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As referred to at the debate held on 14 March on the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee's Inquiry Report on ‘The role of local government and its cross-sectoral partners in financing and delivering a net-zero Scotland’, we are pleased to confirm that we are taking forward plans with local government partners to establish a Climate Intelligence Service for local authorities this year.

The Climate Intelligence Service will provide local authorities with the data, tools and skills to help ensure that they are on the right trajectory for net zero and to embed climate impact into local decision making.

The Scottish Government recognises the benefits magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) could provide to eligible patients with essential tremor. However, we have not assessed clinicians’ awareness of MRgFUS.

The Scottish Government currently has no plans to offer funding to the University of Dundee to support access to magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) treatment for patients with essential tremor.

The Scottish Government has not assessed the impact of case by case assessment of patients with essential tremor on inequity of access to treatment.

The SFC’s Fiscal Sustainability Report is an important contribution to the debate on fiscal sustainability and highlights potential impacts of demographic change on the Scottish public finances over the next fifty years. These challenges are not unique to Scotland, and are prevalent in many high-income countries. However, Scotland lacks a full range of levers to deal with these in the way that other countries can, particularly over migration.

Within the powers at its disposal, the Scottish Government is committed to ensuring the public finances are on a sustainable trajectory. This will mean growing our economy and by extension our tax base, and embedding delivery and value for money at the heart of our public services. Central to this will be overseeing public service reform, focused on delivering more efficient, person-centred public services. The Fiscal Framework review will also be vital and must ensure the Scottish Government and Parliament has the necessary powers to manage the risks we face within our devolved responsibilities, and to support economic recovery. The Scottish Government’s approach to managing the public finances over the medium-term is set out in the Medium Term Financial Strategy, due to be published in May 2023.

In 2023 we will also launch a new Talent Attraction and Migration Service for Scotland, and publish an Addressing Depopulation Action Plan. And we will continue to press the UK Government to make the vital immigration reforms required to meet Scotland’s needs.

While the Scottish Government will continue to manage the public finances diligently with the powers we have, it is our view that the current constitutional settlement is insufficient to properly tackle the long-term challenges that Scotland faces. Ultimately, Scotland must be independent with full control over the economy and powers over migration to secure the stability of our public finances.

A success rate of tree planting is not recorded as such. The planting is designed to deliver specific objectives such as landscape integration, screening/shelter, and ecological enhancement etc. However, this does not necessarily mean 100% of the stock planted needs to establish in order to achieve the objectives. A number of annual inspections are carried out by the landscape architect throughout each year of the 5 year establishment period. These inspections determine whether the planting is on course to deliver the intended design outcomes, and can result in remedial actions for the contractor to carry out.

The planting design is for a relatively high density of approximately 1 plant per square metre. It is anticipated that some plants will fail due to natural competition or the challenges presented by local conditions. In areas where a significant proportion of plants fail then it would be more likely that replanting will be required, and this has been the philosophy adopted for the first few years of the maintenance period. It is estimated that approximately 25% of plants have failed to establish over the first three years since planting. The inspections have determined that approximately 15% of plant failures will require to be replaced in order to achieve the aims of the design.

The Blue Flag programme in Scotland was discontinued at the end of 2016 and replaced with the Scottish Beach Awards scheme. Keep Scotland Beautiful will announce the 2023 beach awards winners before the start of the bathing season. In order for a beach to achieve an award there is a criteria for local environmental quality, which includes consideration of the bathing water quality standards.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency is responsible for monitoring, classifying protecting and improving water quality at designated bathing waters. 98% of bathing waters currently meet the bathing water standards with more beaches being classified as excellent than ever before.

The Scottish Government is fully committed to improving the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful and to engagement and meaningful dialogue with directly affected communities and other stakeholders. I am grateful for the continuing interest the A83 Rest and Be Thankful Campaign Group has in the scheme development process and I will continue the positive engagement the Scottish Government has had with them to date. Subject to parliamentary business, I would be pleased to meet with the group to discuss the scheme and our commitment to developing an infrastructure solution to address the landslip risks at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful.

In 2022-23, £6.554m was spent on the continuing maintenance and short-term measures for the A83 Rest and Be Thankful, and £3.913m was spent progressing the design and development of the both the medium and long term solutions to the landslip risks at the Rest and Be Thankful.

The Women’s Health Plan includes a medium-term action to “ensure women are properly supported around the time of menopause to assess their future risk of osteoporosis and fractures and given appropriate lifestyle advice” and action is being taken to progress this work.

On 5 th April, Professor Anna Glasier, the Women’s Health Champion, met with the Royal Osteoporosis Society to discuss the higher risk of osteoporosis for women and the impact that this has on their health outcomes in later life.

In addition, accessible information has been made available to women via the menopause resource on the NHS Inform Women’s Health Platform. The resource highlights that women who have been through menopause are at an increased risk of developing osteoporosis as a result of the lower level of oestrogen in the body and provides advice on what women can do to reduce their chances of developing osteoporosis. Information is included on lifestyle changes like exercise and nutrition to improve bone health as well as advice on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).

The Scottish Government has also commissioned NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to create a bespoke training package and framework focussed on menopause and menstrual health for GPs and others working in Primary Care. This package will take a life course approach, including ensuring healthcare professionals are able to support women in being aware of the risk of osteoporosis around the time of menopause – and what can help.