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Accessibility is a reserved matter under the Devolution Settlement and for rail accessibility there is a DfT-sponsored fund, Access for All, that enables eligible projects to be supported. Unfortunately, Kirkconnel did not fulfil the criteria for funding under that programme. Accordingly, an application was made by SWestrans to the Scottish Government’s Local Rail Development Fund to assess the need for the bridge.

The application was successful and £30,000 was allocated for a study. SWestrans subsequently began engagement with the local community and disability representatives which was then unfortunately paused due to the Covid-19 pandemic and associated restrictions. Transport Scotland is keen SWestrans continues to make progress with this project and will work with SWestrans to provide any assistance if required.

As a result of the easing of the COVID restrictions the ScotRail timetable changed on 17 May adding over 400 extra trains across the Scottish network including two additional Glasgow to Dumfries services in each direction.

It is clear that this is an extremely difficult time for businesses of all kinds across Scotland, and the Scottish Government is fully aware of the economic impact that restrictions have had, not least on the food and drink wholesale sector. Whilst we know there will continue to be challenges that lie ahead, we are encouraged that there is a routemap for reopening the economy and that this will have a positive effect, in time, on businesses throughout Scotland.

We have already provided significant direct support to the food and drink wholesale sector over the last year, specifically through the £5.5m Scottish Wholesale Food and Drink Resilience Fund -a provision of financial support that has not been available elsewhere in the UK. Food and drink wholesale businesses have also been able to access a range of other public sector support schemes to support business and protect jobs, including the Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund, Bounce Back Loans, Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans, hardship and discretionary grants, and the Job Retention Scheme.

We will continue to review the impacts on all businesses throughout Scotland. Businesses should continue to monitor the guidance, advice and tools for all sectors across Scotland which is available at: https://findbusinesssupport.gov.scot/

We are continuing to work with businesses and representative organisations, including the Scottish Wholesale Association, to better understand the challenges they face, and we will closely monitor the situation as the economy reopens.

The national Clinical Prioritisation Framework for Supporting Elective Care across NHS Scotland was published in November last year.  This Framework sets out the key principles that NHS Boards should follow when considering decisions around prioritising cases on their elective care waiting lists during the COVID-19 pandemic. The expectation is that NHS Boards will follow these principles to categorise patients based on their particular clinical needs, ensuring patients with the greatest need are treated quickest.

NHS Dumfries & Galloway are currently treating patients on the basis of their clinical urgency and in line with the Clinical Prioritisation Framework.  In addition to support Orthopaedic patients the Board are actively sending patients to the NHS Golden Jubilee National Hospital for treatment.

Due to the necessary infection prevention control measures in place, surgical capacity will increase over time with the safety of patients and staff maintained at all times.  Every effort is being made to support the NHS to mobilise as safely and as quickly as possible.

The Scottish Government’s timetable for easing restrictions, published on 16 March ( Coronavirus (COVID-19): timetable for easing restrictions - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) , set out that the current ban on non-essential travel to and from Scotland and the rest of the UK and the wider Common Travel Area (CTA) will be kept under review. We recognise how difficult it is for people not to be able to see friends and family who live beyond Scotland and these measures will not be in place for longer than we judge it necessary.

These measures have been put in place to protect communities in Scotland and limit the importation of new strains of the virus. The Scottish Government regularly reviews the regulations to ensure that they are still required. Future options include returning to targeted restrictions on travel to/from particular areas of high prevalence in the CTA. In reviewing these measures, we will take account of trends in prevalence and the restrictions in place in the other CTA countries, and the confidence we can take from that about the risks of travel resulting in importation of the virus.

Scottish Forestry has been working with a range of stakeholders to develop operational guidance on soil cultivation for woodland creation in Scotland.

A final draft of this guidance is being considered by Scottish Forestry’s Customer Representatives Group at their next meeting on 17 March 2021, with the intention of it being finalised and published soon after.

The 2019 draft introduced restrictions on the use of cultivation techniques with a higher level of soil disturbance. Some members of the CRG had concerns over these restrictions and the potential impacts. In response Scottish Forestry sought assistance from Forest Research to help determine whether restrictions were appropriate. This work, coupled with Covid 19 has delayed the publication.

The Scottish Government follows the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) Guidance in the planning of vaccine delivery. This evidence based guidance advises that the single greatest risk of mortality from COVID-19 is increasing age, and that the risk increases exponentially with age.

JCVI priority list represents 99% of the preventable mortality from COVID-19 and throughout the delivery of the vaccination programme we will be guided by the clinical expertise of the JCVI, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and our own senior clinical advisers. Those eligible for vaccination as frontline health and social care workers are people who provide care closely and regularly to those who are clinically very vulnerable to COVID-19.

NHS Health Boards are responsible for the local delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine. As such, Health Boards are responsible for making decisions regarding local delivery in line with JCVI guidance. We would expect that vaccinations only be given to those working in businesses and practices that are allowed to operate under current restrictions.

Close contact services, which includes Complementary and Alternative Medicines Services (CAMS) - and therefore acupuncture - may only operate in level 4 areas, at this time, if they fall into a limited number of exemptions - these exemptions are for sports massage for professional sportspeople, osteopathy, and chiropractic services and "other services and procedures" that are "ancillary to medical, health, or social care services". As acupuncture is not included in these exemptions as an essential healthcare service at this time, acupuncturists will not be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine as a priority group unless they come under one of the other cohorts through age, or for health reasons.

We expect Health Boards to work within the nationally agreed prioritisation schedule to manage the distribution of vaccine supplies, which remain limited at this time. Some acupuncturists may have been offered a vaccine if they meet the criteria in one of the JCVI priority groups.

The Scottish Government recognises the social and cultural heritage associated with falconry. Blue (or mountain) hares are now a protected species following the passage of the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act in June 2020. The protection came into force on 1 March 2021. This means that the species can no longer be taken for sporting or recreational purposes.

Birds of prey can still be used take mountain hares for other purposes where carried out under a licence granted by NatureScot, as specified in section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Any changes to the specified purposes for allowing licensed taking of mountain hares under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 would require primary legislation.

B&Bs paying Non-Domestic Rates are already eligible to apply for financial support from the Strategic Framework Business Fund. An equivalent support scheme for B&Bs paying council tax opens for applications on 15 March. This is after work to ensure the support captures the widest possible range of eligible businesses. The scheme has also been expanded to include guest-houses and self-catering who pay council tax. Payments to B&Bs expecting support from the fund announced in December will be prioritised. Councils have been working at pace to develop this expanded support and payments will start as soon as possible.