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Patients can already store gametes (egg and sperm) through NHS fertility services with informed consent (regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) and by law under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (as amended)) under the following circumstances:

• Storage of personal gametes for use in NHS Assisted Conception Treatment by couples that fulfil the access criteria.
• Storage of gametes for patients who require fertility preservation treatment.
• Storage of gametes donated altruistically by sperm or egg donors for use in NHS Assisted Conception Treatment.
  

We recognise the pandemic’s impact on the economy and businesses across a wide range of sectors. So far, the Scottish Government has provided £79.3 million directly to taxi and private hire drivers and operators in response to the pandemic. Further support of up to £28 million was announced on 5 January 2022 from within the £375 million package of funding announced on 21 December 2021, bringing total support for the sector to over £107 million. We will work closely with delivery partners to make payments to eligible businesses at the earliest opportunity, which is of course our established approach. Eligibility criteria will be published shortly.

The Scottish Government has engaged extensively with local authorities and with a number of organisations representing the taxi sector including Unite the Union, the App Drivers and Couriers Union, the Scottish Association of Private Hire Operator and the Scottish Taxi Federation. Previously the Scottish Government provided £79.3 million directly to taxi and private hire drivers and operators in response to the pandemic. Further support of up to £28 million was announced on 5 January 2022 from within the £375 million package of funding announced on 21 December 2021, bringing total support for the sector to over £107 million. The Scottish Government is also calling on the UK Government to re-introduce schemes such as the Self-Employment Income Support Grant in order to make further support available. We recognise the pandemic’s impact on the economy and businesses across a wide range of sectors.

The Scottish Government is committed to working in partnership with COSLA, Local Authorities and the wide range of public bodies on the shared national endeavour to tackle the global climate emergency. All 32 Scottish local authorities signed Scotland’s Climate Change Declaration in 2007 and COSLA recognises the twin climate and biodiversity crisis.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industry Strategy publishes annual National Statistics setting out the latest estimates of end-user carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) emissions for local authority areas. The purpose of these estimates is to assist those wishing to understand and assess changes in emissions from local authority areas. The Statistics show that between 2005 and 2019 end-user CO ₂ emissions fell by 35% in Scotland. The Statistics also provide information on per capita emissions in each local authority area and information on sector emissions.

Scotland will continue to use the pound sterling at the point of independence, establishing an independent Scottish currency as soon as practicable through a careful, managed and responsible transition when an independent Scottish parliament chooses to do so.

The SNP Growth Commission recommended a transition to a separate Scottish currency after six economic tests were met:

• Fiscal sustainability;
• Central Bank credibility and stability of debt issuance;
• Financial requirements of Scottish residents and businesses;
• Sufficiency of foreign exchange and financial reserves;
• Fit to trade and investment patterns;
• Correlation of economic and trade cycle.

The Scottish Government reconvened the Burial Regulations Working Group (first established in 2016) on 9 December 2021 to continue work to develop burial regulations, as provided for in the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016.

At that meeting the Group reassessed the remit and membership of the Group, progress to date and the approach to take going forward.

The membership of the Group includes both public and private burial authorities, third sector organisations, special interest organisations and funeral sector trade organisations, ensuring views from across the sector are represented.

The Group agreed that the membership be expanded to the wider funeral sector, and invitations to join the Group are being sent to the identified parties. It would not be appropriate to share members’ details until the membership is agreed.

The minutes of the previous meeting will be published on the Scottish Government website once they have been cleared by the Group.

The Local Delivery Plan Standard for IVF Waiting Times is for ‘90 per cent of eligible patients to commence IVF treatment within 12 months of referral. The 90% standard continues to be met since it was first measured in March 2015.

Waiting time statistics on the waits experienced by patients from referral to screening appointment for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment can be found on the PHS website at the following link: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/ivf-waiting-times-in-scotland

This is the latest IVF Waiting Times publication and data from January 2016 to present can be downloaded under Data Files, data from July 2014 can be found https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Waiting-Times/Publications/2018-08-28/2018-08-28-IVF-Waiting-Times.xlsx . Collection of waiting times data on IVF screening and waiting times only began in 2014.

As the statistics produced are predominately based on aggregate data and presented in 13 week time bands an average (mean) waiting time cannot be calculated.

The Breast Screening Programme Board (BSPB), which oversees breast screening in Scotland, has agreed that the option for women aged 71 and over to self-refer into the breast screening programme will resume once all screening centres are able to offer those aged 53-70 their breast screening appointments within 39 months of their previous screening. Progress towards this is being closely monitored, and the timing for restarting the option for women aged 71 and over to self-refer into the programme is regularly reviewed.

The breast screening programme offers routine screening to women aged between 50 and 70 years old. It remains important for women of all ages to be symptom aware, and to report any concerns about the signs and symptoms of breast cancer to their GP straight away, so that they can be promptly investigated. Their GP will be able to refer women of any age for further investigation and treatment if required. Further information regarding the possible symptoms of breast cancer can be found at https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/cancer/cancer-types-in-adults/breast-cancer-female.

The early warning system, referenced in the Scottish Drug Deaths Taskforce’s Interim Report, is on track to be developed and rolled out by 31 March 2022.

Public Health Scotland is leading the development and will operate this system by working closely with Health Boards to monitor information on drug harms. The early warning system will review evidence of trends or clusters of drug harms or deaths and support early, targeted and intelligence-led action in response. When concerns about clusters or trends in drug harms are identified, a risk assessment will be completed to guide actions and communicate risks where appropriate.

An advisory group will be in place to ensure actions are taken at a local and national level to reduce further harms.

Our Fuel Poverty Strategy, published on 23 December, details how we aim to meet our statutory fuel poverty targets, as set out in the Fuel Poverty (Targets, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Act 2019 ("the 2019 Act"). The 2019 Act requires us to meet our 2040 targets both nationwide and within each local authority area, so we recognise that local authorities will be key partners in our efforts to achieve our fuel poverty goals.

Local authority fuel poverty and extreme fuel poverty rates are used to determine the funding allocations for our Area Based energy efficiency schemes (ABS), which are delivered in partnership with local authorities, ensuring money is distributed according to need.

Local authorities are currently required to set out their plans for how to tackle fuel poverty in their Local Housing Strategies (LHS). We will be refreshing our guidance on the fuel poverty requirements of the LHS to reflect the approach taken in our Fuel Poverty Strategy. In future local authorities will also be required to produce Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES), within which they will set out how poor energy efficiency will be removed as a driver of fuel poverty.