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Strategic Environmental Assessments, carried out by NatureScot for beaver translocations in new catchments, have identified where potential beaver habitat overlaps with important infrastructure including railway lines.

Network Rail, who are responsible for rail infrastructure in Scotland, are aware of the reintroduction and translocation of beaver species within Scotland. They have established a working group made up of engineers from different parts of their business which seeks to raise awareness internally of potential issues posed and highlight where beaver activity is already present as well as proposals for where they are going to be introduced. Network Rail are also active in the national Scottish Beaver Advisory Group (SBAG) which has been set up to oversee delivery of Scotland’s Beaver Strategy with NatureScot.

Network Rail’s existing rail infrastructure inspection and maintenance regimes are sufficient to detect any impact on the railway and they can and do respond with detailed assessment on a case specific basis as required. Network Rail have carried out mitigation of beaver activity under licence from NatureScot at a number of locations in Tayside in response to the risk to public safety.

There is a currently a mixed delivery of breakfast provision across Scotland with a range of service providers including public, private and third sector. We have conducted provisional modelling of breakfast provision and have begun work with local authorities and key stakeholders to better understand and map provision. We are continuing our mapping work which will contribute to more detailed modelling in future.

The last procurement for Covid Lateral Flow Device tests in March 2022 was aligned to the Test and Protect Transition Plan, taking account of the potential need to continue a range of testing pathways, and for contingency purposes if required

Approximately 15 million LFD tests belonging to Scotland are in UK Health Security Agency and partner warehouses (12.1m), in care homes for contingency purposes and to support clinical care (1.6m), and NHS National Services Scotland and partner warehouses (1.3m).

Since July 2020 and until 5 February 2023, Antimicrobial Resistance & Healthcare Associated Infection (ARHAI) Scotland (within NSS) published, weekly validated statistics on the number of hospital-onset COVID-19 infections in Scotland via the Public Health Scotland (PHS) website.

The following table provides the number of cases from the 1 January 2023, until the final publication of statistics on 5 February 2023.

I met members of the Scottish Perinatal Network at the National Best Start Learning Event on 28 June, however have not had a formal meeting with the Scottish Perinatal Network since taking up office. My Officials regularly meet with the Network and sit on the Network Oversight Board, and Maternity and Neonatal Steering Groups.

Discussions with both COSLA and individual local authorities about breakfast provision have taken place over the last eighteen months. These have covered issues such as existing delivery, and the range of possible delivery models and costs. The Scottish Government is currently working with the local authority facilities management organisation, AssistFM, to develop a clear picture of the scale and uptake of breakfast provision across Scotland.

Scotland’s vaccination programme continues to focus on protecting those most vulnerable from serious illness from COVID-19 .

Our decision-making on vaccine deployment throughout all COVID-19 vaccination programmes has been guided by the expert clinical advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). We welcome the final advice of the JCVI on the winter 2023 vaccination programme and encourage people to come forward for their appointment when called.

There are currently no plans to make COVID-19 vaccination available to groups not covered by JCVI advice this winter.

Ahead of the proposed legislation, the Scottish Government has increased the voluntary sector Short Breaks Fund by £5m to £8m in 2022-23, to expand easy-access short breaks support, and has maintained the fund at £8m for 2023-24. This is in addition to £88.4m per year Carers Act funding in the local government block grant.

Local authorities have responsibilities to promote a variety of short break provision in their areas. We are funding work to assist them and share good practice and have commissioned a study to improve our understanding of the issues facing the short breaks sector. The National Care Service will set out national standards with the aim of greater consistency of provision across Scotland.

The Financial Memorandum to the National Care Service Bill sets out estimates of the additional costs the Scottish Government expects for additional support to meet the right to breaks from caring, building up over a 10 year period. We expect demand to grow steadily over this period with additional short break provision growing alongside.

The 2023-24 Programme for Government reiterates our commitment to establish the right to breaks from caring and continue the Short Breaks Fund.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

The Chief Constable has responsibility for the recruitment, deployment and HR issues of all police officers and staff under their control.

Around 1480 new police officers have taken the Oath of Office in the past 18 months with the latest intake of 200 recruits commencing training on 18 September. Recruitment to fill police staff vacancies took place up until 9 August 2023, when a recruitment freeze for some roles was put in place by Police Scotland.