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The Scottish Government published our Heart Disease Action Plan in March 2021. This sets out a number of actions to enable us to achieve our vision of minimising preventable heart disease and ensuring equitable and timely access to diagnosis, treatment and care for people with heart disease. It is relevant to a number of the recommendations of the CPG inquiry report.

Within Priority 1 of the Action Plan, there is a focus on improving the detection, diagnosis and management of risk factor conditions, including atrial fibrillation. Work is underway to deliver the commitments outlined.

In particular, the Scottish Primary Care Information Resource (SPIRE) is developing reporting on atrial fibrillation. This will allow GP practices to monitor patients on particular medications and make sure they are getting the right follow-up care.

The Action Plan also makes commitments to addressing the challenges facing the cardiac physiology workforce. Work is progressing on this. Furthermore, we are progressing commitments in the Integrated Health and Social Care Workforce Plan (2019) for Scotland to promote recruitment of cardiac physiologists over the next 3-5 years into Scientist Training Programmes and Practitioner BSC Programmes.

The CPG inquiry report also identifies the importance of improving access to data to drive improvement. In April 2021 we commissioned Public Health Scotland to develop the Scottish Cardiac Audit Programme. Extensive clinical and patient engagement is currently underway to develop the audit. Two key work streams within that engagement are atrial fibrillation and cardiac devices.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network (SIGN) have confirmed that they currently have no plans to update SIGN Guideline 122 - Prevention and management of venous thromboembolism.

However, on Wednesday 15 December, SIGN published a new rapid guideline: SIGN 163 - Prevention and management of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with COVID-19.

We do not hold the requested information, however, information on the number of Lateral Flow Tests used and reported in Scotland is published weekly by Public Health Scotland .

The Scottish Government announced in January 2020 that it intended to establish a licensing scheme for short-term lets using powers under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 and we have been engaging with local authorities on implementation of a licensing scheme since then. Local authorities have experience in licensing other activities under the 1982 Act and we made changes to our proposals in response to their views.

In setting timescales for establishing a licensing scheme, and for existing operators to have made an application, the Scottish Government has been mindful of striking a balance between giving local authorities and operators sufficient time to prepare, whilst moving quickly enough to address what remains a pressing issue for many residents and communities.

We will be working closely with local authorities, and other stakeholders on the working group, to review and update guidance and prepare for implementation.

The Louisa Jordan was always intended to be a temporary facility to provide additional capacity at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the effectiveness of efforts to suppress the virus, hospitalisations were reduced, NHS capacity was maintained, and NHS Louisa Jordan did not have to be used as a Covid hospital. If NHS Louisa Jordan were reopened, it would mean the disruptive reassignment of NHS staff from other critical NHS sites, which are already at high capacity.

Two sets of regulations amending the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Requirements) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 were made today.

The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment (No.6) Regulations 2021 amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Requirements) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 (“the principal regulations”).

These Amendment Regulations introduce physical distancing requirements in hospitality and indoor leisure premises, requirements for table service and also introduce a capacity limit for live events. These regulations provide the following requirements;

• Physical distancing – a requirement to take measures to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, that a distance of 1 metre is maintained between people in or waiting to enter hospitality and leisure premises and that only enough people are admitted to the premises to allow the 1 metre distance to be maintained.
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• Table service - a requirement for table service in premises where alcohol is sold for consumption on the premises, and that the customer must remain seated whilst consuming food and drink on the premises.
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• Capacity limit for live events - a requirement that live events held indoors and outdoors do not exceed capacity limits set in the regulations - 100 people at indoor standing events, 200 people at indoor seated events and 500 people at outdoor events (whether seated or standing).

The requirements in relation to capacity limits at live events will take effect at 5.00 a.m. on 26 December and the requirements in relation to physical distancing and table service will take effect at 5.00 a.m. on 27 December.

These regulations have been published at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ssi/2021/496

The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment (No.7) Regulations 2021 also amend the principal regulation and will take effect at 5.00 a.m. on 27 December 2021.

These Amendment Regulations have the effect of closing nightclubs, dance halls or discotheque premises from 5.00 a.m. on 27 December 2021. It would remain open to these businesses to operate the premises with distancing and table service, rather than as a nightclub, dance hall or discotheque.

These regulations have been published at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ssi/2021/497

The mygov.scot portal for reporting allegations of benefit fraud to Social Security Scotland was launched on 24 August 2020.

A total of 429 reports have been submitted to Social Security Scotland through this portal. Of these, 173 were received in financial year 2020-21, and 256 so far in 2021-22 (up to and including 30 November).

The Scottish Government did not receive advance notice of the Home Office decision to accommodate asylum seekers in hotels in Scotland. I wrote to the Home Secretary on 21 October to raise concerns about the lack of advance engagement on this matter and on the suitability of using hotels to accommodate people seeking asylum. Officials have subsequently had engagement with Home Office officials on this issue.

Scottish Government and COSLA have regular discussions about a range of asylum matters including the use of hotels.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05057 on 23 December 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.

Proof of COVID-19 booster vaccination will appear on the NHS Scotland Covid Status app within 24 hours of the vaccine being administered.