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The content of the nursing and postgraduate medical training curricula is the responsibility of the relevant Royal Colleges, and it is for these bodies to keep curricula under regular review to ensure these remain relevant and appropriate for the safe and effective training and development of practitioners in training.

Current curricula already encompasses the knowledge and skills needed to be able to begin to assess and initiate management of patients presenting with diabetes-related conditions, and the principles of diabetes management, including commonly used insulin regimens and therapy.

In support of our ambition to deliver world class diabetes care, we have set NHS Scotland boards clear targets to ensure people living with type 1 diabetes get appropriate access to insulin pump therapy, and are monitoring progress regularly. As part of co-ordinated action, a national insulin pump study day for NHS Scotland staff has been scheduled for spring 2013.

The reopening of Dalcross Station is currently being developed by Network Rail as part of phase one of the Aberdeen to Inverness Rail Improvements Project. The station is scheduled to be delivered between 2014 and 2019 as specified in the Government’s High Level Output Specification, published on 21 June 2012.

We recognise the economic benefits that a railway station near Inverness airport could deliver to the local community. As such, we will work closely with Network Rail, the Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership and the Highland Council to deliver the station before 2019.

The technical improvements required to deliver journey time improvements to the Inverness and Aberdeen and the Highland Central Belt may include additional passing loops, double tracking, signalling enhancements and work on the track and structures to deliver line speed improvements.

Network Rail is currently undertaking detailed development work on the Aberdeen to Inverness Rail Improvements Project to determine the track and signalling required to alleviate congestion and enhance commuter services on the single railway line.

The track enhancements may include additional loops, work on the track and structures to deliver line speed improvements and potential double tracking.

The Inverness to Aberdeen Rail Improvements project aims to be completed in phases between 2015 and 2030 as specified in the Government’s Infrastructure Investment Plan, published in 2011.

Phase one of the scheme, which is included in the Scottish Minister’s High Level Output Specification, published on 21 June 2012, will deliver enhanced commuter services into both cities and two new railway stations at Dalcross (near Inverness Airport) and Kintore (Aberdeenshire) between 2014 and 2019.

Network Rail is currently developing phase two of the Highland Main Line Improvement Project, which aims to deliver infrastructure enhancements. These enhancements may include passing loops at Ballinluig, Newtonmore or Etteridge. A report on the proposals for phase two is expected by summer 2013.

At present there are no plans to deliver infrastructure improvements to the Newburgh line.

The number of (a) adults and (b) children receiving insulin pump therapy in each NHS Board, as of December 2011, is set out in the following table:

The progress that NHS boards are making with increasing insulin pump provision against the commitments set out within the Chief Executive Letter CEL 4 (2012) on Insulin Pump Therapy for People with Type 1 Diabetes, will be published soon after March 2013.

We have been working closely with NHS boards to ensure that they meet the commitment set out within CEL 4 (2012) to increase the provision of insulin pump therapy to 25% of young people with type 1 diabetes by March 2013.

The Scottish Diabetes Group has been monitoring progress and it is clear that there has been substantial increase in pump provision across Scotland since December 2011.

Reporting arrangements have identified those NHS boards where there remain significant challenges. Those boards have been asked to confirm the local challenges to meeting the commitment and details of how they intend to overcome them.

We remain determined to make sure that people with type 1 diabetes get the treatment that is right for them as early as possible. Delivering this commitment will help ensure that people with type 1 diabetes receive safe, effective and person centred care.

The Chief Executive Letter CEL 4 (2012), published in February 2012, sets out our approach for supporting an increase in access to insulin pump therapy for people of all ages with type 1 diabetes. The CEL is available at:

http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/CEL2012_04.pdf.

The CEL sets out robust monitoring arrangements for tracking boards’ progress and indicates the support that the Scottish Government will provide to boards. We have:

made £2.5 million worth of insulin pumps and consumables available to NHS Boards;

made arrangements for a second national insulin pump education day for diabetes services; and

offered further support and advice from national diabetes leads to local services, with a view to supporting them meet the targets.

Repayment charges are made by local authorities under section 172 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 and should be registered in the appropriate property register. Information on the number of charges made is not held centrally. However, I have asked Sheenagh Adams, Keeper of the Registers of Scotland, how many repayment charges have been registered since the provision came into force on 1 April 2009. Her response is as follows:

“Since 1 April 2009, 38 repayment charges have been registered in the Land Register and 12 recorded in the Register of Sasines. As at 14 November 2012, a further 23 repayment charges are the subject of pending applications for registration in the Land Register.”