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The Scottish Government is guided on vaccination policy by the independent expert body, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). Following the JCVI's advice, the Scottish Government introduced the Meningitis B (Men B) vaccine on 1 September 2015 with infants aged 2 months (born on or after 1 July 2015) being eligible. The JCVI also advised that there should be one off catch up programme for infants aged 3 and 4 months (infants born between 1 May 2015 - 30 June 2015) who were attending their GP practice for their routine immunisations at that time.

The JCVI recommendation is based on epidemiological evidence that the number of Men B cases in infants peaks at around 5 months of age. After 5 months of age the number of cases decline. It is important therefore to provide protection to infants before they are 5 months old. After administration, the vaccine can take a number of weeks to take effect and for immunity to be established in the host. Therefore, by giving the Men B vaccine at or around 2 months of age, before the peak in incidence of disease at 5 months of age, it allows for infants to be protected when the risk is greatest.

Infants covered by the routine childhood programme are those born from 1 May 2015 onwards. While the routine childhood programme does not extend to older children, there are certain children who should receive the vaccination on clinical grounds due to increased risk of infection and disease. The full list of clinical grounds for those eligible for the Men B vaccination can be found in chapter 22 on the Green Book, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/541186/2905559_Green_Book_Chapter_22.pdf

The position is based on independent expert scientific advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI considered all of the available information on epidemiology, vaccine efficacy, strain coverage, duration of protection, and protection against meningococcal carriage, safety, dose-scheduling, vaccine availability, and cost-effectiveness modelling before reaching their recommendation.

The full detail of the JCVI advice in relation to recommending Men B is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/294245/JCVI_Statement_on_MenB.pdf

Infants covered by the routine childhood programme are those born from 1 May 2015 onwards. While the routine childhood programme does not extend to older children, there are certain children who should receive the vaccination on clinical grounds due to increased risk of infection and disease. The full list of clinical grounds for those eligible for the Men B vaccination can be found in chapter 22 of the green book, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/541186/2905559_Green_Book_Chapter_22.pdf

Wind farms of more than 50 megawatts are determined by Scottish Ministers through section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989, while those of less than 50 megawatts are determined by planning authorities under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 (as amended). Planning applications are generally determined by planning authorities in Scotland and the information requested is not held centrally in respect of those sites. In certain circumstances an appeal can be made to Scottish Ministers against the decision by the planning authority. The vast majority of these decisions are made by reporters from Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA).

It is my understanding that a total of 21 wind farm determinations have been made under the Electricity Act since Scottish Planning Policy 2014 (SPP) (with reference to wild land maps) was published. Of these 21 determinations, 13 were consented. The DPEA have made decisions on 123 proposed wind farm developments for either single or multiple turbines in this period, 67 of which were allowed. In relation to the requested information regarding whether wild land was a determinative factor, this information is not routinely collated. All of the section 36 wind farm decision letters are available from Scottish Government’s Energy and Consents webpage http://www.energyconsents.scot/. Decisions made by DPEA can be searched for at this address: http://www.dpea.scotland.gov.uk/Default.aspx

HMRC continues to be responsible and accountable for the efficient and effective administration of income tax for Scottish taxpayers.

When HMRC announced the next stage of their Building our Future transformation programme on 12 November 2015, the First Minister personally spoke to the second Permanent Secretary at HMRC to relay her grave concerns over job losses. Keith Brown, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work, wrote to David Gauke MP, Financial Secretary to HM Treasury, on 5 July 2016, to relay the Scottish Governments concerns over the HMRC office closures.

We are fully committed to working with all interested parties at local, national and UK level, including the trades unions, to mitigate the impact of HMRC office closures and job losses in Scotland.

Yes. There are two types of time bar in personal injury cases – prescription and limitation. Claims for personal injuries sustained prior to 26 September 1964 were extinguished by the law of prescription after 20 years unless a claim was made or acknowledged before 25 September 1984. Claims for personal injuries sustained on or after 26 September 1964 do not prescribe after 20 years but are subject to a three year “limitation” period. Chapter 2 of the Scottish Government’s consultation on ‘The removal of the three year limitation period from civil actions for damages for personal injury for in care survivors of historical child abuse” (see http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/06/5970 ) explains the difference between these two types of time bar and their application to claims prior to 26 September 1964. See in particular, paragraphs 2.4 to 2.13 of the consultation paper.

For the reasons detailed in Chapter 3 of the consultation, whilst the Scottish Government gave serious consideration to a legislative solution to the application of the law of prescription on cases of abuse which occurred before 26 September 1964 the legal issues relating to the removal of the law of prescription for these cases proved too difficult to overcome. In particular, that the Scottish Government considers that it would not be compatible with Article 1 of the First Protocol (A1P1) to the ECHR to reverse the law that was put in place in 1984.

The STUC, and its affiliate trade unions, are key stakeholders with an interest in a wide range of government policy. The Government's Memorandum of Understanding with the STUC recognises the particular and important contribution that trade unions can make to the development and implementation of those policies, and it recognises our shared values and common goals. Unions members have for example played a key part in the Fair Work Convention, and the General Secretary of the STUC sits on the newly established Standing Council on Europe. I continue to maintain these relationships and will be meeting with the PCS later this month.

Social landlords can use a wide range of funding to pay for the investment needed to bring tenants’ homes up to the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH). This comprises Scottish and UK Government schemes including the Energy Company Obligation. The Scottish Government for example introduced a new £5m Home Energy Efficiency programme for Scotland (HEEPS) loan scheme in 2016 to assist Registered Social Landlords deliver the EESSH. Appropriate on-going levels of financial support will be considered during next year’s planned review of EESSH. This review will support the wider development of Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme the cornerstone of our designation of Energy Efficiency as a National Infrastructure Priority.

The Scottish Government is committed to protecting Scotland’s relationship with the EU, following Scotland’s unequivocal vote to retain the wide range of economic and social benefits membership provides.

Since 23 June, the First Minister has spoken to the Governor of the Bank of England, discussing implications of the EU referendum for financial markets and the economy.

In addition, Scottish Ministers, officials, and the Enterprise Network have been in regular contact with businesses, employers, trade unions, and social partners. This work will continue. Through the Enterprise Network we are gathering information from businesses across Scotland, and ensuring access to the information and support that companies need. The Federation of Small Businesses has suggested we establish an EU Business Hub to act as a single point of contact, and we will take that forward.

We welcome the statement issued jointly by Scotland’s main business organisations on 8 July, which confirmed that businesses need continued access to the single market and free movement of labour. The Scottish Government will continue to work with business bodies and sectors – as well as with individual companies – to share information, listen and understand business priorities and concerns, and make clear – here and internationally – that Scotland remains a stable and attractive place to do business, with a fundamentally strong economy.