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The number of households, and particularly those with children, in temporary accommodation in some local authorities is unacceptably high. I have written to the Housing Conveners of the councils with temporary accommodation increases, requesting an urgent meeting to discuss how we can work together on potential solutions. The first meeting will take place later this week.

I have also asked an expert group, chaired by Shelter Scotland and ALACHO, for an action plan to reduce the numbers of people in temporary accommodation, with a strong focus on households with children. The group’s final report will be published at the end of March and will inform our approach to working with our local government and third sector partners to reduce the use of temporary accommodation.

Our strong homelessness legislation means that homeless households, including those with children, have a right to temporary accommodation. The majority of households in temporary accommodation are living in council or housing association homes.

a) The Rehabilitation and Recovery: A Once for Scotland Person-Centred Approach to Rehabilitation in a Post-COVID Era was published in June 2022 and provides a framework to deliver person-centred, innovative and inclusive rehabilitation to all.

The Once for Scotland approach recommends that all individuals should have access to a person-centred assessment, which will provide a better understanding of their rehabilitation needs.

As this work now moves into an implementation phase, rehabilitation services are encouraged to benchmark themselves against the Six Principles of Good Rehabilitation in order to identify gaps in service provision and opportunity for development and innovation.

b)Through the Heart Disease Action Plan funding call in 2021 we provided funding for the development of a self-management resource for people with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction.

Delivery of this action is a long term objective of the plan. The National Heart Disease Task Force will consider the prioritisation of work to be undertaken in 2023/24 as part of our ongoing implementation of the commitments within the Heart Disease Action Plan.

The Scottish Government recently awarded Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland and the Research Resuscitation Group (Edinburgh University) funding to deliver a pilot project of telephone support and the development of website information for people who witness an out of hospital cardiac arrest/sudden cardiac death.

There have been two pieces of work carried out in relation to training and education for the wider Healthcare Science professional group of which cardiac physiology is one specialty. The baseline exercise Healthcare science - education and training provision: baseline review - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) has provided an overview of the education and training landscape for Healthcare Science.

The outcomes of this work has informed the context of the scoping review committed to within the National Workforce strategy 2022. Recommendations have been made as to the next steps and once confirmed these will be shared with the wider stakeholder groups.

Under the Heart Disease Task Force oversight, a Short Life Working Group has been supporting the development of a layer of cardiac specific competencies intended to complement the wider Transforming Nursing Roles competencies for Clinical Nurse Specialists.

The Scottish Government is currently working with NHS Education for Scotland to identify a workplan for the next phase of the Transforming Roles Programme. This involves agreeing priority actions and implementing outstanding recommendations from the ‘Transforming Nursing, Midwifery and Health Professions’ Roles: Review of Clinical Nurse Specialist and Nurse Practitioner Roles within Scotland’ publication.

At a time of significant system pressure, this priority setting is to be undertaken as part of wider considerations in collaboration with the Scottish Executive Nurse Directors Group in Spring 2023.

In addition, the Allied Health Professional Education and Workforce Policy Review that considered the actions necessary to deliver a national education and workforce plan for AHPs has now been completed. The recommendations will be published early 2023 and an implementation plan will be developed thereafter.

The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) are invited as a member of the delivery group for the Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Strategy 2021 – 2026, as are Scottish Government. This work is overseen by Save a Life for Scotland and is focused on delivery of the aims included within the Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Strategy 2021 – 2026.

Circularity Scotland Ltd (CSL) has set up a dedicated support team which is accessible via a helpline to assist with inquiries from businesses to help them prepare for the launch of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).

Furthermore, in February CSL hosted a series of information events around the country so that businesses could learn more, and ask questions about their DRS obligations.

I recommend that producers contact Circularity Scotland, either by way of this dedicated telephone help line, or via their website to remain up to date with the latest information regarding DRS.

The South West trunk road operating company (AMEY) undertakes a range of maintenance inspections on the approaches to the M8 Kingston Bridge. These include weekly driven inspections and 3 monthly safety inspections of the approaches (including all joints), with the half-joints monitored separately on a 3-monthly basis. Depending on the findings, more extensive investigations and testing of the joints may be undertaken.

Between 2018 and 2023, 113 expansion joints were replaced within the Kingston Bridge complex including the approaches. A further 15 expansion joints are programmed for replacement within the 2023/24 financial year.

This programme of work addressed defects from previous inspections, as replacement of the expansion joints above the half-joints removes water leakage from the area, protecting the half-joints.

We will continue to monitor the half-joints on a 3-monthly basis, undertaking any further maintenance works as required.

Motability Operations have reported to the Scottish Government that 62,537 people in Scotland have received a £350 payment which is an early payment of the ‘Good Condition Payment’. This would normally be paid at the end of a person’s lease if they return their vehicle in good condition, but Motability have paid this to clients early to support disabled people during the cost-of-living crisis. Motability have told the Scottish Government that this payment was made in October and November 2022.

Motability Operations have also advised that they have paid a ‘New Vehicle Payment’ designed to help disabled people pay any advanced payment needed for accessible vehicles or equipment. 17,420 eligible people who have leased vehicles with Motability have received £250 each and 685 individuals who have leased powered wheelchairs or scooters have received £100 each. This payment will increase from £250 to £750 at the end of February for vehicles. There is a top up payment of £500 to be made from 28 February 2023. Thereafter any person ordering a new vehicle over the next two years will receive a £750 payment.

Motability Operations have informed us that they have added 10,000 Electric Vehicles (EVs) and 22,000 hybrid vehicles to their fleet, representing 21% of new vehicles joining the fleet. Alternatively fuelled vehicles now represent approximately 13% of the current fleet, having increased year on year since 2019. Motability Operations is investing £300m over the next three years to support customers with the transition to EVs. Further information on this can be found in Motability Operations annual report at: https://www.motabilityoperations.co.uk/Annual_Report_2022.pdf.