Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22728 on 21 November 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 .

The Young Patients Family Fund (YPFF) is designed to support the families of all babies, children and young people from birth to age 18 who require inpatient care in Scotland. Posters and leaflets to promote the Fund are available in every Health Board and we continue to work with all Boards to maximise awareness and promotion of the scheme.

The Managed Service Network for Children and Young People with Cancer (MSN CYPC) is currently reviewing its website and has confirmed that it intends to signpost to the YPFF in its update.

As noted in the answer to S6W-22430 by Fiona Hyslop on 7 November 2023, we do not hold specific data on the frequency or average duration of road closures for the purpose of crime scene investigation. This is consistent with the answer to S4W-23569, answered by Derek Mackay in 2015, which noted that Transport Scotland does not hold definitive data that indicates when Police Scotland have carried out a crime scene investigation.

The information provided with the answer to S4W-23569 sought to be helpful by providing what information was held by Transport Scotland i.e. the number and duration of closures on specific routes. However the answer clearly advised that the information provided represented where police attendance was reported and which may or may not have involved a crime scene investigation. It also noted that Police Scotland do on occasions close roads for crime scene investigation without notifying Transport Scotland.

We would therefore reiterate that the closure of a road in the aftermath of an accident is a matter for Police Scotland, who liaise with NHS colleagues as appropriate to understand if accident investigation is merited. The decision to reopen a road after an investigation is also a matter for the Police in their operational capacity.

There have been no disciplinary cases against Scottish Government employees as a result of a failure to ensure that the records for which they are responsible are complete and accurate.

The independent research which aims to examine the impact and scale of vigils and protests which take place outside of healthcare settings providing abortion services is ongoing.

The research was commissioned by the former Ministerial-led working group on safe access zones in 2022, and a final report is due in 2024. In the interim the Scottish Government will publish a literature review, which has been prepared as part of this research, before the end of 2023. In addition to this, a year 1 report which outlines the work that has been undertaken to date will be submitted to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee as part of the call for evidence for the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill.

The Scottish Government continues to fully cooperate with the UK Infected Blood Inquiry and has provided significant input to the Inquiry to date, including by providing hundreds of relevant files as evidence, through provision of written statements and oral evidence, and by providing a detailed closing submission to the Inquiry, which can be found on the Infected Blood Inquiry’s website at SUBS0000056 - Closing submissions to the Infected Blood Inquiry by the Scottish Government - 16 Dec 2022.pdf .

A review of the suite of Preparing Scotland guidance, including information relating to responding to emergencies, is currently underway. The proposed date for launch is currently Spring 2024.

Due to the nature of the eligibility criteria, the number of households eligible to apply for the scheme varies according to the number of households in receipt of the relevant social security benefits at any given time. However analysis of the eligibility criteria in December 2022 estimated that a total of 208,000 households were eligible to receive support at that time. Analysis of the current eligibility criteria for phase 2 of WHS estimates that around 433,000 households will be eligible.

The following table shows the number of households who have received support each financial year in phase 1 of Warmer Homes Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22728 on 21 November 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 .

The external costs associated with the production and publication of the Building a New Scotland paper, ‘Migration to Scotland after independence’, are set out in the following table: