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The policy rationale relating to the current age cap for access to living cost loans is to ensure a 5 year gap between the age cap and the UK State Pension Age. This allows students sufficient time to complete their studies, enter repayment and pay back some/all of their student loan.

The number of Cattle Identification livestock inspections undertaken by the Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Division on cattle keepers in the last five years is provided in the following table.

A key commitment in our Diabetes Improvement Plan is to further increase access to existing and emerging technologies which can significantly benefit people with Type 1 diabetes and improve their quality of life. We do, however, understand that there are still some barriers to achieving equitable access across Scotland.

To tackle this, we have recently invested £350,000 through the Accelerated National Innovation Adoption (ANIA) pathway, to test new models of care and accelerate the distribution of existing technologies. We also continue to work closely with local Managed Clinical Networks (MCNs) to address any concerns around the distribution.

We will continue to actively engage with the diabetes community and those living with Type 1 diabetes to better understand the barriers they face, while also working with suppliers, NHS services and wider industry partners to increase access to technologies in the near future.

General and technical information on private water supplies is available on the Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland’s website at Technical Guidance and Information (dwqr.scot) and on the Scottish Government's website at Private water supplies (mygov.scot) .Further guidance on protecting private water supplies from developments, in particular forest activities, is available at Guidance documents (confor.org.uk) .

The enforcement of drinking water standards for private supplies, as set out in the Water Intended for Human Consumption (Private Supply) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 and The Private Water Supply Regulations (Scotland) 2006, is a matter for local authorities. Compliance with the standards is reported annually in the Drinking Water Quality Regulator’s annual report, available at Annual Report (dwqr.scot) .

Ensuring healthcare professionals have the appropriate knowledge and understanding to provide care to the required standard remains the responsibility of local NHS Boards.

To monitor the provision of education within stroke services, the Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme reviews ask NHS Boards to demonstrate how they are actively upskilling and maintaining the knowledge of their stroke workforce. The criteria for demonstrating the development of a skilled and knowledgeable stroke workforce have been expanded, based on recommendations made in the Progressive Stroke Pathway. The full criteria can be found in Annex A of the Stroke Improvement Plan at: Stroke Improvement Plan .

The Scottish Government recognises that social prescribing can be an effective method of improving an individual’s physical, mental and social health. It plays an important role in helping us achieve our commitment to prevention, holistic care and Realistic Medicine. Our Primary Care Community Link Worker programme has been in place since 2014 and a 2017 commitment to create 250 Community Link Worker posts in general practice has been achieved.

Due to the wide range of activity which is described as social prescribing, there are many Scottish Government policies and resources which play a role in supporting its delivery. For example, we recognise the important role played by local organisations in supporting the health and wellbeing of their communities and we are working with the community and voluntary sector to look at how we can enhance the capacity of the sector to help those organisations address the challenges they face. The ongoing development by the ALLIANCE of the ALISS online database helps to provide information on community resources and our Green Health Partnership programme led by NatureScot helps to promote the connection between health and the natural environment.

The Scottish Government has invested significantly in social prescribing through Community Link Workers within general practice. Funding for Community Link Workers in general practice is included within the Primary Care Improvement Fund. Health and Social Care Partnerships decide how to use their Primary Care Improvement Fund allocation to develop local Multi-Disciplinary Teams which incorporate link worker roles.

The Scottish Government also provides funding to Voluntary Health Scotland to manage the Scottish Community Link Worker Network. The aim of the network is to create a space for community link workers in primary care settings in Scotland to come together to share learning and to develop, network and support each other in order to improve outcomes for their patients and communities. Funding is also provided to the Scottish Social Prescribing Network to support those who are undertaking link worker/social prescribing roles in other local schemes.

As referenced in my previous correspondence, officials received a scoping paper from Police Scotland that outlines their programme for delivery, particularly on what they are looking to deliver and a detailed timescale. My officials met with Police Scotland on 13 July and during the meeting they discussed the development of the business case. The business case will look at the service design, delivery, organisation policy and life time management of the National Dashcam Safety Portal.

My officials remain in discussion with Police Scotland on this matter and will meet with them again later in August as we look to progress this important road safety initiative.

Data in relation to the Young Patients Family Fund is not routinely published however, latest information for 2022-23 shows that 8,415 claims were submitted under YPFF and that this equated to 3,740 young inpatients being claimed for.

This information was provided in answer to parliamentary question S6W-17130 on 17 May 2023 on and it continues to be the latest position with 13 of 14 territorial Health Boards having provided relevant information to the Scottish Government. NHS Borders are yet to provide a YPFF data return for 2022-23 and the Scottish Government is working with them to ensure 2022-23 data is recorded appropriately.