Found: for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport).

Found: and polarising viewpoints into already contentious debates (e.g. over immigration, or covid, or “culture

Found: Additional drivers of performance variation include trust and system leadership, culture, and governance

Found: Lancaster for a few days each autumn was welcomed, with one group describing how it led to a strong music culture

Found: 2024/254 11 Magistrates’ Courts (Amendment) Rules 2024 Appendix 2: Memorandum from the Department of Culture

Found: special, and alternative provision settings to embed PE and school sport into the school ethos and culture

Found: of teaching was created and the contract to provide this was awarded to a consortium of MATs School culture

Found: safeguarding risks, and we work closely with partners to ensure organisations have a strong safeguarding culture

Found: Implementing Decision of 28 June 2021 (the “ Adequacy Decision”). 2 Data: a new direction, launched by the Department

Found: The culture in residential transactions in the UK is that buyers are not represented by an agent during

Found: streamlining the process has had a negative impact on consumer experience as they expect a 24/7 culture

Found: transaction currently do not share a vision of the process and this can lead to conflicts and a blame culture

Found: issues, which if resolved, would improve the process would be a change in structures of titles, the culture

Found: asking for upfront bonds tied to the successful completion of the sale, especially where the current culture

Found: It comprises of four key pillars: Responsible Business, Responsible & Circular Product, Inclusive Culture

Found: for this this research was to develop a methodology that could be used to measure organisational culture

Found: resilient crops); fit for purpose funding frameworks for research and development should support a culture

Found: to climate-related emergencies and cooperation, including the difference in organisational culture

Found: away from short-termist, protectionist and mini- maxing approaches to strategy, and towards a culture

Found: that discourage female victims from reporting, including religion, shame, stigma, and a patriarchal culture

Found: faith-based groups and others working on human rights and other issues regardless of religion or culture

Found: Matt Staniek asserts that the EA's handling of the request indicates a culture of secrecy within

Found: I have annexed some more specific thoughts on how Ofwat can shift its culture towards better enabling

Found: Women and Equalities Committee Oral evidence: Incel culture, HC 665 Wednesday 15 May 2024 Ordered

Found: people) including working time, work environment, self-efficacy and for organisations developing a culture

Found: A developer-led “free for all” culture is no longer appropriate for the scaling-up of this energy

Found: is different and, in some ways, more complex, which is a reflection of the history, geography and culture

Found: Q81 David Linden: Is that just a culture issue?

Found: of evaluation and modelling, we stated: “Without the right incentives, improvements to oversight and culture

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many times (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have met representatives from (i) ViaGoGo and (ii) StubHub International since September 2023.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

His Majesty’s Government is committed to supporting fair and transparent ticket pricing and tackling unacceptable behaviour in this market.

We engage with a range of key organisations and individuals operating in the ticketing sector to understand the issues and challenges facing the ticketing and live events sectors. This includes STAR (the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers, the self-regulatory body for the entertainment ticketing industry in the UK), the Competition and Markets Authority, Fanfair Alliance (the campaigning body against industrial scale online ticket touting), membership bodies representing all parts of the music sector including artists and event organisers, and, where appropriate, primary and secondary ticketing businesses.

Neither DCMS Ministers nor officials have had any meetings with Viagogo since September 2023. Viagogo has written once to my Department since then.

There have been no meetings or correspondence between DCMS Ministers and StubHub International since September 2023. Officials in my Department have met them twice since this date at StubHub’s request, and have received correspondence from them in the last three months.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have received correspondence from (i) Viagogo and (ii) StubHub International in the last three months.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

His Majesty’s Government is committed to supporting fair and transparent ticket pricing and tackling unacceptable behaviour in this market.

We engage with a range of key organisations and individuals operating in the ticketing sector to understand the issues and challenges facing the ticketing and live events sectors. This includes STAR (the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers, the self-regulatory body for the entertainment ticketing industry in the UK), the Competition and Markets Authority, Fanfair Alliance (the campaigning body against industrial scale online ticket touting), membership bodies representing all parts of the music sector including artists and event organisers, and, where appropriate, primary and secondary ticketing businesses.

Neither DCMS Ministers nor officials have had any meetings with Viagogo since September 2023. Viagogo has written once to my Department since then.

There have been no meetings or correspondence between DCMS Ministers and StubHub International since September 2023. Officials in my Department have met them twice since this date at StubHub’s request, and have received correspondence from them in the last three months.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prison guards were formally investigated for conveyance of (a) drugs, (b) weapons, (c) tobacco and (d) other illicit material in each year since 2015.

Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

It is not possible to break down the charge of trafficking into the specific categories of drugs, weapons, tobacco, or other illicit material in our departmental-wide data.

The vast majority of Prison Service staff are hardworking and honest. A minority of staff engage in corrupt activity which is often as a result of conditioning and manipulation by prisoners, and we are doing more than ever to catch the small number who break the rules. We drive a culture of the highest professional standards, and we are committed to addressing wrongdoing sensitively and fairly, preventing it escalating into corruption. Where corruption does take place, however, we provide a robust response.

This is on top of robust vetting procedures, including criminal record checks, while our £100 million Security Investment Programme aimed to improve security with a focus on technology, such as X-ray body scanners. This endeavours to improve our ability to detect and disrupt drugs from entering prisons, supported by enhancements to intelligence and counter corruption capabilities.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the participation of (a) girls and (b) women in sport.

Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is committed to increasing women and girls’ participation in sport and physical activity.

Our sport strategy, Get Active, includes the target of getting 1.25 million more women and 1 million more children active by 2030. This will be supported by Government investment of over £600 million to boost equal access in school sport.

Government is delivering an historic level of direct investment of over £327 million between 2021-25, through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme, to provide up to 8,000 new and improved multi-sport grassroots facilities and pitches across the whole of the UK.

All projects on the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme are assessed against their ability to deliver increased participation by under-represented groups, including women and girls, and all projects over £25,000 in England must have an equal access women and girls plan in place.

This includes the £30 million Lionesses Futures Fund, which will deliver up to 30 artificial pitches across the country, creating opportunities to play for almost 8,000 women and girls.

The Government welcomes the Women and Equalities Select Committee’s recent report on ‘Health Barriers for Girls and Women in Sport’ and accepts most of the reports recommendations. We will continue to work with the sector to remove the barriers that prevent women and girls from being active and continue to give women and girls a voice on what they want.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what funding, other than flood and coastal erosion risk management grant-in-aid, they make available to protect heritage assets and community spaces at risk from coastal erosion.

Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government is investing £5.6 billion between 2021 and 2027 to better protect communities across England from flooding and coastal erosion. This includes the £200 million Flood and Coastal Innovation Programme (FCIP). As part of FCIP, Ministers have allocated £36m over six years, to develop a ‘Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme’ to trial opportunities, and innovative practical actions, in a small number of coastal areas at significant risk of coastal erosion, to transition and adapt to a changing climate. The practical adaptation actions will likely include activities that support and facilitate the managed transition of property and facilities at risk of coast erosion providing an anticipatory approach in advance of coastal change.

The National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF), arm’s length body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, awarded a £500,000 grant to English Heritage's Hurst Castle Stabilisation Feasibility Project (see attached) in 2022 to survey damage from coastal erosion and develop a plan to protect the castle for the long term. Further details of accessing NHMF grants can be found on the National Heritage Memorial Fund website.

Guidance on managing the impacts of coastal erosion on heritage features can be found on Historic England's website, alongside details of available grants for heritage.

The Third National Adaptation Programme (see attached) details how the Government and its agencies plan to protect cultural heritage from a changing climate, including implications for our coastal heritage due to flooding and coastal erosion.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to ban alcohol advertising online.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which operates independently of Government, is responsible for regulating online advertising in the UK through its advertising codes. These codes state that alcohol adverts must not link it with social or sexual success, imply that it is indispensable or include elements that appeal particularly to children. Online platforms have also introduced stringent measures to monitor alcohol ads and ensure safe advertising, such as age gating and age verification.

The Government’s Online Advertising Programme aims to increase protections for children and young people under 18 from online exposure to advertisements for products and services that are illegal to be sold to them, including alcohol. We will legislate when parliamentary time allows, and will publish a second consultation on the details of the framework in due course.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the impact of the rule that prohibits UK television broadcasters from showing live Premier League matches on Saturdays between 2:45pm and 5:15pm on (a) attendance of non premier league football games, (b) pirating of Premier League matches and (c) the range of football matches broadcast.

Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government does not have a role in the application of the broadcast blackout for football matches played at 3pm in England. This rule arises from Article 48 of the Union of European Football Associations’ (UEFA) statutes.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps their Department is taking to support the Disability Confident scheme; how many officials in their Department work directly on supporting that scheme; what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of that work in supporting the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of disabled people in their Department; and what further steps they are taking to support their Department’s recruitment and retention of disabled people.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) successfully renewed its Disability Confident Level 3 Leadership Certification in January 2024. This demonstrates our commitment to making the MOD a place that welcomes and encourages people with disabilities.

The MOD has a Disability Champion who is responsible for promoting inclusive behaviour; the postholder facilitates constructive challenge, fosters good relations in the workplace and contributes to the development of an inclusive culture. The Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) is owned by a HR Diversity and Inclusion policy lead who is responsible for engaging with stakeholders across the Department to ensure disability sits at the heart of our policies and processes and can be measured against the DCS criteria.

MOD supports the use of the DCS within its recruitment of civilian personnel and all MOD appointments advertised through Civil Service Jobs ask applicants if they wish to apply using DCS when they start their application. It is MOD policy that candidates using the scheme will be invited to interview provided they meet the minimum essential criteria for the advertised position. Recruiting panels also consider and implement any reasonable adjustments needed for interviews to ensure the selection process is fair for all candidates.

MOD also provides adjustments to support employees with disabilities throughout their employment as part of our responsibilities as an inclusive employer. These provisions take various forms, such as smart and flexible working, the provision of equipment and furniture for both office and home working, and IT software.

The MOD continues to monitor the effects of all actions aimed at making Defence a more attractive, diverse and inclusive employer. This work is having a positive effect on our overall representation of people who have declared a disability which has risen to 14% as at October 2023, an increase of 1.2 percentage points from April 2023.

The MOD has a range of inclusive training and career development opportunities, which are offered on a fair and open basis. The Future Leaders Scheme for eligible Grade 6&7 personnel, and the Senior Leaders Scheme for eligible Senior Civil Servants both offer successful candidates an accelerated development offer for those with a declared disability. The MOD’s Autism Exchange Intern Programme, developed in 2015, is a multi-award-winning programme which supports young people who are on the autistic spectrum to degree/postgraduate level qualifications. Reverse mentoring and challenge boards have also been implemented across the Department using staff from a range of under-represented groups, including those with disabilities. The MOD Talent Management Toolkit also offers advice and guidance to managers to ensure that all employees are treated fairly with regards to career advancement.

Finally, MOD has a DCS action plan and works with relevant stakeholders to implement actions; the group meets regularly to review progress against agreed actions.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to ensure there are no uninsulated overhead electricity cables at domestic sport facilities.

Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone taking part in sport is absolutely paramount. It is for individual sports clubs to carry out risk assessments and put in place mitigations that will improve player safety.

Sport England, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport arm's length body for grassroots sport, is not a regulator of community sport but does provide guidance to help sports clubs carry out risk assessments, as do national governing bodies of sport.

For each new sports facility built, there is a legal obligation shared between developers, designers and contractors to promote health and safety. This applies throughout the entire project cycle from design and construction through to operation, maintenance and demolition. This obligation is given in the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations - https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/cdm/2015/index.htm. Any breach of these regulations is a criminal offence.

In addition, Sections 2 and 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 outline ongoing duties to protect workers and members of the public from risk.

The Health and Safety Executive and others, including the Energy Networks Association, have also produced guidance in relation to safety around overhead lines.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to provide support to (a) Coalville CAN and (b) other charities that provide cooking lessons for children and elderly people.

Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

There is a range of funding available for organisations that are working to support and improve their communities. The ‘Find a grant’ service is a search function which helps organisations search for government grants. The filtering system allows you to select grants which are open to applications from non-profits (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-government-grants).

The National Lottery Community Fund also hosts a number of funding programmes (https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding).

At a more local level, most areas of the country have Community Foundations that manage at least one local grant fund or can offer guidance (https://www.ukcommunityfoundations.org/)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the death of Sir George Beaumont.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

May 2024 marks the 200th anniversary of the founding of the National Gallery. Sir George Beaumont played a crucial role in the Gallery's creation, both campaigning for its formation and donating his own art to what has become one of our greatest institutions. He died just three years later in 1827. Two hundred years on from when the Gallery was founded for the nation, it continues to bring great paintings and people together.

The Gallery is marking its bicentenary with an exciting year of activities, special displays, online events, exhibitions, and significant loans to other galleries across the UK – with everyone, everywhere welcome. The Arts Minister, Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, was delighted to have attended the gallery last week to take part in the official start to the celebrations.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what her Department's policy is on the procurement of (a) food and (b) drinks produced in Britain for use in its canteens and restaurants.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

DCMS does not own any canteens or restaurants. The canteen facilities we use are provided by our landlords, and we have no involvement in the provision of food and drink to those facilities. For our London headquarters, this is overseen by the Government Property Agency.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department has taken to support (a) small and (b) independent theatres.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

His Majesty’s Government is committed to supporting the arts and cultural sector, including theatres. This is primarily through the Arts Council England whose funding for National Portfolio Organisations has increased to £444.6 million per annum, funding a record 985 organisations, including 214 new organisations outside of London.

Arts Council England invests in nearly 200 theatres or theatre companies that produce, commission, and present theatre, in addition to arts centres, festivals and outdoor theatre companies. These range from large theatres in cities - Liverpool Theatres, Manchester Royal Exchange, Sheffield Theatres - to smaller theatres and theatre companies often with a particular specialism, such as theatre for children, theatre with a disability focus, theatre companies that co-create with different communities or theatre companies that are designed to tour. Overall investment in theatre has increased through the current round of the Arts Council’s National Portfolio programme – both in terms of the number of organisations supported, and the volume of funding which is now more than £110 million per annum.

A number of theatres are also regularly supported through the Arts Council’s open access National Lottery Project Grants programme which has a budget of £116.8 million a year. This is a rolling programme and is open to artists and companies across the country.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Minister without Portfolio's article of 12 May 2024 in The Sunday Telegraph, when her Department expects to terminate its contract with Vercida Ltd., procurement reference 103841; and whether a notice period will be required under the provisions of that contract.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

DCMS’s current contract with Vercida is set to expire on 1 October 2024 and continuation of the service will be considered at that point in light of the Cabinet Office guidance.

Found: e page on Gypsies and Travellers . 1 Traveller Movement, Gypsy Roma and Traveller History and Culture

Found: , food insecurity, vulnerability to sexual and gender -based violence, stereotyping based on their culture

Found: Money and tax People and operations Project and service delivery Risk and resilience Society and culture

Found: Money and tax People and operations Project and service delivery Risk and resilience Society and culture

Found: Money and tax People and operations Project and service delivery Risk and resilience Society and culture

Found: Money and tax People and operations Project and service delivery Risk and resilience Society and culture

Found: partnerships including bursary funding for youth work qualifications on behalf of the Department of Culture

Found: This will promote the same culture of learning and continuous improvement that has made our aviation

Found: Minister for Social Housing Baroness Scott said:   We are creating a culture of openness and transparency

Found: Nature Reserves are for everybody, whether connecting through wildlife, wellbeing, faith, friendship, culture

Found: event are the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Kemi Badenoch, the Secretary of State for Culture

Found: advising on shared challenges and opportunities with an East-West dimension, such as trade promotion, culture

Found: Bruno, the way that you have placed art and culture at the very centre of your posting to the Court of

Found: All three funds have overlapping investment themes around regeneration, culture and transport, but the

Found: All three funds have overlapping investment themes around regeneration, culture and transport, but the

Found: Their culture and values should always be respected.

Found: of the change management strategy is to assess the potential impact of the proposed change on the culture

Found: of the change management strategy is to assess the potential impact of the proposed change on the culture

Found: There was a positive culture in the team and staff told us that they felt supported by managers. 4.49

Found: approach to behaviour management which created a risk to the prison’s key strengths and positive culture

Found: prison, but leaders need to address some of the punitive treatment of prisoners that has entered the culture

Found: General -purpose AI outputs can be biased with respect to protected characteristics like race, gender, culture

Found: for instance through biassed decisions with respect to protected characteristics like race, gender, culture

Found: In keeping with Egypt’s current ‘start -up culture’, most projects were at an earlier stage than the

Found: assessment of Lambeth Council’s financial governance/management processes, leadership, operational culture

Found: The Permanent Secretary acknowledged that the Department needed to do more to develop its culture.

Found: Institute of Information Security, DSbD mailing list, in-person security events and the DSIT (then the Department

Found: Understanding AI uptake and sentiment among people and businesses in the UK, June 2023” report , and the Department

Found: Galleries and Libraries Music, performing and visual arts Arts Film, TV and Music Radio Photography Crafts (Culture

Found: From: Department for Culture, Media and Sport Published 15 May 2024 Get emails about this

Found: Science and Innovation Ecosystem New Zealand has a high impact science ecosystem and innovation culture

Found: Recreation, culture and religion 7.7 7.8 8.6 9.3 9.7 10 10.8 11.4 11.9 12.4 13.2 13 12.5 12.7 11.6 12.4

Found: Local Government 4834 8572 20907 21262 11772 DLUHC - Housing and Communities 2355 2801 2711 2769 3866 Culture

Found: consider this to be key to good decision- making, optioneering, and prioritisation. 9.22 A different culture

Found: consider this to be key to good decision- making, optioneering, and prioritisation. 9.27 A different culture

Found: The National LLW Programme has driven a change in thinking, behaviours and culture in waste owners and

Found: This reflects the culture of the industry today, which focuses on learning from experience and sharing

Found: To further support our local communities, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has today published

Found: From: Department for Culture, Media and Sport and National Heritage Memorial Fund Published 16 May

Found: This will promote the same culture of learning and continuous improvement that has made our aviation

Found: Nature Reserves are for everybody, whether connecting through wildlife, wellbeing, faith, friendship, culture

Found: conferences around the globe, so we’re excited to take the baton and welcome other members to Edinburgh, the culture-rich

Found: are associated with the underlying management arrangements or organisational issues (such as working culture

Found: event are the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Kemi Badenoch, the Secretary of State for Culture

Found: They are the principles that will shape the YJB’s culture, strategy, and outcomes.

Found: circumstances) • cohesiveness (attractive, viable, safe, well -connected communities) • vibrant culture

Found: Consequential impacts (on culture, heritage, crime, health, education, access to services) were considered

Found: General -purpose AI outputs can be biased with respect to protected characteristics like race, gender, culture

Found: for instance through biassed decisions with respect to protected characteristics like race, gender, culture

Found: This bulletin provides findings from the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Economic Estimates

Found: There was a positive culture in the team and staff told us that they felt supported by managers. 4.49

Found: approach to behaviour management which created a risk to the prison’s key strengths and positive culture

Found: prison, but leaders need to address some of the punitive treatment of prisoners that has entered the culture

Found: ▪ A response to the Mind Workplace Wellbeing survey that further encourages positive behaviours and culture

Found: are associated with the underlying management arrangements or organisational issues (such as working culture

Found: From: Department for Culture, Media and Sport and National Heritage Memorial Fund Published 16 May

Found: To further support our local communities, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has today published

Found: This reflects the culture of the industry today, which focuses on learning from experience and sharing

Found: implements and publishes an effective vulnerability disclosure process to support a transparent and open culture

Found: such as everyday sexism, misogyny, homophobia and sex stereotypes, and should take action to build a culture

Found: We want the Civil Service to have a truly diverse workforce and culture of openness and inclusivity.

Found: biggest impact for all our people: recruitment, talent management, learning & development, leadership, culture

Found: Administration Committee was provided with the final update on the Continuous Improvement Programme for culture

Found: • Ensures a consistent culture and approach to the application of financial responsibilities.

Found: out the following four key conditions for delivery— •Values driven leadership; •An open and robust culture

Found: and Gàidhlig is conaltradh” (fluent) on site at Scotland's National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture

Found: A change in culture is required and this cannot be done through revising policies and procedures alone

Found: Culture within the Commission In the section 22 report, the Auditor General for Scotland (AGS) stated

Found: human rights are being experienced in Scotland and play our part in creating a stronger human rights culture

Found: The issues raised by Audit Scotland are specific to WICS and the culture that prevailed at the time

Found: A change in culture is required and this cannot be done through revising policies and procedures alone

Found: In addition, the government want to ensure a thriving food culture in Scotland with a prosperous and

Found: Gavin Yates, CPG on Disability Apologies Clare Adamson MSP Fraser Calderwood, Leisure and Culture

Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will set out a timeline for how any issues regarding understaffing of nurses as a result of the common staffing method will be resolved, as raised by the Royal College of Nursing Scotland.

Answered by Gray, Neil - Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care

Under the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019, Health Boards / Special Health Boards / NHS National Services Scotland must follow the common staffing method, which only applies to certain types of health care, provided in certain locations by certain employees (see annex A), at least once every financial year. It must then decide if any changes are needed as a result, both to the staffing establishment, for example an increase or decrease, and the way in which it provides health care, for example service redesign.

Health Boards / Special Health Boards / NHS National Services Scotland are required to publish and submit an annual report to Scottish Ministers on how they have carried out their duties in the Act, with the first report due by 30 April 2025. Scottish Ministers must then present these reports to Parliament with an accompanying statement detailing how the information will be used in designing policies for staffing of the health service.

However, results from the common staffing method are only one factor in providing information on workforce and service delivery and the Scottish Government continues to implement policies for workforce and service reform.

Overall nursing and midwifery staffing is at a record high, up by 17.8% since September 2006, by 10,100.4 WTE to 66,883.6 WTE. Since September 2006, qualified nurses and midwives have increased by 16.3%, by 6,698.7 WTE to 47,724.9 WTE. Initiatives on international recruitment provided around £18m in funding to Boards to recruit 1,250 international nurses, midwives and allied health professionals, with well over 1,000 already in post across Scotland so far and many more arriving in the coming weeks.

Controls were introduced by Boards from 1 April 2023 in order to gradually reduce the number of shifts being filled by nurse agency workers and from 1 June 2023 Boards were no longer using off-framework nurse agencies unless in exceptional circumstances. Boards have reported significant progress in reducing reliance on agency nursing staff as a result of these changes. Further controls were introduced from 1 April 2024, and Boards are no longer using agency workers to fill Health Care Support Worker (HCSW) / unregistered shifts.

The Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce (NMT) was announced in February 2023 at the request of staff side organisations, including the Royal College of Nursing and Royal College of Midwives to understand the challenges facing nurses and midwives across Scotland. The NMT continues to be a Ministerial priority and will recommend a workplan of actions which will seek to improve workplace culture, practice, flexibility, recruitment and retention, alongside the diversification of education and training pathways to support longer-term workforce sustainability. The NMT is making good progress with the development of its recommended actions and will continue to work until members have agreed a comprehensive action plan. We anticipate the publication of a report later in 2024.

Annex A

Types of health care, locations and employees subject to the common staffing method

Found: Commons Library briefings from earlier this year - one on the UK Bill10and the other on the management culture