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The publication of performance and carrying statistics is a matter for CalMac Ferries Ltd as the operator of the Clyde & Hebrides Ferry Services contract.

As the Climate Challenge Fund (CCF) was delivered by Keep Scotland Beautiful on behalf of the Scottish Government, we do not hold the grant offer letter that details the specific outputs and outcomes for the Al-Mahdi Foundation’s 2018-2020 project.

However to be eligible all projects had to meet all four of the CCF’s key criteria; specific outputs and outcomes were designed around these:

• Community- Your community must be at the heart of the decision-making process of the project. Community demand for the project must be clearly demonstrated and projects must be designed and delivered by communities. Applicants should show how they will work in partnership with other local organisations that are engaged in similar or related work.
• Improved Climate Literacy - The project must deliver increased awareness and understanding of climate change and enable the community to make informed choices to reduce its impact on climate change.
• Carbon (CO2e) Reduction - The project must lead to a measurable reduction in local carbon emissions through the activities it delivers.
• Sustainable Legacy - The project must deliver a low carbon legacy, with outcomes and/or behaviours that continue after the project is completed.

The Scottish Government has no plans to create specific funding schemes for Brain Tumour research.

Within the Scottish Government, funding of Health and Care Research comes under the remit of the Chief Scientist Office (CSO).

The CSO's Translational Clinical Studies (TCS) Committee and the Health Improvement, Protection and Services Research (HIPS) Committee each meet twice per year to consider funding applications. Details of the application process are published on the CSO website.

https://www.cso.sc ot.nhs.uk/grant-funding/response-mode-funding-schemes/. Applications on Brain Tumour research are welcomed.

CSO provides funding support through NHS Research Scotland (NRS) for infrastructure to support the running of clinical trials in the NHS here. this includes the NRS Cancer Research Network whose role is to increase, support and sustain clinical trial activity in cancer care in Scotland https://www.nhsresearchscotland.org.uk/research-areas/cancer

The NRS Cancer Research Network is currently supporting 13 Brain Tumour Clinical studies with over 190 patients recruited.

Through UK-wide funding agreements, researchers based in Scotland are able to access research funding programmes administered by the National Institute for Health & Care Research (NIHR). Within their individual remits, these programmes can consider applications for research in Brain Tumours. CSO is working with the health research community in Scotland to ensure awareness of these opportunities and to maximise the number of high quality applications from Scotland to the NIHR research funding programmes going forward.

In our cancer strategy published in June last year, the Scottish Government committed to focus on cancer types that are the largest burden and have worse outcomes. These include brain and the other cancers categorised as less-survivable such as oesophagus, pancreas, and stomach.

We are continuing to invest in 12 pilot single point of contact (SPOC) sites and will evaluate the impact of the programme and expand its reach. We are also rolling out our final Improving the Cancer Journey (ICJ) service, in partnership with Macmillan, giving everyone diagnosed with cancer in Scotland access to a key support worker.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24110 on 18 January 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 .

The Scottish Government’s 10-year vision for cancer provides for a compassionate and consistent cancer service which provides excellent treatment and support for all people affected by cancer. Our action plan describes specific steps towards this, including investing in our capital radiotherapy replacement programme and delivery of an Oncology Transformation Programme.

Transport Scotland carried out studies last year to assess the possibility of including Langholm on the existing A74(M) signage. As the motorway signs in question are relatively new, extremely large and expensive to replace, it was felt the most appropriate way to consider this opportunity was to address it when the sign needs replaced upon its serviceable life. Based on the expected lifespan of these type of sign, there are no immediate plans to amend the signs in the near future.

The majority of services in Scotland are operated on a commercial basis by private bus companies. Under the Transport Act 1985, where there is a social need local transport authorities can provide subsidy for services that are not provided on a commercial basis, this is entirely a matter for the local authority to consider and action.

The Scottish Government have brought forward an enhanced suite of options for local transport authorities to improve bus services according to their local needs, including formal partnerships, franchising and running their own bus services. The Community Bus Fund was launched in September 2023 to support local transport authorities to explore the options in the Transport Act, and to improve public transport in their areas.

Transport Scotland remains in positive dialogue with Ambassador Living (the developer for Forthview Housing Development) to reach an agreement on the use of Ferrymuir Gait as an access. This is following a legal process in order to finalise matters, which we hope to conclude in Spring 2024.

The following table sets out how many applications for a licence under the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023 for (a) preventing serious damage to livestock, woodlands or crops and (b) environmental benefit have been rejected.