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The following table sets out the number of Architecture and Design Scotland staff, broken down by pay banding, permanent staff, fixed term appointments (FTA) and full time equivalent (FTE).

There has been one occasion in which the landowner has failed to respond to a formal request under section 10(2) of the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 to cull deer.

This is in relation to the recent NatureScot intervention in Loch Choire, where the landowner has failed to respond to Section 10(2), resulting in NatureScot staff undertaking culling on the property under Section 10(4) authorisation. NatureScot are currently determining next steps in relation to the use of statutory powers.

We are working in partnership across the UK to explore the safe use of AI within health and social care. AI is currently being utilised in the NHS to support clinicians by making data driven recommendations in areas like cancer screening and other medical imaging practices.

The Scottish Government is also currently considering how the specific needs of AI can be built into our wider work on data to provide the right infrastructure and support service that enables the adoption of AI solutions within the NHS. Further details on this will be set out in the forthcoming Data Strategy for Health & Social Care, including on the ethical and transparent use of AI.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information as this module is owned and hosted by NHS Education for Scotland.

Against the backdrop of continued impacts from Covid-19, public spending constraints and the cost of living crisis, we are doing all we can to protect Scotland’s culture and historic environment, to ensure our diverse and world-class cultural scene and rich heritage continue to thrive, delivering on the vision of the Culture Strategy.

The Scottish Government will invest £278m in Scotland’s culture and heritage sector in 2023-24 which will support a range of actions set out in the Culture Strategy. Further information about the breakdown of individual budget lines will be shared in the coming weeks. Additionally, we will publish a refreshed Culture Strategy Action Plan in spring 2023, which will set out how we will continue to deliver on the aims of the Culture Strategy.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14517 on 7 February 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

No organisations or individuals have provided paid consultancy services in relation to the development of a Biodiversity Investment Plan.

Following the recent publication of the draft biodiversity strategy, a delivery plan is now being developed and this will include the development of an investment plan. The delivery plan is being led jointly by Scottish Government and NatureScot officials, drawing on engagement from key policy areas and across a wider network which includes significant stakeholder engagement. No expenditure has therefore been directly devoted to the development of the Biodiversity Investment Plan yet.

My officials have been in contact with the relevant local transport authorities in respect of bus services between Dumfries and Edinburgh. Regarding the 101/102 service, Houston's Coaches have had a bid approved by SPT, Scottish Borders Council and Swestrans for 3 years with a start date of 1 April 2023. SPT are currently working with Houston's to finalise the contract. Scottish Ministers, however, do not have the power to intervene directly in the provision of bus services due to the de-regulated bus market, which has operated across the United Kingdom since the 1980s.

The Scottish Government has no functions in relation to the use of Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) on board vessels operating in Scottish waters, this lies with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.