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The most recent surveillance report from Public Health Scotland (PHS) indicates that the number of people tested for HCV antibody in Scotland in 2022 had almost recovered to the level seen before the pandemic in 2019, however we know that further work is required to reach undiagnosed individuals living with HCV.

Current work includes ensuring that opt-out testing is proactively and consistently offered in key settings such as drug services and prisons, and we are also working with three Health Boards to pilot opt-out testing for HCV and other blood borne viruses (BBVs) in emergency department settings.

The Scottish Government has also funded research to identify the optimal approach to testing for BBVs for people at highest risk in Scotland, in order to reduce undiagnosed infections, increase linkage to care for those not in treatment, improve health and prevent BBV transmission. The findings will inform future testing strategies.

Progress towards eliminating hepatitis C (HCV) as a public health concern is monitored by Public Health Scotland (PHS) with the most recent surveillance report in December 2023 indicating that major progress continues to be made on a number of HCV elimination targets in Scotland. For example, 86% of those previously diagnosed have been treated for their infection (in excess of the World Health Organization target of 80%).

A key indicator of progress toward HCV elimination is prevalence of chronic HCV among people who inject drugs (PWID) which is monitored via the Needle Exchange Surveillance Initiative survey led by Glasgow Caledonian University in association with PHS. This found the prevalence of chronic HCV infection among PWID in Scotland had reduced by approximately 50%, from 37% in 2015-16 to 19% in 2019-2020. Results for the latest NESI survey conducted during 2022-23 are expected to be published in mid 2024-25.

Treatment targets are currently published at Scotland level only, however a new PHS-led blood borne virus and sexually transmitted infection dashboard is scheduled for launch in 2024-25 which will include data on HCV treatment (alongside other indicators) and will help to monitor progress on elimination at NHS board level.

Progress towards eliminating hepatitis C (HCV) as a public health concern is monitored by Public Health Scotland using a range of public health surveillance data including HCV tests and diagnoses, and clinical, morbidity and mortality data.

In the past five years, no hospital buildings have been identified as having external wall cladding with high-risk polyethylene Aluminium Composite Material (ACM).

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are in the process of removing ACM from the internal atrium of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and replacing it with a non-combustible cladding material. This action was agreed after extensive and regular engagement with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, who were fully supportive of the mitigating actions implemented by the Board.

Transport Scotland commissioned research on equitable options for car demand management, as referred to in S6W-15653 on 21 March 2023, S6W-16545 on 17 April 2023, and S6W-16547 on 17 April 2023.

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 .

This budget has required difficult choices due to the pressures on our public services and the lack of funding from the UK Government. We are facing the most challenging fiscal position since devolution. Mindful of our missions and priorities for Scotland, we have had to prioritise legal and contractual obligations in determining how to deploy this budget across Education and Skills priorities. Our children, young people, families and learners of all ages continue to be a key priority for this Government and we will continue to focus on our three central missions of equality, opportunity, and community.

We remain committed to supporting a high quality post-school education, research and skills system with over £2.4 billion investment. This will maintain Scotland’s reputation for world-leading research; provide opportunities for people to learn and develop their skills through further and higher education and apprenticeships – honouring this government’s commitment to free tuition; and provide vital financial support to students to support them in completing their studies in the face of significant cost of living pressures.

The impact assessments which support the draft Budget 2024-25 can be found at this link: Scottish Budget - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) In particular I’d draw your attention to the Education and Skills portfolio analysis section in Annex B and the Employability Case Study in Annex C of the Equality and Fairer Scotland statement.

I would also highlight the following available at the link above:

Scottish Budget 2024 to 2024: high level carbon assessment

Scottish Budget 2024 to 2024: distributional analysis

Scottish Budget 2024 to 2024: Climate Change Assessment of the Budget

The Scottish Government has faced its most challenging budgetary settlement since devolution began – a settlement which has not been inflation-proofed, and which has subsequently required difficult decisions to be made, due to the pressures on our public services. Mindful of our missions and priorities for Scotland, we have had to prioritise legal and contractual obligations in determining how to deploy this budget across Education and Skills priorities. Our children, young people, families and learners of all ages continue to be a key priority for this Government and we will continue to focus on our three central missions of equality, opportunity, and community.

We remain committed to supporting a high quality post-school education, research and skills system with over £2.4 billion investment. This will maintain Scotland’s reputation for world-leading research; provide opportunities for people to learn and develop their skills through further and higher education and apprenticeships – honouring this government’s commitment to free tuition; and provide vital financial support to students to support them in completing their studies in the face of significant cost of living pressures.

The impact assessments which support the draft Budget 2024-25 can be found at this link: Scottish Budget - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . In particular I’d draw your attention to the: Education and Skills portfolio analysis section in Annex B and the Employability Case Study in Annex C of the Equality and Fairer Scotland statement.

I’d also highlight the following, also available at the link above:

Scottish Budget 2024 to 2024: high level carbon assessment

Scottish Budget 2024 to 2024: distributional analysis

Scottish Budget 2024 to 2024: Climate Change Assessment of the Budget

This budget has required difficult choices due to the pressures on our public services and the lack of funding from the UK Government. We are facing the most challenging fiscal position since devolution. Mindful of our missions and priorities for Scotland, we have had to prioritise legal and contractual obligations in determining how to deploy this budget across Education and Skills priorities. Our children, young people, families and learners of all ages continue to be a key priority for this Government and we will continue to focus on our three central missions of equality, opportunity, and community.

We remain committed to supporting a high quality post-school education, research and skills system with over £2.4 billion investment. This will maintain Scotland’s reputation for world-leading research; provide opportunities for people to learn and develop their skills through Community Learning and Development (CLD), further and higher education and apprenticeships – honouring this government’s commitment to free tuition; and provide vital financial support to students to support them in completing their studies in the face of significant cost of living pressures. This is also why the Independent Review of CLD was announced on 5th December 2023 which will identify strengths in our current approach to CLD and highlight where improvements may be necessary.

The impact assessments which support the draft Budget 2024-25 can be found at this link: Scottish Budget - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . In particular I’d draw your attention to the:

Education and Skills portfolio analysis section in Annex B and the Employability Case Study in Annex C of the Equality and Fairer Scotland statement.

I’d also highlight the following, also available at the link above:

Scottish Budget 2024 to 2024: high level carbon assessment

Scottish Budget 2024 to 2024: distributional analysis

Scottish Budget 2024 to 2024: Climate Change Assessment of the Budget

This budget has required difficult choices due to the pressures on our public services and the lack of funding from the UK Government. We are facing the most challenging fiscal position since devolution. Mindful of our missions and priorities for Scotland, we have had to prioritise legal and contractual obligations in determining how to deploy this budget across Education and Skills priorities. Our children, young people, families and learners of all ages continue to be a key priority for this Government and we will continue to focus on our three central missions of equality, opportunity, and community.

We remain committed to supporting a high quality post-school education, research and skills system with over £2.4 billion investment. This will maintain Scotland’s reputation for world-leading research; provide opportunities for people to learn and develop their skills through further and higher education and apprenticeships – honouring this government’s commitment to free tuition; and provide vital financial support to students to support them in completing their studies in the face of significant cost of living pressures.

The impact assessments which support the draft Budget 2024-25 can be found at this link: Scottish Budget - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . In particular I’d draw your attention to the:

Education and Skills portfolio analysis section in Annex B and the Employability Case Study in Annex C of the Equality and Fairer Scotland statement.

I’d also highlight the following, also available at the link above:

Scottish Budget 2024 to 2024: high level carbon assessment

Scottish Budget 2024 to 2024: distributional analysis

Scottish Budget 2024 to 2024: Climate Change Assessment of the Budget

In an extremely challenging financial climate, and following a worst case scenario UK Autumn Statement in which UK Ministers prioritised tax cuts over public spending, we have had to take difficult decisions in setting this budget. The amount Scotland has available to spend is still largely driven by the block grant, which is derived from the UK Government's spending decisions and continuing constraint on public expenditure. The block grant has fallen by 1.2% in real terms since 2022-23 and, because of the UK Government's failure to inflation-proof capital budgets, our capital spending power is due to contract by almost 10% in real terms over 5 years.

Despite this, I am pleased that this Government has committed £4.7 billion in capital and resource in 2024-25 for activities that will have a positive impact on delivery of our climate change goals, and funding of almost £3.9 billion for transport across Scotland. The total budget for my portfolio increases by £47.7 million in 2024-25, which is a £27.9 million (0.6%) reduction in real terms using GDP deflators published in November 2023.

A significant proportion of the expenditure in my portfolio is legally and contractually committed, and I have ensured that those commitments are met in full in this budget as well as allocating funding to support critical maintenance and renewal expenditure to ensure that the people of Scotland have access to a safe and reliable transport system.

I have considered equalities and fairer Scotland duties and progress towards our statutory targets for climate change and child poverty in prioritising the budget available to me. I refer to the Equalities and Fairer Scotland Budget Statement and Carbon Assessment published alongside this budget.