are for midwives, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S6W-29721

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 18 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to make the process for nursing and midwifery graduates to find jobs in NHS Scotland easier.

Recruitment is a matter for the employing Health Boards, and the Scottish Government has no direct role in newly qualified nurse recruitment plans and processes. However, officials have been engaging with Health Boards and it is our understanding that Boards remain committed to maximising the opportunities for newly qualified nurses to find employment.

When a Health Board is unable to offer roles, they will often retain applications on file should future vacancies arise. Where a student who is ready to graduate cannot find employment with a local Health Board, I am aware that universities provide support and career guidance to assist students in the consideration of all employment opportunities within health and social care.

Question reference: S6W-29717

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 18 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what training for senior administrators in the NHS will be reduced or stopped, in light of its fiscal statement on 3 September 2024.

We have made a commitment, under the Nurture strand of the National Workforce Strategy to support leadership and talent management across NHS Scotland. We know that succession planning for senior roles is an urgent priority to ensure the continuity of service delivery and reform – and that we need to ensure we are also developing our pipeline of future leaders. We further emphasised the importance of this with the publication of Improving Wellbeing and Working Cultures in July, which set out our ambition to enhance working cultures through programmes of work that focus on the pillars of: wellbeing, leadership and equality.

As we face one of the most challenging financial circumstances since devolution, we are focussed on taking forward affordable actions that will have the biggest impact on progressing our priorities. Leadership learning and development will be delivered both nationally and locally, as appropriate, supported by the sharing of good practice and guidance across organisational boundaries. This will ensure that we continue to make appropriate savings while utilising the best of the resources we have to maintain high quality leadership in our NHS.

We continue support leadership and talent development at all leadership levels, delivered nationally by NHS Education for Scotland. This includes onboarding support for new NHS Chief Executives, including executive coaching, mentoring and peer learning opportunities, as well as support for identified aspiring chief executives.

We have looked to ensure best value for money from interventions supporting senior systems leaders, and are launching adaptive learning sets, utilising skilled inhouse staff to facilitate cross system peer learning. We have a range of free to access digital tools and resources that can be used by staff at any leadership level, including senior administrators, to support their personal leadership development.

We are continually reviewing our leadership learning and talent development offerings for leaders, to ensure that we both deliver on the need to make the best value of public money, while still ensuring that critical skills of leadership are continually supported and developed.

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