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Scottish Government is not aware of any plans to roll out the use of infrared-sensitive cameras placed in patients’ rooms to measure pulse and breathing rates remotely across NHSScotland.

It is ultimately for the 14 Territorial Health Boards across Scotland to decide whether to procure and apply this technology as part of their treatment for patients.

The Scottish Government is committed to achieving a consistent approach to NHS Board consideration of health technologies, via a system based upon the clinical and cost effectiveness of technologies to the NHS and to people in Scotland.

Health Technologies play a critical role in the delivery of clinical and cost effective healthcare which meets the needs of patients to deliver excellent healthcare and patient outcomes.

The Cancer Strategy for Children and Young People in Scotland is delivered by the Managed Service Network for children and young people with cancer (MSN CYPC). A progress update will be provided by the MSN as part of its annual reporting.

To support the MSN CYPC strategy and review of psychological support for Children and Young People with cancer, which actions 46 and 47 refer to, the Scottish Government has commissioned the Scottish Cancer Network to work with the MSN in delivering a workforce review. An initial review on three allied health professional (AHP) specialities is underway.

Additionally, the Scottish Government committed to a National Allied Health Professions (AHP) Workforce and Education Policy Review. The review will consider whether or not policy for AHP education provision is congruent to the current and future needs of our students and the future health needs of the people of Scotland. It will also consider the actions necessary to deliver a national education and workforce plan for AHPs, giving full consideration of all aspects of workforce measurement, planning and education needs for the future.

The Scottish Government are awaiting publication of the guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) before deciding their next steps in relation to whether we ask the Scottish Health Technologies Group (SHTG) to review and adapt the guidance for NHS Scotland. The draft guidance by NICE medical technologies has an expected publication date of March 2023.

A number of active groups have a role in enterprise issues that fall within of the responsibilities of the Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise.

These include sectoral groups coordinating work to transform different segments of Scotland’s economy:

• Financial Services Growth and Development Board
• Industry Leadership Chairs Group
• Life Sciences Scotland Industry Leadership Group
• Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council
• Strategic Leadership Group for Advanced Manufacturing
• Tourism and Hospitality Industry Leadership Group
• Aerospace and Defence Industry Leadership Group
• Construction Leadership Forum

There are also groups which help support the delivery of the National Strategy for Economic Transformation:

• New Market Opportunities Partnership Delivery Group
• Productive Business and Regions Delivery Board
• Business Support Partnership

To support regional economic development, the following groups exist:

• Scottish City Region and Growth Deal Delivery Board
• Regional Economic Policy Advisory Group

There are additionally groups where the Scottish Government draws on external experience to inform policy decisions:

• Scottish Government and Business Organisations Meeting

• Ministerial Trade Board

• Scottish Taskforce for Green and Sustainable Financial Services

• Innovation Strategy Steering Group

The breakdown of the information requested is not held centrally the collation of this information would incur disproportionate costs.

As stated in answer to PQ S6W-10006, the next Climate Change Plan, a draft of which will be published next year, will include costs of delivering emissions reductions to meet the statutory targets between 2024 and 2040. The Scottish Government has published the updated Climate Change Plan for the period up to 2032 but has not yet set out a pathway for the other years to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 and hence does not yet have a basis for a cost assessment of achieving that goal. That will be covered as part of subsequent Climate Change Plans.

On 28 October 2022, Ferguson Marine wrote to the Net Zero, Energy & Transport Committee to inform them of a technical design issue with the Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) system on MV Glen Sannox.

In the letter Ferguson Marine set out their proposed approach to rectify this issue with the caveat that this will require agreement from Scottish Government, CMAL and CalMac. When an agreement is reached Ferguson Marine will update Parliament.

The suite of final reports presenting the recommendations of the Second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) will be published on the Transport Scotland website on 8 December 2022. This represents a key milestone for strategic transport planning in Scotland. Setting out a 20 year framework for capital investment to drive the change we need to achieve the Scottish Government’s strategic vision and move towards Net Zero – the majority of the 45 recommendations contribute directly towards achieving emissions reduction.

This marks the culmination of over three years’ intensive work.

The evidence gathering and robust objective-led appraisal work feeding in to this review has been informed by stakeholder engagement from the very outset. The public have been provided with several opportunities for involvement, not least the three month statutory consultation on draft versions of the reports during January to April 2022. All responses to this have been carefully considered and used to inform refinement of the final recommendations.

The intention was to publish a Delivery Plan for these recommendations, alongside the final report. However, due to the current huge lack of certainty around available capital budget and fiscal policy over recent months, this has not been possible as yet. As such the Delivery Plan will follow in 2023, which will include more detail on prioritisation and delivery timescales, however, I am pleased to note that work is already underway on 38 of the 45 recommendations.

Despite telecoms legislation being wholly reserved to Westminster, the Scottish Government continues to prioritise significant funding for digital connectivity. We are investing over £600 million in the R100 contracts that are currently delivering gigabit capable broadband connections across rural Scotland at pace. Through the Scottish 4G Infill programme, we are investing £28.75m to deliver 4G infrastructure and mobile services in up to 55 notspots across Scotland with 30 masts currently live in rural and island areas.

The draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan is due to be discussed at Cabinet shortly, after which we’ll be able to confirm a date for an imminent publication for consultation.