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The latest trunk road Network Management Contracts (NMCs) in the two northern units commenced on 16 th August 2022. Both contracts are contracted to run for a minimum eight years and include the trunk roads in the Highlands and Islands. The focus on the new contracts strives for increased quality and innovation which delivers best winter practice in Scotland, serving communities and businesses by operating a safe and efficient network. Overall, from a winter service perspective, there have been significant changes delivered by the NMC contracts. These include enhancing our operational responses during snow events with a particular focus on vulnerable locations, extension of patrol routes as well as a proactive approach in treating our footways. To provide a joined-up approach where trunk road and local authority footpaths intersect, our Operating Companies consult with each respective local authority to agree levels of service provided.

Defects on roads, including potholes, can appear as the result of a number of factors, and it is up to roads authorities to maintain roads that they are responsible for. On the trunk road network, the Operating Companies are required to complete regular safety inspections and safety patrols. Their inspection teams are on the network to identify defects, including potholes, prioritise them based on the potential risk to road safety and where possible repair them or call for back-up.

While specific winter plans sit with Scotland’s Railway delivery partners (Network Rail, ScotRail, and other train and freight operators) Transport Scotland continue to engage with the industry to ensure plans are developed and delivered as required.

The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 introduced a discretionary power for local authorities to implement workplace parking licencing (WPL) schemes. It will be for local authorities to decide whether they wish to implement WPL locally and to shape proposals to suit local circumstances.

To date, no local authorities have implemented a WPL scheme and therefore no revenue has been collected under a WPL scheme.

The Workplace Parking Licensing (Scotland) Regulations 2022 require local authorities to notify Scottish Ministers when publishing notification of a scheme proposal. There is no requirement for local authorities to register their interest in introducing a WPL scheme with Scottish Ministers before they have formally published a scheme proposal (such as during initial scoping or exploration of a scheme).

While no notifications of scheme proposals have yet been received, I am aware that local authorities may be considering how best to use the new powers. For example, the City of Edinburgh Council has included plans to take forward a WPL scheme as part of its published City Mobility Plan 2021-2030 and are continuing to scope such a scheme. I am also aware that WPL is under consideration in Glasgow as part of their Local Transport Strategy policy framework.

As per answer to question S6W-13986 on 31 January 2023 there are a number of developments underway to support online triage. However, we do not hold information on the amount spent specifically on online triage.

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

We are not currently aware of any Health Boards that are not using a form of asynchronous communication as part of their public service offering.

Careful consideration is being given to the call for a public inquiry, and the Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs will respond to the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee’s correspondence on this matter in due course.

Traditional skills are promoted in a number of ways by non-departmental public bodies such as Skills Development Scotland and Historic Environment Scotland. These include apprenticeships, which are a key way for employers to invest in their workforce and provide skills that the economy needs now and in the future, as underlined by our commitment to a skilled workforce set out in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation.

As part of the Scottish Government’s Youth Employment Strategy, Developing the Young Workforce, we have worked with employers and sector bodies to develop a programme called “Build Your Future” that promotes careers in construction and heritage skills, including stonemasonry, to young people through construction skills tasters.

A short life working group is currently being led by Historic Environment Scotland to identify how sustainable models of stonemasonry training can be developed in Scotland. Historic Environment Scotland also directly supports and works with organisations across Scotland to promote skilled heritage jobs through provision of advice, support and mentoring. Through its grants programmes, Historic Environment Scotland also directly supports the employment of skilled craftspeople on third party projects, as well as requiring grant recipients to engage in education, training and outreach to promote skilled heritage jobs.

The Scottish Government publishes survey data on the use of vaping products by under 16s collected through the Growing Up in Scotland (GUS) study and via the Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS), which ran between 2002 and 2018.

Vapes and other nicotine products are part of a range of possible cessation tools available to existing smokers to help stop tobacco use. They are not a lifestyle accessory for children or adult non-smokers.

Electricity networks are a reserved matter and the Scottish Government has no role in determining how network infrastructure is delivered.

Scottish Government officials meet with Scottish Power Energy Networks and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues pertaining to the delivery of Scotland’s net zero targets and we encourage networks companies to work collaboratively with all stakeholders including Network Rail.

The Scottish Breast Screening Programme (SBSP) currently operates six breast screening centres, complimented by twenty mobile breast screening units. These service each area of Scotland on a three yearly rotational basis and are intended to address the geographical challenges faced by the breast screening programme in Scotland.

The Scottish Government remains committed to improving the service and providing equality of access to breast screening. This commitment is laid out within the major review of the breast screening programme, which was published on 23 May 2022, and is being taken forward by a dedicated Modernisation Programme Board, which is working to ensure the programme is fit for the future. Further information on the review can be found here: Scottish Breast Screening Programme: major review - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)