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On 1 April 2020 the Intermediate Property Rate (poundage +1.3p) was introduced for properties with rateable values between £51,000 and £95,000 which would previously have been liable for the Large Business Supplement (2.6p).

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13273 on‎ 12 January 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-13273 on‎ 12 January 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 number of patients that have been or are on the active kidney transplant waiting list as of 31 March each year since 2016 in the NHS Ayrshire and Arran and the Inverclyde local authority postcode areas is as follows:

The 32,200 figure quoted in response to FOI/202200330247 is the number of premises in the Highlands and Islands Region currently planned to be connected upon completion of the Scottish Government Reaching 100% (R100) North contract. As of the 30th November 2022, a total of 2,056 premises in the Highlands and Islands Region have already been delivered through the R100 North contract build.

The £600 million R100 contract build is a huge civil engineering undertaking which is delivering gigabit-capable broadband infrastructure across some of the most challenging terrain in Scotland, with over 114,000 premises currently expected to be connected upon completion. The contracts are delivered in phases that have been designed to maximise efficiency and support wider network configuration.

a) The Bioenergy Policy Working Group comprises Scottish Government officials from a number of policy areas.

• Agriculture Transformation for Environment and Climate Change
• Bioenergy
• Biodiversity
• Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS)
• Critical Energy Infrastructure & Commercial Projects
• Domestic Climate Change
• Environmental Protection - Air Quality
• Environmental Quality and Circular Economy
• Heat Strategy
• Hydrogen
• Industrial Decarbonisation
• Industrial Strategy and Technologies
• Just Transition
• Land Use Strategy
• Land Use Transformation
• Natural Capital and Land Management
• Office of the Chief Economic Adviser (OCEA)
• Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services (RESAS)
• Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA)
• Scottish Forestry
• Sustainable Aviation
• Transport - Supply Chains and Alternative Fuels
• Whole Energy System

Minutes from the meetings will be published as soon as practical. However the group are still in the process of developing policy and considering options.

b) The Bioenergy Expert Panel has still to be assembled, and we are currently reviewing when and how it will be established.

Oil and gas exploration and production, including licensing, remains reserved to the UK Government. The Scottish Government is clear that unlimited extraction of fossil fuels is not consistent with our climate obligations and is not the right solution to the real cost of living crisis families are facing. To reduce energy costs we need to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. This means investing more in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

We are also supporting the fastest possible just transition for the energy sector and the oil and gas workforce, the communities in which they live and work, and the regional economies that have greatly benefited from oil and gas activities and have much to gain from the transition to net zero.

Our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan was published for consultation on 10 January 2023.

The Scottish Government has supported the development of many urinary tract infection (UTI) resources to support people with these conditions and reduce the risk of infection. This includes evidence-based information and support available on the symptoms, treatment and prevention of UTIs on NHS Inform . We have also supported local access to support through the development of Pharmacy First in community pharmacies across Scotland which allows women with less complex UTIs to access free advice or treatment where appropriate.

We expect all healthcare workers in Scotland to follow best practice when providing care for people with UTIs. In support of this, guidelines on management of suspected UTIs were developed by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) in 2020. These support clinicians to provide advice to patients and carers on appropriate treatment, risks and lifestyle and behaviour issues which can support management and prevention of UTIs. The guideline was accompanied by supporting materials for clinicians and patients to improve dissemination and engagement with the new guidelines including a quick reference guide and patient booklet.

Scotland has some of the strongest homelessness legislation in the world and local authorities have a legal duty to provide support to anyone at risk of homelessness, including veterans.

Preventing homelessness from happening in the first place is the best and most effective way to end homelessness. We commissioned the Veterans Scotland Housing Group to set out specific strategies to prevent homelessness for veterans and their report was published in January 2022. We accepted the 24 recommendations in principle and are engaging with partners on next steps.

Additionally, we continue to support the charity Housing Options Scotland to provide its Military Matters project, helping veterans and serving members of the Armed Forces to find the right home in the right place. We also published a guide on the Scottish Government website with housing in Scotland information and contacts of organisations who may be able to help veterans obtain housing suitable for their needs.

The Women’s Health Plan includes a variety of short, medium and long-term actions. Since the publication of the Plan in August 2021, we have prioritised actions that we know will have an immediate impact on health inequalities. Our first report on progress will be published in early 2023, and will set out the progress made since the publication of the plan.

I also refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13514 on 16 January 2023 for an update on the development of a menopause and menstrual health workplace policy for NHS Scotland. 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 .