Seòmar agus comataidhean

I have not met with Stop Climate Chaos Scotland representatives since I came into post. Mr Lochhead, Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work was scheduled to meet Tom Ballantine, chair of SCCS on 26 August.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02190 on
‎ 31 August 2021. 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

We remain committed to financial transparency. Transactions are reported to Audit Scotland and disclosed in the Scottish Government’s annual accounts. Ministers also keep Parliament and Committees informed at appropriate junctures. This transparency is balanced against the need for commercial confidentiality where required to protect commercial interests.

To improve our approach when providing support we have strengthened our internal commercial capacity and are making updates to the Scottish Public Finance Manual.

The Permanent Secretary wrote to the Public Audit and Post-Legislative Scrutiny Committee on 19 February 2021 on how the Scottish Government is strengthening its approach to providing support and managing its on-going interests in businesses. Please find a link to the letter here .

Guidance on the provision of wheelchairs on short-term loan was published five months ago, on 23 March 2021 ( https://www.gov.scot/publications/guidance-provision-wheelchairs-short-term-loan/ ).

Officials are meeting with the Red Cross in September to discuss options for an evaluation, and how the Red Cross can support the Scottish Government and health and social care partnerships. Before any evaluation commences health and social care partnerships, along with their store services, require sufficient time to put measures in place to ensure the guidance is fully implemented, a part of this work will be to develop processes to monitor and evaluate service provision.

The Scottish Government has also launched a review of the wider guidance on the provision of equipment and adaptations, which was originally published in 2008 ( https://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/publications/CC2009_05.pdf ). The review is now moving to the consultation phase, with online events planned for 25 August and
‎ 1 September 2021 and an online consultation due to launch in September.

To accompany the guidance a range of self-assessment tools are also being developed which, following publication of the revised guidance, officials will consider how these could be used to support an evaluation.

(a) the UKG are the principal contract owners of the Managed Quarantine Service contract. Any use of the term “principle” in this context would have been in error, for which we apologise. (b) The use of the term “officiate of the contract” is used to describe the Scottish Government’s role in relation to the use of the Managed Quarantine Service contract in Scotland. The Scottish Government, although not contract owners or signatories to the contract, act in the capacity of a beneficiary of services in relation to the Managed Quarantine Service contract and in addition, instruct the service delivery in Scotland through direct relationship management with the suppliers of services to the Managed Quarantine Service contract.

Rail accessibility is a reserved matter for the UK government and the criteria for selection for an accessibility scheme is set by the Department for Transport and assessed by them via the Access for All scheme:- Access for All: funding to improve accessibility at rail stations - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

No discussions have been held as the station does not meet the UK government’s criteria.

Transport Scotland is, however, considering four possible route options for the A9 Dualling Pass of Birnam to Tay crossing section, all of which improve access to Dunkeld and Birnam station. The project team is currently in discussions with Network Rail regarding possible improvements, including accessibility, and the team will look to work closely with stakeholders to consider these improvements in more detail once a preferred route option has been selected.

The Scottish Government remains committed to improving access at stations beyond the UK Government programme. Where possible, we look to improve accessibility as part of wider rail investments and a £2 million Scottish Government Local Rail Development Fund was relaunched in February 2019 to respond to the interest and enthusiasm shown by local organisations in looking at opportunities to tackle local transport issues including accessibility. The 2019 fund is now closed however, Tactran applied for funding and is currently undertaking appraisal work for a potential Tay Cities Park & Choose Strategy at Stirling and Bridge of Earn Strategic Park & Ride along the Perth-Montrose rail corridor.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02400 on 31 August 2021 . 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-02400 on 31 August 2021 . 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 have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

‘An initial ‘Expression of Interest’ stage was undertaken by SPS for the HMP Highland project with four expressions of interest received. Following evaluation and a high standard of response, all four contractors were invited to tender and four bids were received in June 2021.

Tender evaluation is underway and SPS anticipates the initial contract award will be made in September 2021.’

This information is available in the Scottish Health Service Costs (often referred to as the 'Costs Book'), published annually by Public Health Scotland (previously Information Services Division). Report R820 provides details of expenditure on dental services by NHS board. Independent Dental Contractor expenditure is found in the 'Family Health Services' section of the report.