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The Scottish Government does not hold estimates of how many people are not currently registered with a GP. Health Boards make arrangements for patients who are unable to find a practice which will register them.

Diagnostic laboratories are located within all 14 NHS territorial health boards and in one special health board - NHS Golden Jubilee. National Services Scotland also host the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) which carries out testing on all blood donations received.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the capacity of laboratory blood testing within individual NHS Boards. This information will be held at Board level and should be considered as part of local service planning, to ensure capacity sufficiently meets demands.

While the Scottish Government keeps legislation under review, we have no current plans to introduce a social responsibility levy.

There are no available estimates on the amount of funds that could be raised on the section 14 provision contained within The Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Act 2010, as this provision has not been enacted.

Scottish Ministers would be required to consult on the draft regulations relating to the social responsibility levy if this provision was to be enacted in the future.

As advised in the previous answer, the information requested is not routinely gathered or held centrally by the Scottish Government. Any outstanding liabilities to settle equal pay claims will be reflected in a local authority's annual accounts. Information of this nature can be obtained by approaching individual local authorities or COSLA accordingly.

The Scottish Government has been exploring the workforce demand for skilled stonemasons through engagement with the stonemasonry short life working group led by Historic Environment Scotland. The working group was set up to look at stonemasonry and traditional skills provision in Scotland with a view to identifying sustainable models of stonemasonry training for future delivery.

Additionally, Historic Environment Scotland ran a stonemasonry consultation in early 2023 to inform understanding of the size, shape and resilience of the stonemasonry sector in Scotland.

The stonemasonry working group have since provided their report of findings and recommendations to Ministers for their consideration.

The Minister for Higher and Further Education and Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development met recently to discuss the report and will also meet with HES and key stakeholders in due course to discuss the report’s findings and proposals for sustainable provision of a Stonemasonry apprenticeships and traditional skills in Scotland.

The Purpose and Principles for Post-School Education, Research and Skills, and the Independent Review of the Skills Delivery Landscape publications both make clear that the system needs to be reformed to deliver both for the learner and the needs of employers. This includes a commitment to national, regional and local skills planning to ensure that the education and skills system continues to be responsive to learner and employer needs.

There is no requirement to display the short term let licence at or on the premises. There is, however, a requirement to display a site notice at or near the premises for a period of 21 days from the submission of the application.

There is a right for members of the public to make representations or objections about applications, which may include referencing an applicant’s suitability as a fit and proper person to hold a short-term let licence. Therefore the site notice must contain the name and address of the applicant, the address of the short-term let premises and the names and addresses of the owners of the premises (if different from the applicant).

I met with representatives of the hospice sector on 3 October to discuss funding and the development of a new framework.

I have committed to holding a round table later this year to discuss the development of a framework with health and social care partnerships and independent hospices to support local planning, commissioning and funding of independent hospice care.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-21436 on 9 October 2023. 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 .

My thoughts are with the family and friends of the individual, who tragically died in September 2018 at Saughton Mains and it is regrettable that Edinburgh Trams Ltd have been found to have breached health and safety legislation through failures to properly assess risk to pedestrians at this location. Health and safety legislation is a reserved matter.

The Scottish Government have had no discussions with Edinburgh Trams Ltd following this ruling.

It is inappropriate to comment on live proceedings or speculate on any possible outcomes and how they will be managed. The Scottish Government’s response to any challenges to Scotland’s Low Emission Zones will be considered on a case by case basis.