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The Scottish Government is committed to re-opening the 2015 Fund when affordability and sustainability can be assured. We will continue to actively consider re-opening the Fund as part of the annual budget setting process.

The Scottish Government notes the findings from the Diffley Partnership report on Understanding Scotland - Economy.

The survey shows that Healthcare and the NHS has remained a high priority for survey respondents in recent years and has now overtaken the Cost of Living / Inflation as the top priority.

Improving access to healthcare is a key priority for this government. Our 2023-24 Scottish Health Budget provides record funding of over £19 billion, providing new investment of over £1 billion and supporting recovery and reform to secure sustainable public services.

As the inherited Independent Living Fund (2015 Fund) is a closed scheme, no new applications have been made since 2015. The following provides information on the number of applications to ILF Scotland’s Transition Fund since launch in December 2017.

The Joint Working Group membership includes the Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party, and COSLA.

The core membership of the group is:

• Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth
• Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights
• Minister for Social Security and Local Government
• COSLA President – Cllr Shona Morrison
• COSLA Vice-President – Cllr Steven Heddle
• COSLA Resources Spokesperson – Cllr Katie Hagmann
• Representative from Local Authority Directors of Finance
• Representative from Institute of Revenue Rating and Valuation Representative

The Glasgow Lighthouse is contracted by UK Government until March 2023 to undertake processing of PCR tests as part of the COVID-19 Infection survey (CIS). The CIS is outwith the control of the Scottish Government but officials are engaging with UKG and other devolved nations on its future.

The Scottish Government does not collect this information centrally. However, I can advise that anyone who is a resident in temporary accommodation can be treated as a temporary patient at a General Practice for the first 3 months, maintaining access to healthcare and therefore CAMHS referrals. After this time, they are able to register as a patient. Accommodation type does not affect eligibility to access care.

Scottish Government does not hold this data. Anyone not registered with a GP and resident in temporary accommodation, can be treated as a temporary patient at a General Practice for the first 3 months, maintaining access to healthcare. After this time they are able to register as a patient. Accommodation type does not affect eligibility to access Primary Medical Care.

We are considering workforce as one of the key pillars in our new cancer strategy, which we anticipate will be published in spring this year. The cancer strategy will align with the Health and Social Care: National Workforce Strategy, published in 2022.

A public consultation was held early on in the process of developing the new strategy, which included engagement with professionals working in cancer services.

In regards to the Scotland-specific overview, I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13419 on 23 January 2023.

Furthermore, the Scottish Government recognises that while more people are being diagnosed with cancer, more people are also being cured and living longer with the illness, thanks to the many new and established treatments now available. The increasing numbers of cases is also a simple reflection of the fact that people are, overall, living longer. Clearly our NHS remains under pressure, but more patients are being treated on cancer pathways than was the case prior to the pandemic.

The Scottish Government is developing a new 10 year cancer strategy to launch in Spring this year, which will take a comprehensive approach to improving patient pathways, from prevention and diagnosis through to treatment and post-treatment care. This will be supported by an initial 3-year action plan.

The strategy will include a new earlier diagnosis vision for Scotland as well as a robust workforce strategy and ambitions aimed at strengthening research and innovation and eradicating inequalities.

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 Scottish Government, Health Boards and National Services Scotland (NSS) maintain regular contact on reducing single-use items in healthcare settings through the Sustainable Procurement Steering Group, which supports Boards transition to more circular supply practices.

A programme of work has been established to review the use of reusable alternatives and reduce the amount of single use Personal Protective Equipment used by Health Boards. This work looks at existing stock within NSS warehouses, current decontamination guidance and the capability of Health Board infrastructure to process reusable products. Where the use of reusable products is not possible, we aim to increase the number items that can be recycled at the end of their use.

National uniforms, bedding and textiles are all reusable and are laundered in house through NHS Scotland laundries, or in the case of uniforms and workwear, staff may launder at home.