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Energy pricing and the powers to create local tariffs are reserved to the UK Government. However, we will continue to engage with BEIS about its Energy Price Guarantee review for April 2024 and the consideration of social tariffs for domestic consumers, especially for those in or at risk of fuel poverty.

The First Minister has also chaired two energy summits since August. These have discussed the impact of UK Government measures in response to the energy crisis and agreed that these should be more support targeted towards vulnerable households and businesses, including those living in rural communities.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13195 on 21 December 2022. 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 information requested is not held centrally. Information on the number of pupils with additional support needs, planning approaches and types of need are collected and published within national statistics. This is available from Schools in Scotland 2022: summary statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Thank you for your question. Emergency service workers who have been killed in the line of duty can be nominated by the emergency services through the First Minister’s Brave@Heart bravery awards which includes the St. Andrew’s Award. Brave@Heart and St Andrew’s Awards recipients are selected by an independent panel.

All local authorities are under a statutory duty to have regard to any guidance, such as ‘Better Eating, Better Learning’, issued by Scottish Ministers on the application of the principles of sustainable development when providing food or drink or catering services in schools. Local authorities, supported by Scotland Excel, remain committed to using local and sustainable produce in school catering wherever possible. It is up to each local authority to decide what produce, including organic, to use in their catering services, taking into account local needs, priorities and circumstances.

The NHS Scotland National Medical Equipment Management System (NMEMS), which aims to provide national oversight and visibility of medical equipment in NHS Boards, is being delivered in 2 phases.

Phase 1, commenced in October 2022 and has a provisional completion date of Spring 2023, has cost £28,000 to date which includes licences, data migration costs and post implementation support.

Costs for Phase 2 are currently being scoped and are expected to be finalised in early 2023.

For more information on the NMEMS delivery phases I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12907 on 21 December 2022. 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

As of 15 December 2022 there are:

a) i) 6.25 whole time equivalent civil servants in the alcohol harm prevention team
‎ ii) 3.25 whole time equivalent civil servants in the alcohol treatment team

b) 44.9 whole time equivalent civil servants in the drugs division

The following table shows the number of bed days occupied by people delayed in their discharge in hospitals in NHS Highland for all delay reasons over the period April 2017 to March 2022 by financial year. The hospital of delay represents the location of delay as recorded at the monthly data submission date to which all bed days within the month are assigned. The figures for 2020-21 and
‎2021-22 will have been impacted by the measures put in place to respond to COVID-19.

Number of delayed bed days occupied in NHS Highland hospitals, 2017-18 to 2021-22

The Scottish Government is in regular contact with the UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy about the continuing discussions to renegotiate the Energy Charter Treaty, with a view to identifying and mitigating any particular impacts on Scotland.

The Scottish Government is aware of the concerns raised by The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and others that International Investment Agreements, such as the Energy Charter Treaty, may lead to ‘regulatory chill’. That is why, in our Vision for Trade, we are clear that no part of a trade or investment agreement should limit the ability of the Scottish Parliament to regulate in devolved areas, or constrain much-needed action to achieve our net zero goal.

The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 (the Act) sets a default position that no carbon credits purchased by Scottish Ministers can be used to meet any of Scotland’s statutory greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, and the Scottish Government currently has no plans to change this by regulation using powers under the Act.