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Two Scottish cities are currently twinned with Ukraine. Our respective capital cities Edinburgh and Kyiv, have been twinned since 1989, and Newport-on-Tay entered into a twinning relationship with Zolotarevo in 2002. Twinning enables local communities to formalise friendships, create cultural and educational bonds as well as work on shared local issues.

COSLA is the twinning coordinator for local authorities in Scotland. The Scottish Government encourages any Local Authority, seeking to establish a twinning relationship with Ukraine to discuss this further with COSLA. I have previously met COSLA and the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, to discuss my support for their twinning relationship and to explore how further Scottish Local Authorities can support Ukraine.

The Financial Memorandum set out the range of possible costs for the NCS.

The NCS is being developed through a Co-Design approach. We are starting to work with the Lived Experience Experts Panel on larger scale co-design, and will continue to work with a range of organisations and individuals alongside the panel.

We will design and develop the NCS with the real experts, those who rely on social care, unpaid carers and the workforce.

The finances are being constantly monitored and reviewed as new information becomes available. Through the business case process we will continue to provide greater detail and clarity.

Further to the answer to question S6W-11628, answered on 7 November 2022, I refer the member to the answer to questions S6W-11493 on 26 October 2022, and S6T-00915 on 25 October 2022. The administration process is still ongoing, but I would like to assure the member that the Scottish Government is continuing to engage with key partners in relation to this matter, including Creative Scotland.

The answer to Topical Question S6T-00915 can be found here: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report/search-what-was-said-in-parliament/meeting-of-parliament-25-10-2022?meeting=13939&iob=126317#16180

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 recently completed our second consultation on the New Build Heat Standard , which sets out our proposals for regulating direct emissions heating systems within new buildings, applying for a building warrant, from 1 April 2024.

An independent analysis of the responses received to the consultation is now underway, and this will inform the development of regulations prior to their laying in Parliament in Spring 2023.

The 433 additional properties to be connected in Dumfries and Galloway as a result of the £6.6 million extension to the R100 South contract are spread across the whole region. This extended build is also fully reflected on our online address checker where individuals can enter their address details to see what the R100 programme will deliver for their property.

Parents and carers are encouraged to talk to their ELC setting about their child’s needs, and this may involve wider discussions with health professionals. We have written to local authorities to encourage them to review local processes and communications to reflect the change in legislation. Parents and carers already have the legal right to defer their child’s entry to primary school if they are not yet 5 years old at the beginning of the school year and this is not affected by the upcoming change in legislation.

The Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme (SSIP) Lead conducts an annual review process on behalf of the Scottish Government, meeting all NHS boards to appraise their provision of stroke services and create a local action plan to improve performance where needed. Annual reviews of NHS boards’ stroke services will now include a requirement to demonstrate adequate provision of psychological support, including detection and treatment of the psychological consequences of stroke and evidence of a clear referral pathway for accessing psychological services.

The Island Communities Impact Assessment ( Deposit return scheme for Scotland: islands communities impact assessment - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) ) that we published in March 2020 confirms that the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme will not increase the amount of waste that will arise in island communities. Since most waste is currently transported off the islands it is unlikely that there will be any significant increase in number of journeys made by waste hauliers. No further modelling has been undertaken.

Health and Social care settings are expected to follow the National Infection Prevention and Control Manual when caring for individuals who have been diagnosed with or suspected of having COVID-19.

Guidance on infection control measures across health and social care settings is determined by, and kept under constant review in light of, new and emerging evidence. While reduced prevalence of the virus and hospitalisation rates has resulted in an easing of the previous infection and prevention control (IPC) measures, and a consequent reduction in costs, various mitigations remain in place.

These includeongoing symptomatic testing for staff working in face-to-face roles with patients and service users in health and social care settings and extended use of face masks and face coverings in hospitals, primary care and wider community healthcare. As well as ongoing support measures including the Social Care Staff Support Fund (supporting staff whilst they self-isolate), financial support arrangements relating to testing in care homes and staff vaccinations, and PPE Hubs remaining available in case of emergency PPE being required and for unpaid carers and personal assistants.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with NHS Boards and Integration Authorities to manage Covid expenditure within the 2022-23 budget and is considering the on-going cost of measures as part of the 2023-24 budget process.

The default position for new public bodies is that they will be subject to the Scottish Government’s Public Sector Pay Policy (PSPP). However, the decision was taken that David MacBrayne Ltd (DML), the public body which owns CalMac Ferries Limited (CFL), be excluded from the Policy. This was to enable CFL to operate in a similar commercial environment and on a level basis with other operators in tendering for future ferry service contracts.