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The Scottish Government welcomes the publication of the abortion statistics for 2022. The Scottish Government will continue to work closely with NHS Boards to help improve access to abortion services for those who wish to have a termination.

‎In particular, the Scottish Government is working to deliver actions in the Women’s Health Plan, which includes a range of measures to ensure all women have access to timely abortion care should they require it, and to increase choice for women accessing this care.

We are also committed to ensuring that women across Scotland have timely access to contraception, and to information which allows them to make informed decisions about their own sexual and reproductive health.

The Scottish Government has not provided financial support to local authorities to undertake inspections of buildings for reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete. It is the responsibility of building owners to undertake such inspections. The Health & Safety Executive is the UK-wide regulator for health and safety in workplaces. This legislation is not devolved to the Scottish Government. The HSE, instructed by the UK Government, are developing a research methodology to assist with identification, assessment and remediation of RAAC and we will consider any recommendations appropriately.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-18442 on 13 June 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

Work is underway to look into this issue, and officials are engaging with Healthcare Improvement Scotland and other stakeholders to scope the issues involved and to consider the most appropriate and proportionate next steps. Discussions with first aid providers or the hospitality and events sector have not taken place at this stage.

I would like to recognise and acknowledge the vital role of spiritual care in supporting individuals throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The World Health Organisation states that "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” and the Scottish Government affirms this statement. The ethos of spiritual care affirms that people are not merely physical bodies requiring mechanical fixing.

The Scottish Government is committed to the delivery of the highest quality of care which takes into consideration what matters most to an individual (including personal values and deeply held beliefs) – as part of this we recognise and affirm that spiritual care is a core part of person-centred care.

As part of our commitment to these aims, we have today published a national framework which will support both health and social care providers to consider, and build on the many opportunities and excellent practice which currently exist in the provision and delivery of spiritual care across Scotland and enhance Scotland’s reputation as world leaders in the development and delivery of spiritual care. The framework is available on the Scottish Government website: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781805258858

As set out in Annex A of the Medium-Term Financial Strategy, the Scottish Government has already confirmed to COSLA that a total of £343 million of additional funding will be made available to councils to support pay deals in 2023-24 over and above the allocation published in the Scottish Budget 2023-24.

Of this: £188.8 million was made available to fund the multi-year pay deal agreed by teachers; the additional £100 million for the Scottish Joint Council workforce was confirmed at Stage 3 of the Budget Bill; and Ministers have also provided reassurance to COSLA that a further £55 million, for a total of £155 million, will be provided through in-year budget management processes.

This £155 million of additional funding for the SJC workforce has already been factored into the existing COSLA pay offer and Ministers would encourage both sides to conclude negotiations as swiftly as possible.

As in previous years those transfers will be given formal effect during the annual budget revisions.

As outlined in response to S6W-18910, the R100 commitment comprises of three strands of activity - the R100 contracts, the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (R100 SBVS) and continued commercial build.

The R100 Central and South contracts were awarded in December 2020 with the R100 North contract awarded in December 2021. As a result, build did not commence through the R100 contracts until 2021. The table below provides the number of connections built in each year since 2020 through the R100 contracts.

Under Health and Safety legislation, which is reserved, it is the responsibility of the employer to satisfy themselves of the competence of first aiders. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides relevant guidance on first aid provision and on event safety Events health and safety (hse.gov.uk) . The Events Industry Forum’s ‘ purple guide ’ includes example first-aid and medical assessments for an audience at an event.

The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is a privately-owned telecoms network and the decision to upgrade it has been taken by the telecoms industry, and not the UK Government. PSTN migration from analogue to digital telephony services also does not affect the Universal Service Obligations set out in the Electronic Communications (Universal Service) Order 2003, which require designated providers to offer telephony services throughout the UK, and providers will remain bound by their existing statutory responsibilities.

However, we are working closely with the UK Government, Industry, Ofcom and other Devolved Administrations through the Electronic Communications – Resilience and Response Group (EC-RRG), a UK Government-supported telecoms industry group, whose aim is to develop and maintain cooperation between the communications sector and Government on issues regarding telecoms resilience and emergency planning.

The stock assessment mentioned in the response to S6W-18907 is still at a developmental stage. Before it could be used as the basis for advice, it would need to a) be finalised and published, and b) undergo a rigorous benchmark process conducted under the auspices of the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas [ICES]. There are therefore as yet no firm plans for increasing monitoring coverage of commercial fishing vessels in the Firth of Clyde, over and above what is routinely done now. Should the assessment model be accepted for advisory use, then consideration would need to be given to how to ensure adequate data for it.