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The main contractors in infrastructure projects are required to submit a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) to ensure that only eligible bidders with the requisite financial and technical capacity and capability are invited to proceed to the tendering stage. In respect of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children project, a minimum financial standing was set for each applicant’s construction contractor and each of the three consortia bidding for the contract met that requirement.

It should be recognised that the Royal Hospital for Sick Children is a Non Profit Distribution (NPD) project, where a fundamental feature is that an element of risk is transferred to the Project Company and that their Rate of Return reflects this transfer. Sub-contractors are managed by the main Project Company as per the agreed contract and while the two sub-contractors that went into administration has resulted in a delay to the project, the new construction timetable will not result in any additional costs to NHS Lothian.

This information is not held centrally by Scottish Government.

These complaint statistics are not held centrally.

This information is not centrally available.

Chiropractors are complementary and alternative practitioners who provide services outside that which is offered by the NHS. As such information on waiting times for chiropractors are not collected.

Most funding provided by the Scottish Government is to support both adult and young carers and is not separated out. Between 2008 and 2017 we invested nearly £39 million in Health Boards' Carer Information Strategies for support to adult and young carers.

Since 2012 we have also invested over £300,000 in workforce development which includes programmes working with young carers.

For young carer specific support, the Scottish Government has provided over £2 million for the annual Young Carers Festival, and for other initiatives. We also fund the Scottish Young Carers Services Alliance to support the development of services for young carers.

The total amount for supporting carers in 2007 is likely to be less than in any year from 2008, as the existing initiatives were not in place then.

Transport Scotland, on behalf of the Scottish Government, maintains a multi-modal model of traffic data which covers the area serviced by the A720. Traffic information is obtained from 39 automatic traffic counters which are located along the route. Information from this model can assist in forecasting future traffic demand on the region’s major roads.

Links workers undergo a robust selection process to ensure they can work autonomously, are able to work with patients who have complex issues and prevent issues from being bounced back to the GP. The existing Links Workers funded by the Scottish Government come from a range of backgrounds including community development, nursing and some have counselling qualifications. Training and learning needs are included in their personal development plans and reflect the needs of the patients that Links Workers find themselves working with. This may include ASIST, Safetalk, Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid, motivational interviewing as well as other mandatory training.

The requirements and content of the GP training curricula is a matter for the Royal College of General Practitioners, and is approved by the General Medical Council as regulator of the medical profession. This approach applies to the training requirements of the other health care professions.

The Scottish Government has no plans to seek changes to GP and other Primary Care sector training about ensuring parity of access to treatment between mental and physical health, as current training already emphasises equal importance to mental and physical illness and is not discriminatory. NHSScotland Health Boards together with general practice providers are, responsible for the provision of treatment.

The Scottish Government remains committed to undertaking improvements on the A720, including at Sheriffhall. We continue to progress the option assessment process to identify a preferred option for the grade separation of Sheriffhall roundabout. I refer the member to the answer provided for S5W-00568 on 17 June 2016 for further information.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: