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Statistics on school exclusions are collected and published biennially.

In 2020-21, there were 1,650 exclusions of children who had been looked after within the last year. In 2022-23, there were 1,912 exclusions of children who had been looked after within the last year. As children can be excluded more than once per year, a single child may be counted more than once in these figures.

A link to the latest statistics is provided here: Education Outcomes for Looked After Children 2022/23 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

Local authorities are responsible for the placement of children and young people and decisions that relate to the most suitable options for meeting their needs.

The Promise is clear that there is no place for profiting in how Scotland cares for its children. The Scottish Government is committed to Keeping The Promise and we are working alongside COSLA and local government to consider what further steps could be taken in Scotland.

We recognise the enormous contribution the Murray family has made to tennis in Scotland and we are committed to delivering a tangible and fitting legacy.

sportscotland’s provisional allocation of up to £5m for the development of a potential tennis facility at Park of Keir remains in place to deliver a suitable Murray Legacy in Scotland.

We will work with sportscotland, the Murray family, and wider partners, to ensure that we capitalise on the achievements of one of Scotland's greatest ever athletes.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-29676 on 18 September 2024. 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.

It is important to acknowledge that vaccines are medicines and like all medicines they can have side effects and, on rare occasions, cause injury. Thankfully, most side effects are mild and short lived, but the Scottish Government recognises that some are not.

The Scottish Government has corresponded with the Scottish Vaccine Injury Group on several occasions, and has routinely signposted members of the public to the vaccine damage payment scheme when they have raised issues of vaccine–related injury. The safety of medicines, including vaccines, and the subject matter of the Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme are matters which are reserved to the UK Government, therefore we are unable to comment on individual cases.

The Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry is currently underway and the forthcoming Module 4 of the UK COVID-19 Public Inquiry on Vaccines and Therapeutics will consider vaccine safety and other aspects, such as potential reforms to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme.

The Scottish Vaccine Injury Group is a core participant of both the UK and Scottish Inquiries and as such has a central role. Due to the group’s involvement with the Inquiries, it would not be appropriate for Ministers to meet with them at this stage.

I advised through recent correspondence with the Scottish Vaccine Injury Group that I would be open to meeting with representatives of the group once Module 4 of the UK Inquiry has concluded, and after Baroness Hallett has issued my recommendations. This would facilitate a full and open discussion to take place between both parties, where recommendations could be discussed, especially if there were any the group felt weren’t full addressed as part of the inquiry.

After a 20 month independent review, the Hearings System Working Group (HSWG), chaired by Sheriff Mackie, published its report on 25 May 2023.

Following detailed analysis, The Scottish Government published its response to the ‘Hearings for Children’ report in December 2023. Of the 138 ‘Hearings for Children’ recommendations, 63 were accepted in full, 26 were accepted with conditions, 42 were identified as requiring further exploration or consultation, and 7 were not accepted.

In January 2024, a strategic redesign board was then established to drive forward the non-legislative components of system redesign by 2026. Co-chaired by Scottish Government and COSLA, membership comprises the National Convener of Children’s Hearings Scotland, the Principal Reporter of the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration and Social Work Scotland.

In addition, a public consultation on the legislative elements of the redesign of the children’s hearings system launched on 26 July. That will run for 13 weeks and close on 28 October 2024. The Scottish Government intends to introduce legislation later this Parliamentary term. If passed, the legislative elements and the overall system redesign programme, will be introduced by 2030.

The Our Hearings Our Voice Board (OHOV) worked closely with Sheriff David Mackie and The Promise Scotland during the development of the ‘Hearings for Children’ report. Scottish Government officials have continued to build on this relationship and are keen to ensure OHOV members continue to amplify the voice of those with lived and living experience of the hearings system throughout the redesign work. Further engagement with children and young people is also being undertaken through the Children and Young Persons Participation Framework. Who Cares? Scotland and Barnardo’s have been appointed to lead.

Scottish Government funding of over £2.5m has been committed to support the mental health and wellbeing of health and care staff in 2024-25. These resources include a 24/7 compassionate listening service, confidential mental health treatment through the Workforce Specialist Service and access to psychological therapies and interventions.

Prioritising these treatment and therapeutic programmes reflects our commitment to offer care and support to those staff suffering from burnout, stress, anxiety and other conditions. In addition, the National Wellbeing Hub offers a range of self-care wellbeing resources and signposting to relevant mental health and support services.

We remain firmly committed to tackling the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss across Scotland. However, we are also taking on very significant additional financial pressure following decisions made at a UK level, and the Finance Secretary has been clear that painful choices have had to be made. The Scottish Government will work with local authorities to understand and, where feasible within depleted resources, mitigate the impacts of this situation.

The number of Modern Apprenticeship starts for floorcovering in the last 5 years are as follows;