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As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a local authority to put such exemptions in place, which will be informed by advice in national guidance being developed by local government and business organisations in the Visitor Levy Expert Group.

Following National Services Division (NSD)’s national review of CAR-T services, NHS Scotland Health Board Chief Executives have recently endorsed a regional service model for CAR-T cell therapy to be delivered across three centres within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Grampian and NHS Lothian.

Work is underway to progress establishing the two further centres with an aim for the regional service model to be delivered across all three centres by financial year 2024-25.

The Scottish Government runs a number of targeted delivery programmes which are tailored to the needs of the specific sector they are aimed at. We continue to evolve and adapt these schemes to ensure that the outcomes delivered by the scheme can be maximised for the funding allocated to them.

I refer the member to the answer in question S6W-22666 on 16 November 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 .

The Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office has established an Implementation Board to prioritise and take forward the recommendations of an independent report on Improving Equity of Access to Cancer Clinical Trials in Scotland that was published in February 2023: Improving equity of access to cancer clinical trials in Scotland - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . Implementation of recommendations is anticipated to improve access to cancer clinical trials in Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22629 on 16 November 2023 for information on a full range of ongoing actions we are taking to raise awareness of our schemes. 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 does not hold or have access to information on the number of students currently pursuing specific energy efficiency qualifications. As energy efficiency would typically form part of a wider course syllabus for a diverse range of qualifications including engineering, technology, science and construction, the Scottish Government is unable to identify which courses include an energy efficiency component and therefore does not have the information required to answer the question accurately.

A range of skills will be required to deliver the transition to clean heat. Our Heat in Buildings Supply Chains Delivery Plan sets out practical steps that we will take to support the growth of the green heat sector.

We continue to work in partnership with the sector to ensure that the appropriate support and training provision are aligned at a local level with business needs and future local demands.

The Scottish Government published the independently produced Improving Equity of Access to Cancer Clinical Trials in Scotland report in February 2023, which includes a recommendation for the establishment of a national register for cancer clinical trials in Scotland. The Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office has established an Equity of Access Implementation Board, which includes clinical research expertise from NHS Scotland, to consider this and other recommendations in the report.

The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 requires the Auditor General and the Accounts Commission to secure the audit of all accounts of local authorities and associated bodies (including health and social care integration boards and other joint boards) by appointing either Audit Scotland or firms of accountants as the auditors.

The extent to which local authorities did not meet the Accounts Commission’s deadline to submit their annual accounts is a matter for the Controller of Audit or the Accounts Commission and the Scottish Government does not hold this information.