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Viral culture is not recommended diagnostic practice, as outlined in current advice on diagnostic testing for SARS CoV-2 by the WHO, as linked below. RT-PCR tests are used to identify and amplify specific sections of the viral genome “targets”. The document can be found here: - https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/diagnostic-testing-for-sars-cov-2 .

NHS Scotland Virology experts recommend that the LumiraDX SARS-CoV2 Antigen Test is used for symptomatic individuals showing clinical signs or symptoms compatible with COVID-19 on admission to hospital.

This will help ensure symptomatic patients are tested quickly and results returned rapidly, preventing unintended consequences relating to patient flow and reduce the risk of backlogs in our emergency departments.

Adoption of the LumiraDx Test for testing symptomatic patients on admission will remain a decision of the local Health Board in the context of their infrastructure, local systems, processes, pathways and workflows.

Plans for the expansion of testing – including patient testing on admission to hospital – were set out in Parliament on 25th November 2020

The Scottish Government is not currently planning to introduce a mass antibody testing programme prior to the rollout of the COVID Vaccination Programme. We continue to monitor emerging evidence with respect the protective effect of Covid-19 antibodies, and the role of antibody testing in the context of vaccination deployment is being kept under review.

The Scottish Scientific Advisory Board on Testing, chaired by Professor David Crossman, continues to lead on reviewing Scottish, UK and International evidence around antibody response in order to inform policy development. National surveillance and research studies, led by Public Health Scotland, will contribute to knowledge on antibody response and prevalence. The Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations will provide expert clinical advice to Ministers to help inform decision making on how any vaccine supply is used in Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-21626 on 7 March 2019. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Annual costs associated with the Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund since 2019-20 are shown in the following table

A total of three applications were either withdrawn or declined funding under the Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund. One of those applicants was offered funding and subsequently withdrew its application, with the other two applications being declined on the basis of not meeting either the eligibility or essential criteria.

The Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund was overseen by a recommendations panel consisting of representatives of the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and Wave Energy Scotland. The panel met six times, including on a monthly basis between March and June 2019 and on two occasions thereafter to discuss applications and agree its recommendations to Scottish Ministers. In addition, the panel were consulted by correspondence throughout the assessment process. Given the commercial nature of the projects discussed, it would be inappropriate to place the minutes of meetings on SPICe. There are no plans for the panel to meet again, following the closure of the Fund to applications on 6 December 2019.

The Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund was launched on 10 February 2019 with a closing date for applications of 6 December 2019. The closing date for applications remained unchanged throughout the call for applications.

The date by which projects supported by the Fund were required to be deployed in Scottish waters was changed from March 2020 to no later than September 2020 following feedback from stakeholders, including comments received at an information event held on 6 March 2019.

The two projects funded by the Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund are either ongoing or yet to be deployed. It is therefore too early to fully measure the Fund’s success in relation to a number of its aims.

As a condition of grant funding, projects are required to submit a report to Scottish Ministers summarising the outcomes and performance of the project, as well as disseminating successful learning points from the project for benefit of the wider tidal energy sector.

The Fund fulfilled the Scottish Government’s commitment to review and relaunch the Saltire Prize. In the absence of a route to market as a result of the UK Government’s withdrawal of revenue support for the sector, the Fund provided a fair and competitive route for the Scottish Government to support the further deployment of tidal energy in Scottish waters. The Fund is enabling two of Scotland’s leading tidal energy developers to innovate and take steps to reduce the levelized cost of energy for tidal stream energy, as well as stimulating Scottish supply chain activity.

Following a review of the Saltire Prize a decision was taken not to reinstate the Saltire Prize Medal as part of the refocused Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund.

The Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund, which was launched on 10 February 2019 with total of up to £10 million available to help accelerate the commercial deployment of tidal energy in Scottish waters.

Following a process of evaluation and due diligence, two projects were supported under the Fund, with total funding of up to £4.945 million. Three further application for funds were received but were either withdrawn or not allocated funding. The Fund closed for applications on 6 December 2019 and no further funding will be distributed. The Scottish Government is considering the scope of future support for both the tidal stream and wave energy sectors in Scotland to ensure they can progress to commercialisation.