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Monthly statistics on the number of Council Tax Reduction recipients since the scheme’s commencement in April 2013 are available at Council Tax Reduction: local authority tables and charts - April 2013 to February 2023 - (www.gov.scot) . March 2023 data will be published on 16 May 2023.

Prior to April 2013, the UK Government was responsible for Council Tax Benefit with associated data available at Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit statistics - (www.gov.uk) .

The Scottish Government provides annual funding to Energy Saving Trust (EST) an independent organisation working to address the climate emergency, to provide a range of services including delivery of the Switched-on Taxi Loan on behalf of Scottish Ministers.

The Switched-on Taxi loan provides an interest-free loan with a repayment term of up to 6 years to support both private and hackney taxi owners and operators with the purchase of zero and ultra-low emission vehicles.

Since 2019 taxi drivers and operators in the North East of Scotland electoral region have received interest free loans worth almost £800,000. Currently the Switched-on Taxi loan is closed and Scottish Ministers are considering the position for the current financial year. Taxi drivers and operators can register their interest with Energy Saving Trust should future rounds of funding become available.

The Scottish Government has had no communication with Hourglass on this matter. Hourglass are an active member of the Older People Strategic Action Forum so we will continue to engage with them as a valued stakeholder in helping us improve outcomes for older people in Scotland.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information, however, it may be available from local Health Boards.

The Scottish Government has not held specific discussions with taxi driver union representatives in Dundee to discuss loan funding for the purchase of electric vehicles in relation to compliance with the Low Emission Zone.

The Scottish Government provide annual funding to Energy Saving Trust (EST), an independent organisation working to address the climate emergency, which delivers a range of schemes on behalf of Scottish Ministers, including the Switched-on Taxi loan.

EST on behalf of Scottish Ministers has engaged directly with taxi owners and operators. This includes providing impartial and independent advice including information on the Switched-on Taxi loan, and vehicle reports comparing running costs of petrol/diesel taxis with Ultra Low Emission Vehicles. Last year EST ran several taxi forums bringing together taxi owners/operators and licensing authorities to discuss best practice approaches to decarbonisation across the industry.

The reporter anticipates, at this stage, submitting her report and recommendations on this case in the Summer. Full case details are available to view on the Department for Planning and Environmental Appeal’s (DPEA) website at:- Scottish Government - DPEA - Case Details (scotland.gov.uk)

The Scottish Government has worked collaboratively with partners, patients and third sector organisations in recent months to develop a ten year cancer strategy for Scotland.

Due to publish Spring 2023, the strategy will take a comprehensive approach to improving patient pathways, from prevention and diagnosis through to treatment and post-treatment care. It aims to improve cancer survival and provide excellent, equitably accessible, care across Scotland, including those affected by brain cancer.

A new earlier diagnosis vision will feature within the strategy and will include similar actions to those outlined in The Brain Tumour Charity’s report. This includes continuing to deliver our Detect Cancer Earlier Programme, working with primary care clinicians to ensure they have direct access to diagnostic tests and quality education sources; optimal cancer diagnostic pathways are designed and implemented across NHS Scotland; and public campaigns educate and empower those with possible symptoms to act early.

The Scottish Government is committed, in conjunction with bus operators and local authorities, to looking at ways of improving services to ensure that everyone has accessible public transport. We have increased the tools available to local authorities to revitalise bus networks, through Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, in addition to their existing powers to subsidise services that are not provided on a commercial basis. Transport Scotland discuss bus matters with COSLA on a monthly basis at regular bus stakeholder meetings. In addition, COSLA are members of the Bus Taskforce.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-16986 on 11 May 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

Collaboration and engagement is a cornerstone of all transport activity and there is community engagement at all levels of transport decision making. My predecessors and I, and Transport Scotland officials, have engaged with communities in developing and implementing strategies and on specific projects such as the Islands Connectivity Plan and Project Neptune, and will, of course, continue to do so in the future.

The previous Minister for Transport and the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands met with the Islands Strategic Group (ISG) on 9 March 2023. The ISG was established in 2016 to consider issues affecting our inhabited island communities, and to ensure greater involvement of the relevant councils in helping identify and design solutions to the unique needs and challenges we know these communities face. The next ISG, which includes the Islands Transport Forum, that I chair, is scheduled to meet next month.

In addition, in May I met with the leader of Orkney Islands Council, Councillor James Stockan, following the grounding of the MV Pentalina. In our discussion, I informed Councillor Stockan that I, and the Government, will continue to monitor the situation. Following discussions, I am pleased to confirm that NorthLink will be increasing sailings across the Pentland Firth to 4 sailings initially for three nights a week, with a review to assess on-going demand as we move further into the summer season.

Furthermore, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands launched the Young Islanders Network (YIN) on Orkney on the 31 August 2022 on behalf of the Scottish Government, providing children and young people with a platform to support meaningful contributions to National Islands Plan (NIP) delivery and to their current and future life on islands.

YIN members are empowered to set their own agenda – based on how they want to address the local and national priorities that matter to them the most.