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The Scottish Government has not had specific conversations with trade unions regarding self-driving buses but we are aware that concerns have previously been raised about the possible future impact on jobs. Whilst the longer term impact of the adoption of CAV technologies on jobs is uncertain, Scotland will not be isolated from this and our involvement in Project CAVForth ensures we are at the forefront of developing the technology.

Even in a future that has fully autonomous vehicles, the work to date of my officials with partners on Project CAVForth supports the view that bus operators must continue to provide a focus on customer experience to provide assistance, ensure appropriate personal safety and comfort. This will be delivered during the CAVForth trial by the provision of both the legally required safety driver and an additional ‘Bus Captain’. The safety driver will be ready to take over the driving task at any time, whilst the Bus Captain will provide support and assistance to customers e.g. ticketing, travel advice etc.

This Government wants Scotland to be at the forefront in the development of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles and the start of the CAVForth trial will really help the country establish its credentials on the world stage. We are excited to see how this technology can help to support our vision for a sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport system.

Transport Scotland’s formal participation in the CAVForth project will cease at the end of July 2023, however the CAVForth service will continue to operate beyond that point, and is expected to include an extension of the service to Dunfermline.

We have no current plans for the introduction of further autonomous bus services, however Scotland is ‘open for business’ to test, demonstrate and pilot autonomous vehicle trials, and in line with our CAV Roadmap for Scotland my officials at Transport Scotland will continue to investigate and explore what future CAV opportunities there may be.

The Scottish Government’s National Carers Strategy (December 2022) sets out our cross-government approach to carer support and recognition, including through collaboration with different partners spanning local government, the Third Sector, the NHS and the wider public sector. The Strategy specifically considers the importance of all employers being positive about carers in the workforce, and sets out our intentions regarding carers and employment at chapter 4. This includes our commitment to fund and promote the Carer Positive employer accreditation scheme.

The Scottish Government funds Carers Scotland to run the scheme, raise awareness and engage with public services and other prospective employers, for example through direct engagement, speaking at networks and events and one-to-one support. The Scottish Government Ministers will continue to promote the scheme, working with Carers Scotland.

A full list of Carer Positive employers, including a significant proportion of public bodies is published on the Carer Positive website .

In the 2022 Programme for Government, and more recently in the FM’s policy prospectus, the Scottish Government has committed to launch a Talent Attraction and Migration Service for Scotland. The service is in the early stages of development and we intend to launch it before the end of 2023. The service will improve Scotland’s ability to attract and recruit workers with the skills that our economy will need in the future and support international workers in the migration and relocation process.

The Scottish Government will update the guidance regularly to ensure displaced people from Ukraine have up to date information. Updates have been made since the guidance was first published in 6 th April 2023. We will continue to review the guidance – and listen to our stakeholders, partner organisations and displaced people from Ukraine living in Scotland – to ensure it is up to date and meets needs.

A total of 56 homes have been completed through the Rural and Islands Housing Fund since November 2021. The following table provides a breakdown by local authority area.

The Scottish Government’s stakeholder engagement during this initial phase of policy development, when no sites have been identified, was conducted online to enable wide participation. See the answers to S6W-16733 on 28 April 2023 and S6W-17046 on 15 May 2023 for more details of specific engagements. Meetings which took place prior to the launch of the consultation allowed stakeholder feedback to be taken into account as we developed our initial proposals. Meetings held during the consultation period were designed to assist stakeholders, including individuals and businesses, to complete the consultation and answer any questions.

The intention is to undertake in-person sessions during the next phase of the project in relation to the development of site proposals. I, along with other Ministers, will be visiting island and coastal communities around Scotland to hear their views directly before setting out our next steps.

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 Scottish Government did not pay for advertisements in relation to the public consultation on our overall approach to Highly Protected Marine Areas. The consultation was publicised online via social media – see the answer to
‎ S6W-17045 on 15 May 2023 for more details. Additionally emails were sent out to the over 200 stakeholders who had signed up for our mailing list.

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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-17310 on 4 May 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-16945 on 2 May 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