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As outlined in response to S5W-07417 on 8 March 2017, the Care Inspectorate has a statutory responsibility to inspect and regulate all registered providers of day care, including playgroups, against the ‘National Care Standards for Early Education and Childcare up to the age of 16’. However, each setting is ultimately responsible for ensuring they meet the requirements set out in the various guidance and legislation governing early learning and childcare.

Early Years Scotland provides support to early learning and childcare settings to ensure the highest quality provision for children. There are a number of strands to their work, including supporting their members, working in partnership with local authorities (including Aberdeenshire) and delivering services direct to children and families. All of their staff are fully qualified early years professionals. Early Years Scotland provides a wide variety of information and guidance and template policies that settings can use as a basis for developing their own specific, local policies. Early Years Scotland ‘Development Support Officers’ work across Scotland, working directly both with members and, where they are working in partnership with a local authority, non-members.

We are not aware of Principal Teachers being deployed in voluntary settings such as playgroups. However, anyone who is managing/providing an Early Learning and Childcare setting, is ultimately accountable for the care and education of the children in that setting.

There is a requirement for all childcare registered with the Care Inspectorate (including playgroups) to have an early years manager/lead practitioner. This manager can be shared with other services if the Care Inspectorate agrees to a peripatetic management arrangement.

It is a requirement of the SSSC that every manager/lead practitioner of a daycare of children service must be either:

• Hold, or be working towards, a relevant degree level Childhood Practice award

• Hold a qualification that allows registration with the General Teaching Council (Scotland) or other regulatory body.

Local authorities can secure delivery of the funded entitlement to early learning and childcare through other partner providers including playgroups. In this context, local authorities have a responsibility for securing improvement in the quality of school education which includes the early learning and childcare entitlement delivered through partner providers.

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

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

Playgroups are one of a range of settings which support the delivery of the current 600 hours provision and we expect will continue to do so in the expansion to 1140 hours. Local authorities can and do use playgroups as part of delivery of the entitled hours.

It is for local authorities to determine how the entitlement is delivered in their local area, and to agree arrangements with partner providers, including playgroups, if they so choose.

Our consultation on policy options to deliver our vision for early learning and childcare closed on 9th January, with a significant number of responses representing a diverse range of views, which we published on 6 February. We will set out our response in the Spring.

Playgroups can currently deliver early learning and childcare in partnership with the local authority to meet the current entitlement (as set out in my answer to

S5W-07418 on 8 March 2017).

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

There are a range of programmes that offer advice on physical activity and nutrition to tackle obesity, type 2 diabetes and other medical conditions. However details are not held centrally.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-06882 on 20 February 2017. 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

Under Scots law where a person’s property is damaged as a result of the wrongful (e.g. negligent) actions of another person or organisation he or she can, if relevant criteria are satisfied, raise an action in the civil courts for damages to compensate for loss suffered.

Damages are a matter for the courts to decide and it would be for individuals to seek their own legal advice on whether they had a case or not under the current law.

Police Scotland will consider in the first instance whether there is sufficient evidence that the accident amounted to a criminal offence, such as careless or dangerous driving, requiring a report to the Crown Office & Prosecution Service (COPFS).

COPFS is Scotland’s independent public prosecution service. If a criminal offence is reported to COPFS by Police Scotland, then the particular facts and circumstances of the case will be considered carefully by prosecutors. Prosecutors will decide firstly, whether there is a sufficiency of evidence. Prosecutors will then decide whether it is in the public interest to prosecute. Each case will be considered on its own particular circumstances.

The Scottish Government and partners are developing an Active and Independent Living Improvement Programme (AILIP) to provide an ongoing focus to the contribution of allied health professionals (AHPs) to supporting the health and wellbeing of the population.

AILIP will focus on wellbeing, prevention and targeted early interventions for children, young people and adults of all ages and abilities, supporting them to live well; be physically active; self-manage their health conditions; remain in or return to employment; and live independently at home or in a homely setting.

We are also working closely with the Care Inspectorate to examine the possibility of expanding their successful Care About Physical Activity Programme for older people in care homes.

Further to this, the Scottish Government delivers a number of services through NHSScotland to support the health, safety and wellbeing of workers in Scotland.

The Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives is funded to provide access to information and advice on a wide range of workplace-related health and wellbeing issues through its website, free and confidential adviceline and network of advisors. This advice includes how employers can support older workers, workers with disabilities and those with long term health conditions.

Working Health Services Scotland and Fit for Work Scotland are services aimed at supporting employees to return to work from sickness absence, tailored to the individual’s needs and circumstances. These services take account of the employee’s age which will be reflected in advice on return to work.

In assessing such applications, the Scottish Government relies on advice from its statutory stakeholders namely, Local Planning Authorities, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish National Heritage and Historic Environment Scotland. In addition, subject to the details of the application, a wide range of other stakeholders may also be consulted where their specific expertise is required. Details of the individuals and resources utilised by these organisations is an operational matter for each of the bodies concerned and is not held centrally.

The Energy Consents Unit also utilises solicitors within Scottish Government Legal Directorate and on a project specific basis may also consult with Senior Counsel and the Lord Advocate.