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a) Enable Works Stepping Up programme, to date, has been delivered in 75 schools across Scotland, achieving a 98% positive destination rate for young people with learning disabilities. In financial year 2022-23, 2,974 young people were supported through the Stepping Up programme.

b) Stepping Up is an innovative school transitions programme that supports young people who have a learning disability, autism or additional support needs. The programme is delivered in partnership with Education Providers, stakeholders and other third sector organisations. It works collaboratively with Careers, Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG) and Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) to provide joined-up careers experience, advice and guidance, and aims to support young people into positive destinations.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting all young people to achieve their potential through Developing the Young Workforce (DYW). Although no specific data is available on the number of disabled young people supported through DYW, the employer-led DYW Regional Groups and School Coordinators work with specialist partners and third sector organisations to support young people who are furthest from the labour market into positive destinations, including young disabled people.

A recent example of this is in DYW Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian. Enable and Action For Children provided ASN training for their School Coordinators and management staff. As a result, the Regional Group now work closely with Pilrig Park School, who deliver education for secondary school pupils experiencing complex long-term additional support needs. Through this collaboration they ensure that every pupil has flexible, personalised pathways to develop knowledge, understanding and skills for learning, life and work. In addition, DYW Fife have dedicated School Coordinators to increase support and opportunities for ASN Schools, Pupil Support Service Students and care experienced young people. Through collaboration with key partners, a more inclusive approach is adopted for these young people.

The Ask for ANI scheme is an initiative led by the Home Office, and as such they oversee the UK wide rollout alongside key partners. This includes in Scotland, where Ask for ANI is currently operational in 430 pharmacies.

A campaign ‘UK Says No More’ encourages pharmacies to sign up to the scheme, however geographical variations will exist as it’s a voluntary scheme and for each pharmacy to decide upon participation. The member may wish to note that Ask for ANI is available in Highland locations such as Fort Willian and Ullapool, but also on Scottish Islands locations, including Lerwick, Shetland.

Prior to the introduction of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 (“the 2019 Act”) all relevant impact assessments were conducted, and no significant issues were identified as part of this process. All the bus powers in the 2019 Act, including franchising, are designed to be flexible to ensure local transport authorities can improve bus services according to their local needs. In developing their franchising proposals, local authorities will need to take account of the individual circumstances of their area, including any potential impact of technological developments, and how the proposals will contribute to the implementation of their relevant general policies. We continue to engage with local transport authorities as we develop the further regulations and guidance required to give the franchising powers full effect.

We are working with partners to improve social care services and deal with the challenges the sector faces. Adult social care support is vital to all who require additional support, whether that is to live independently at home, in the community, or to move into a care home.

While the number of care homes has fallen, the estimated number of care home places available has remained relatively stable.

This reflects our policy of supporting people to live at home for as long as possible.

No one wants to see the closure of care homes, unfortunately this can happen for a number of reasons, such as quality concerns or changing ownership.

The Scottish Government announced the delay to the next Climate Change Plan on 7 November 2023 and confirmed their commitment to bringing forward a draft plan in line with statutory deadlines which require a final version of the next Climate Change Plan to be laid in Parliament in March 2025. Parliamentary scrutiny of the draft plan, lasting 120 days, will be built into this timeline with public consultation planned to take place in parallel.

The Scottish Government commissioned NHS Education Scotland (NES) to develop and run the National Digital Platform. The following table details spend incurred by NES by financial year on the design, development, and support for the National Digital Platform (NDP) since the initial commission in 2018.

In response to (a):

Table 1 shows the number of people admitted to hospital as an inpatient or day case as a result of paracetamol poisoning, which includes overdose. Note that these figures include overdoses that were coded as accidental, intentional and of undetermined intent.

Table 1: Number of people admitted to hospital for paracetamol poisoning

The Programme for Government 2023-24, published September 2023, states that in the coming year we will ‘publish a 20% car kilometre reduction route map, promoting sustainable behaviours when planning a journey, and reducing both our reliance on cars and our transport emissions’. Publication is expected in the coming months.

The Scottish Government welcomed the publication of ‘Scotland’s Islamophobia’ – the report into Islamophobia in Scotland by the Cross-Party Group (CPG) on Tackling Islamophobia, and will continue to carefully consider the recommendations made.

The report shines a light on some serious issues faced by our Muslim communities in Scotland and we are committed to ensuring that Islamophobia is not tolerated. The Scottish Government is funding and working closely with organisations working to tackle racist and religious intolerance, as well as improve the lives of minority ethnic and religious communities in Scotland.

I have committed to attend a meeting with the CPG in early 2024 to discuss interventions to tackle Islamophobia in Scotland, including the recommendations within the CPG report ‘Scotland’s Islamophobia’.