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The changes to examination recall times follow independent best practice guidelines set by NICE, allowing dentists to tailor recalls based on patients’ individual oral health needs. The guidelines can be found online at: Overview | Dental checks: intervals between oral health reviews | Guidance | NICE.

No one will have reduced access to dental examinations if they need them, alongside the annual extended clinical exam, there is a new review examination available, free of charge, as often as the dentist deems it clinically necessary.

On 28 September I wrote jointly with Julie James, Minister for Climate Change in the Welsh Government, to Michael Gove, UK Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, expressing disappointment at the Prime Minister’s announcement that the UK Government is significantly changing course on key net zero commitments.

Tackling the twin crises of climate change and nature loss is one of the most significant challenges facing people and planet this century and the Prime Minister’s statement was an unforgivable betrayal of current and future generations.

There was no prior engagement with the Scottish or Welsh Governments. Because of the weakness of current arrangements, we seek a high level summit and the establishment of a new, mutually respectful partnership to develop an agreed four nation approach to net zero in a collaborative manner. We also continue to strongly urge the UK Government to provide detailed information to enable us to fully assess the implications of the announcement.

On 5 October I made clear the Scottish Government’s position in a call with Graham Stuart, Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.

On 26 October, I wrote to Claire Coutinho, Secretary of State, to express my deep concern about the path chosen by the Prime Minister in abandoning and delaying measures which have been previously committed to by the UK Government. I also seek an urgent response on long-standing proposals from the Scottish Government for action on reserved issues to accelerate the transition to net zero and help deliver both Scottish and UK targets.

I will again raise these issues when I chair the next meeting of the four nations Inter-Ministerial Working Group on Net Zero on 15 November.

At her recent appearance at the Education Committee, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills outlined the rationale for developing a new funding model and that the Scottish Government was at an early stage in its deliberations. The Skills Delivery Landscape Review outlined that there was significant funding within the system that could be better utilised that this commitment is looking to address.

The Scottish Government will update on wider reform including progress on the funding model in the coming months.

The information requested relates to Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) data and is not held by the Scottish Government.

SQA has advised that it does not collect candidate type data. However it does collect centre type data, which includes “HM Prisons” and they have provided this as set out in the table which has been placed in The Scottish Parliament Information Centre Bib number 64623. Certifications contained within the table may relate to prisoners, prison officers or any other person entered by the prison service.

Police Scotland do not have the legal powers to directly issue antisocial behaviour orders. Local authorities and registered social landlords, in consultation with the police, can apply to the sheriff court for an order where there is evidence that a person (aged at least 12 years) has behaved in an antisocial manner and that an order is necessary for the protection of persons from further antisocial behaviour. There is also the power for a court to make an ASBO on conviction in the criminal court as part of a sentence.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

The teaching standards set by the General Teaching Council for Scotland require teachers to be able to identify and respond appropriately to pupils with difficulties in or barriers to learning. During initial teacher education, student teachers will gain sufficient knowledge of additional support needs for them to be able to support the child in question themselves or to seek specialised information and specialised support if necessary. Scottish Ministers have recently outlined in our Programme for Government 2023-24 our commitment to work with teachers to provide additional professional learning opportunities while seeking to build on the Additional Support for Learning Action Plan.

In 2022-23, the Scottish Government provided over £500,000 to voluntary sector organisations to support children and young people with additional support needs, including sensory loss. This includes funding to the Scottish Sensory Centre to support the training of school staff to provide effective support to Deaf children and young people.

In December 2021, we published the Autism in Schools Action plan and the majority of the actions are complete. Several of the actions, such as the funding of professional learning resources like the Autism Toolbox are intended to be ongoing, to reflect best practice and current research in this area.

This is a matter for NHS Scotland and individual Health Boards. The information requested is not held by the Scottish Government.

You may wish to refer to the Public Health Scotland Scottish Health Service Costs reports .

Diagnosis, treatment and care for people with heart disease is being provided across a range of services delivered by our NHS, supported by record funding of more than £19 billion for the health portfolio.

While the Scottish Government provides core funding and is responsible for setting the strategic policy for the NHS in Scotland, responsibility for service delivery rests locally with Health Boards who configure services taking into account local circumstances and the reasonable needs of their patient populations.

Progress is being made. At a national level the poverty-related attainment gap remains narrower than it was pre-pandemic for National 5s, Highers and Advanced Highers. We’ve seen good progress in primary school literacy and numeracy, with the latest data showing the biggest reduction in the gap on record and a record low gap in positive destinations for school leavers 9 months after leaving school.

The Scottish Government gathers a range of data via the National Improvement Framework, which includes 11 key measures of particular relevance to the attainment gap in both the Broad General Education and Senior Phase – with two new key measures added on School Attendance and Initial Positive Destinations. A detailed breakdown of attainment and the poverty-related attainment gap can be found on the Scottish Government website - Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence levels: 2021/22 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) and Summary Statistics for Attainment and Initial Leaver Destinations, No. 5: 2023 Edition - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

At a local level, the publication of the Scottish Attainment Challenge: Framework for Recovery and Accelerating Progress includes a requirement for all local authorities to set locally identified stretch aims for progress in raising attainment and closing the poverty related attainment gap. The national aggregation of all 32 local authority 2022/23 stretch aims for progress closing the gap is available to access here:- Scottish Attainment Challenge - local stretch aims: 2022 to 2023 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . Collectively, the core stretch aims set by local authorities showed a great deal of ambition for both recovery and accelerating progress. Further, we have now received all local authorities’ stretch aims for progress for 2025-26 and are reviewing these ahead of publication later in the year.

Local Authorities and schools in Mid Scotland and Fife are able to access ongoing advice and guidance from Education Scotland's Attainment Advisor team who help to share best practice and provide guidance on effective planning, implementation and evaluation of interventions helping to maximise improved outcomes for children and young people in schools and local authorities.

Our Women’s Health Plan includes a commitment to improve information and public awareness of heart disease symptoms and risks for women.

Throughout February 2023 we delivered an awareness campaign related to this action. Outreach posters were placed in 1,000 pharmacies and 1,600 organisations (such as GPs and community centres).

Posters included a link to the NHS Inform Women’s Heart Health page . The page notes that the symptoms of a heart attack can vary person to person, though both women and men may experience some common symptoms.