Seòmar agus comataidhean

The updated information requested is contained in the following table:

The Scottish Government is committed to developing a new Palliative and End of Life Care Strategy that takes a whole system, public health approach to achieve the very highest standards of care right up to the end of life, and ensure that everyone who needs it can access seamless, timely and high quality palliative care. We are currently taking stock of the leadership, resources and partnerships we need to deliver this.

We will continue to plan a series of engagement events with partners across the sector to think strategically about improvements and priorities across the wide range of services and support. This will contribute to a holistic, integrated and multi-disciplinary approach which will ensure access to palliative and end of life care wherever and whenever it is needed, and which has the person and their families and carers at the centre. Development of the strategy is likely to continue into 2023 to enable meaningful engagement and ensure alignment with the development of the National Care Service.

The Scottish Government greatly values the hard work and dedication of the local government workforce. We also recognise the challenges across the public sector, including local government, in ensuring that pay increases are affordable to employers but are fair to employees against the backdrop of the cost of living crisis.

Local government pay negotiations are entirely the responsibility of local authorities and COSLA. However, both the Scottish Government and COSLA are working to jointly explore all of the options available to find solutions.

As agreed by the Ministerial-led working group on Safe Access Zones, independent research has been commissioned by the Scottish Government; part of this research will involve more formal monitoring of the prevalence, nature and impact of any vigils or protests with NHS Boards.

The Scottish Government also continues to discuss with NHS Board staff whether they have experienced issues or concerns relating to protests of vigils outside abortion clinics. We will continue to work with key stakeholders to ensure that evidence is gathered .

The Scottish Government is aware that recent vigils or protests have been held at the following locations in Glasgow: the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, the Sandyford clinic and Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Vigils or protests have also been held earlier this year outside the Chalmers clinic in Edinburgh and Aberdeen Maternity Hospital. While there has been activity at other locations in the past, the Scottish Government is not aware of activity at any other locations having taken place during the past year.

I am pleased to advise Parliament that the Scottish Government is continuing to deliver on its commitment to give people the information they need to make an informed choice about their future, and is today publishing Renewing Democracy through Independence .

As our second scene-setting paper for the Building a New Scotland prospectus series, the paper sets out the evidence in support of the democratic case for independence. Renewing Democracy through Independence sets out the Scottish Government’s view that the people of Scotland have the right to choose their own future, and the opportunities for democratic government offered by Scotland becoming an independent country.

Building a New Scotland: Renewing Democracy through Independence is available to view on the Scottish Government website from today:

• https://www.gov.scot/newscotland

The Heart Disease Action Plan (2021), sets out a strategic vision to ensure that everyone with suspected heart disease in Scotland has equitable access to timely and evidence-based diagnosis, treatment and care. Priority 2 in the plan contains a focus on improving access to diagnostics, including imaging.

There are no Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guidelines for takotsubo cardiomyopathy. The decision to create, update and/or replace any SIGN guideline is made independently by the Evidence Directorate Work Programme Committee in Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS). Any group or individual can propose a guideline topic to SIGN. Guideline topics are selected on the basis of burden of disease, the existence of variation in practice, and the potential to improve outcomes.

Chief Scientist Office (CSO) is not currently directly funding research into Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy, though there is an active programme of research into this condition led by the University of Aberdeen. This research has taken place with Scotland-wide recruitment of participants with the support of NHS Research and Development which is funded by CSO.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-07140 on 21 March 2022. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-09064 on 21 June 2022 which includes a link to the Affordable Housing Supply Housing Programme annual out-turn reports.

Incremental equity changes are not recorded and Scottish Government systems show properties where Ministers have an equity stake at what that equity stake is at the current time.

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 overall financial model, is a commercial negotiation between Global Energy Group and Haizea Wind Group, but I can confirm that Haizea has received no public funding. This government is supportive of the efforts by Global Energy Group, owners of the port of Nigg to strengthen our domestic supply chain capacity, by developing manufacturing facilities at the port. Working alongside our Enterprise Agencies, we are committed to ensuring our supply chain is given all available opportunities to capitalise on the growth of the offshore renewables sector, sustaining existing skilled jobs and delivering new ones. The priority now for Global Energy Group is to develop a revised business case which continues with the aim to deliver a world class manufacturing facility at Nigg. This business case will of course take into account a revised financial model, both private sector and public sector funding and will seek to set out revised milestones with a target of delivering towers.

The Housing for Varying Needs design guide offers good practice in the design of homes in order to help them achieve a degree of flexibility, suit people of varying needs, be convenient to use, and be fit for purpose. Where possible, all new affordable homes delivered through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme are built to Housing for Varying Needs standards.

As set out within the Housing to 2040 route map, we are reviewing the Housing for Varying Needs design guide. We want the guide to help better meet the needs of an ageing population, help people to live in their home for longer, consider a wider range of needs, and learn lessons from the pandemic by recognising the importance of outdoor space, and space for home working or study.

We plan to consult on proposed changes to the guide over the coming months and will wish to engage with disability groups and those with experience of living in homes delivered to Housing for Varying Needs standards, as well as those involved in the delivery of new homes.

Once complete, the review of Housing for Varying Needs will inform the introduction of building standards in 2025-26 to underpin a new Scottish Accessible Homes Standard, which all new homes will need to achieve, regardless of tenure.