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Arjowiggins has in the past received SE loans totalling £12m, equity investment of £100,000 and grant funding totalling £163,400.

Breakdown of funding:

£ 12m loans and £100,000 equity* :

• £7m loan/equity in July 2019 to support the management buy-out of the company (comprised of £6.9m loan and £100,000 equity investment)
• £3.5m loan in July 2020 as gap funding required due to Covid-19 impacts
• £1.6m loan in January 2022 to help the company mitigate numerous cost pressures (material costs, energy costs and Covid-19 impacts)
• *PLUS £4,000.091 accrued interest to date (as of September 2022)
• £163,400 in grants (all conditions met so not eligible for claw-back):
• £125,000 environmental aid for predevelopment work on Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant replacement projects
• £16,000 towards an energy efficiency audit
• £5,000 Financial Readiness grant (pre MBO) to help fund financial projections and investment appraisals for a combined heat and power energy plant on the site.
• £14,808 Workplace Innovation grant (pre MBO) to assist the company with the introduction of a management development programme following a senior management team restructure.
• £2,592 consultancy support (pre-MBO) to explore succession options and explore the feasibility of employee ownership

The Childsmile Programme is designed to help improve the oral health of children in Scotland and is delivered through a range of measures. The Childsmile Core Programme is available throughout Scotland and is introduced to families by their Health Visitor. Every child in Scotland is provided with a dental pack containing a toothbrush and toothpaste on at least six occasions by the age of five and can receive twice-yearly applications of fluoride varnish from the age of 2.

Childsmile School and Nursery ensures that all 3 and 4 year old children attending nursery are offered free, daily, supervised toothbrushing. Those children in the 20 per cent most deprived areas of Scotland are also able to receive an additional twice-yearly fluoride varnish applications by Childsmile dental teams in nurseries and schools until at least primary 4.

More information on the Childsmile programme can be found at: https://www.child-smile.org.uk/index.aspx .

The content of the Cancer Strategy is still being developed, however, a Breast Screening Modernisation Programme has been established which will drive forward work around the 17 recommendations that were included in the Major Review of the Breast Screening Programme, published May 2022 – Scottish Breast Screening Programme: major review - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

A Breast Screening Modernisation Programme Board has also been established with an independent chair – Dr Marzi Davies. The work of this Board will strengthen the breast screening programme and address inequalities, including additional support and equal access for all.

The value of the shared equity investment stakes is revalued annually using the Nationwide House Price index for Scotland. The following table shows the original capital invested together with the current valuation.

We do not hold this information centrally. Waiting time statistics on the waits experienced by patients for first appointments with chronic pain services can be found on the Public Health Scotland (PHS) website at the following link: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/chronic-pain-waiting-times/

However, PHS does not hold data that would capture the total number of patients with chronic pain who are being treated by NHS Scotland at a particular point in time, either under the care of specialist chronic pain services or otherwise.

Data is available by Board from the quarter ending 31 December 2015 to the quarter ending 30 June 2022.

A set of data tables for the most recent publication, which was released on 13th September 2022, can be found at the link above underneath the sub-heading of ‘Data files’:

• Table 4 shows the number of patients seen (adjusted) by NHS Board and quarter. A drop-down menu can be used to switch between data for pain clinics and pain psychology services.
• Table 6 shows the number of patients who were waiting for a first appointment (adjusted) by NHS Board and quarter. A drop-down menu can be used to view data for pain clinics and pain psychology services.

Data for the quarter ending 30th September 2022 is due to be published on 13th December 2022.

The statistics published in the data tables are based on aggregate data submissions obtained from the 14 NHS Boards.

It is a priority to ensure that all patients are able to access NHS dental care.

We have provided over £150 million of financial support to date to maintain the capacity and capability of NHS dentistry and agreed further funding into the new year to address the cost of living crisis. From April 2022 we have re-introduced a system of fee per item payments that incentivises NHS dental teams to see patients. Additionally, from February 2022 we have also introduced an enhanced examination fee for both adults and children.

NHS registration is significantly higher in Scotland than the rest of the UK, with more than 95% of the population registered with a NHS dentist. Information on registering with a dentist can be found at: https://www.nhsinform.scot/care-support-and-rights/nhs-services/dental/receiving-nhs-dental-treatment-in-scotland .

The procedure for handling complaints by civil servants about a current or former minister’s behaviour will be updated to improve transparency. The Deputy First Minister will discuss the updates to the procedure and the Ministerial Code with the Finance and Public Administration Committee on 22 November 2022.

In future, where the outcome is upheld or partially upheld, Ministers will be named and the outcome of the complaint published, together with an appropriately redacted version of the decision report.

The privacy and confidentiality of complainants and witnesses remain fundamental to the process. Any information that could lead to their identity being disclosed will be redacted.

The procedure applies to all Scottish Government staff and civil servants working in the Scottish Government’s executive agencies. Information on the number of formal complaints will be proactively published on the Scottish Government website every six months.

In cases where a complaint is not upheld, the Minister's name and the outcome will be published for a period of six months.

Changes to the Ministerial complaints procedure will come into effect by the end of the year.

The Scottish Ministerial Code is being updated to take account of the updated procedure and will be published in due course.

The Scottish Government is very much aware of the pressures high fuel costs are placing on inshore scallop fishers and the fishing industry in general. Although the fishing industry benefits from red diesel relief, fuel remains a major part of fishing business costs, no more so than in the scallop sector.

The Scottish Government has a strong track record of supporting the scallop sector, including targeted action through the impacts of Covid. Through our Modernisation of the Inshore Fishing Fleet Programme we are also funding installation of remote electronic monitoring (REM) equipment for all scallop dredge vessels. Supported by the industry, this will help enhance the inshore fisheries evidence base, improve compliance, and enable better interaction between the fishing industry and other marine users. Consumers and retailers seek confidence and accountability in our seafood products, and REM helps to satisfy this demand and deliver associated market benefits. In addition, looking to the longer term we continue to work with the industry and support research into reducing fishing vessel reliance on diesel.

The powers to offer financial support to the fishing industry on the scale required to deal with the high cost of fuel rests with Westminster. We have regularly urged the UK Government to use all the levers at its disposal to tackle the cost crisis for business and provide the necessary support, including to the seafood sector. We are doing all we can to support business and the economy at this time. However, with a fixed budget, and little scope to borrow to deal with such short term challenges, our hands are tied. We are however continuing to actively engage with the UK Government, and press for further support for all industries.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally as it is a matter for Regional Screening Centres.

Self-referral appointments have begun in a careful, phased manner. At present, women aged 71 to 74 (up to their 75 th birthday), and women over 75 with a history of breast cancer, who have completed their hospital follow-up, can ask for a screening appointment.

The screening programme recognises the desire for clarity around when eligibility will be widened. However, it is essential to understand the impact the initial re-instatement is having on both programme capacity and overall wait times before any decisions on additional eligibility are taken. The programme is monitoring impact on an on-going basis, and I will provide an update to Parliament once any further decisions on expansion are possible.

The budget allocated to the Scottish Information Commissioner in the last five years is set out in the table below.