Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Scottish Government and our partners are investing over £400 million in the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband Programme to deliver superfast broadband coverage to at least 95% of all premises across Scotland. Progress in the North East Region, to 30 November 2016, is outlined in the following table:

GP appointment and consultation arrangements are not regulated and are for each individual practice to determine but in general most practices book patients at 10 minute intervals. The actual length of a consultation will vary depending on the healthcare needs of the individual patient and will be a matter of professional judgement for the GP. Where patients are required to have a longer consultation the GP may request that the patient attend for a double appointment.

Under Part 4 (Provision of Named Persons) of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 (the Act), the duty to provide a Named Person service sits with health boards, local authorities, independent or grant-aided schools, secure accommodation services and the Scottish Prison Service, depending on the circumstances of the child. Part 4 (Provision of Named Persons) of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 (the Act) has not yet commenced.

The Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) approach has been national policy since 2010 and as part of their existing work, public authorities in many parts of Scotland already operate a “named person” approach on a non-statutory basis. As part of their local decision making, this may include public authorities considering the impact of the GIRFEC approach in their local area.

As the Scottish Government works towards commencement of Part 4 of the Act, named person service providers, including local authorities, health boards, and partners, will continue to progress the GIRFEC approach and to develop and deliver named person services.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-04871 on 1 December 2016. 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

The Scottish Government is committed to dualling the A96 between Inverness and Aberdeen by 2030. This significant undertaking requires careful, in-depth planning and design so we deliver the right scheme and help tackle congestion, make journey times more reliable and, crucially, improve road safety for all along the route.

Transport Scotland has completed packages of preliminary engineering and strategic environmental assessment work along the route between east of Nairn and Aberdeen and presented the outcome of this work at a series of exhibitions in 2015. This is the first step in developing a robust plan to improve connectivity along the whole route.

The next stage of design, which is the route options assessment, for the Western Section between Hardmuir and Fochabers commenced earlier this year. This work is expected to take approximately two years to complete. Route options assessment on the Eastern Section between east of Huntly and Aberdeen is planned to start following the procurement of design consultants early next year with the Central Section between east of Fochabers and east of Huntly to follow in 2019.

Transport Scotland has also completed the development and assessment of the preferred option for the 31km Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass) section and published draft Orders for the scheme on 29 November 2016 for formal comment. Progress on the scheme will depend on the level and nature of comments and/or objections received to the publication of draft Orders.

The overall timetable for the dualling programme is set by the Scottish Government’s commitment to complete the dualling between Inverness and Aberdeen by 2030. The phasing for individual elements will take shape during the future stages of design and development work being progressed.

Further details on the A96 Dualling Programme can be found on the Transport Scotland website at www.transport.gov.scot/a96dualling.

The Scottish Government is responsible for national coast protection policy. We are working with Scottish Natural Heritage and other stakeholders to complete a National Coastal Change Assessment. This work will help identify our most vulnerable coastlines and inform local strategic plans, such as shoreline management plans.

In Scotland, the local authorities are the coast protection authorities and have discretionary powers under the Coast Protection Act 1949 to carry out any coast protection work in their area; however, landowners are ultimately responsible for coast erosion to their land.

The coastline of Angus is subject to erosion and accretion from natural processes. The impacts of these natural processes are being managed by Angus Council though the Shoreline Management Plan and the Montrose Beach Management Plan.

The Tay Estuary and Montrose Basin Local Flood Risk Management Plan includes an action for the Council to carry out a flood protection study for Montrose. This study will consider measures to manage and reduce flood risk and manage coastal protection. The flood protection schemes/works (which may include works for coastal protection) identified in the study will go forward for prioritisation for Scottish Government funding in the second six-year flood risk management planning cycle from 2022.

Through the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), the Dundee Academy of Sport has been awarded investment totalling £2.7 million.

A full evaluation of the project, carried out by the Academy, was published earlier this year (see: http://www.dundeeacademyofsport.com/aboutus/). The evaluation showed that considerable progress had been made in addressing challenges around educational attainment and achievement.

Decisions on budget allocations to the Further Education and Higher Education sectors for 2017-18 will be made as part of overall budget preparations.

We will again support Scottish Apprenticeship Week in March 2017. This will be the 7^th annual campaign to promote the benefits of apprenticeships to employer and young people delivered in partnerships with employers, apprentices, colleges, councils and training providers.

In addition Skills Development Scotland promote Modern Apprenticeships in a number of ways including its new Apprenticeship.scot website and My World of Work. It is also widening the reach of the programme through its equality action plan and as part of its regular engagement with businesses across Scotland.

These are important means to help with the Scottish Government's ambitious plans to grow and enhance the Modern Apprenticeship programme to 30,000 new starts a year by 2020.

The Consultation on a Draft Referendum Bill opened on the 20 of October 2016 and closes on the 11 of January 2017.

Developing tourism as a key sector remains an important Government commitment and we have made clear that we will continue to work to make all of Scotland a destination of first choice for visitors from around the world.

As part of the Town Centre Action Plan we have developed the Town Centre Toolkit. This free online resource gives communities information and advice on how they can make their town centres more attractive, active and accessible. It is being hosted and promoted by Scotland's Towns Partnership through their website.