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The Scottish Government is currently preparing a suite of impact assessments to consider the effect of the proposed measure on various communities and will be available before regulations are laid.

We recognise arguments raised in the four nations Creating a smoke free generation and tackling youth vaping consultation that disposable vapes are a useful aid to support quitting smoking but are also appealing to children. The case for action is therefore finely balanced. However, we are persuaded that action is necessary in respect of disposable vapes, due to not only environmental issues but also the low price and convenience of these products. Adults will still have access to non-disposable vapes to support smoking cessation, but banning disposables will reduce access for children while also dealing with the environmental impact of these products.

A ministerial statement on the smoke free generation and tackling youth vaping policy measures will take place following the introduction of legislation to UK Parliament.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all students, including those with a disability, long-term medical condition, or additional support needs, are supported as they study in further and higher education. This is through support provided to each institution, and also through support provided directly to students. The Scottish Government does not undertake analysis of this support at the level indicated in the question.

Students and their families are encouraged to speak to their college to discuss their support needs and the funding that is available to them.

The Scottish Government also funds Down’s Syndrome Scotland as a key partner in the Learning/Intellectual Disability and Autism Towards Transformation Plan, and to raise awareness of the support available to people with Down’s syndrome and their families.

As set out in the Programme for Government, Scottish Government are working with sportscotland and local authorities to phase out charging for Active Schools. As the Active Schools programme is delivered locally by local authorities and leisure trusts, this information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. I have asked sportscotland to meet with the Member to provide more detailed information.

We know that the earlier cancer is diagnosed the easier it is to treat and even cure which is why we continue to invest in our Detect Cancer Earlier (DCE) Programme. The Programme takes a whole-systems approach to earlier detection and encompasses primary care, secondary care, public education, data, innovation and screening.

The DCE Programme works closely with the Scottish Cancer Coalition, to support awareness raising efforts and uses social channels to promote joint content and messages where possible.

Detect Cancer Earlier’s latest public campaign – Be The Early Bird - launched on
‎ 6 March 2023 and ran for four weeks, aiming to reduce fear of cancer and empower those with possible symptoms to act early. Following successful independent evaluation, the campaign re-ran in September 2023 to prompt health-seeking behaviour, targeting those aged 40+ from areas of deprivation.

In parallel to the campaign, a DCE roadshow visited communities across Scotland to reinforce key messages – this resulted in over 6,700 engagements with the target audience.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. It is for Health Boards to ensure best use of available resources whilst prioritising patient safety and care.

Security of electricity supply is a reserved matter and is delivered by the National Energy System Operator (ESO) across the whole of Great Britain under regulation from Ofgem.

We recognise the contribution that nuclear generation makes to the current energy mix in Scotland, including electricity generated from nuclear power generated elsewhere in the UK. However, we will continue to increase electricity generation from renewable and other low carbon sources.

Our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan sets out key ambitions for Scotland’s energy future including enhancing our energy security through the development of renewable and low carbon energy storage.

Care and support for people with long COVID is being provided across the full range of services delivered by NHS Scotland. This includes assessment and investigation in a setting close to home by local primary care teams, and referral to community-based rehabilitation services or secondary care settings for further investigation of specific complications where appropriate.

SPPA’s occupational health advisers at Health Partners are aware that Long Covid Clinics do not exist in some areas of Scotland. Ill health retirement applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis and the medical decision-making process takes into account the available treatment options for an individual. This principle is also contained in the guidance issued by SPPA that should be considered by scheme employers responsible for managing ill health retirement applications from members of the Local Government Pension Scheme (Scotland).

SPPA’s appointed medical advisers are Health Partners (OH) Ltd who operate nationally and also provide services to the police and fire services. Full information on local government pensions administration is not held centrally but a range of providers are used, including Optima Health (Falkirk), PAM Group (Strathclyde, Scottish Borders, Lothian, Highland, Tayside, and Fife), TAC Healthcare (Orkney), Genesis OHS (Dumfries and Galloway) and NHS Shetland Occupational Health Service.

We are not aware of reports that any long COVID patients have been refused ill health retirement from a public service pension scheme in Scotland solely because they have not attended a long COVID clinic. Each ill health retirement application should be assessed on a case-by-case basis and the medical decision-making process takes into account the available treatment options for an individual.

In assessing an ill health retirement application, the scheme manager must assess whether the individual is permanently incapable of carrying out the duties of their existing employment (lower-tier) or any regular employment of like duration (upper-tier) until their normal pension age. One of the factors which must be considered in making that assessment is whether the individual has received appropriate medical treatment. Where the member has not received appropriate medical treatment, permanent incapacity cannot be established. However, if a long COVID service was not available, according to the general principles of an ill-health retirement assessment, it would not be considered an appropriate treatment option for that individual.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-25489 on 9 March 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 .