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Work on the precise methodology, design and evaluation for the peak rail fares pilot is currently underway. Transport Scotland officials are working closely with Scottish Rail Holdings and ScotRail Trains Ltd to derive maximum benefit for this scheme.

Further details on the peak rail fares pilot including timescales during the next financial year will be confirmed as soon as practically possible.

The ScotRail peak fares pilot will apply to all ScotRail services.

Work on the precise methodology, design and evaluation for the peak rail fares pilot is currently underway. Transport Scotland officials are working closely with Scottish Rail Holdings and ScotRail Trains Ltd to derive maximum benefit for this scheme.

Further details on the peak rail fares pilot including timescales during the next financial year will be confirmed as soon as practically possible.

Information on local authority spend on their professional learning is not held nationally by the Scottish Government. Local authorities are best placed to advise on their spend in this area.

In 2022, we ran a public consultation on the draft of the new physical intervention in schools guidance Physical intervention in schools: draft guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . The draft human rights-based guidance is clear that restraint and seclusion should only ever be used as a last resort and to prevent a child or young person coming to harm. This position is also clear in existing guidance on the use of physical intervention and seclusion.

The draft guidance includes links to free professional learning resources that are focussed on promoting positive relationships and behaviour to minimise the use of restraint and seclusion. The draft guidance also recommends that the any training in the use of restraint is certified as complying with Restraint Reduction Network (RRN) training standards.

We are carefully considering all consultation responses received and recognise that there are calls for further legislation in this area. A consultation analysis report is currently being prepared. Alongside the publication of the guidance, and in line with our original commitments, we are exploring options to strengthen the legal framework in this area, including placing the guidance on a statutory basis.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-09365 on 7 July 2022. Information on the number of complaints regarding the use of restraint in schools and care settings is not collected at a national level by the Scottish Government. Under existing guidance, any use of physical intervention in schools, including restraint, must be recorded and monitored by local authorities. This is in addition to the inspection roles of carried out by Education Scotland.

The Scottish Government encourages all concerns or disagreements in relation to service provision to be resolved at as local a level as possible, where that is appropriate. Complaints can also be submitted in line with the service’s complaints handling procedure, with referrals made to the local authority and public services ombudsman, where appropriate. Where there are concerns about the professional conduct of a teacher registered with the GTCS, these can be referred to the GTCS for further examination. All children and young people, and their families, should be informed of all the routes available to them to make a complaint.

In all settings, police or social work should be informed without delay if there are concerns that a child or young person has suffered harm as a result of restraint. A child protection referral can run in parallel to local complaints handling and disciplinary procedures. Child protection procedures will be initiated when police, social work or health determine that a child may have been significantly harmed or may be at risk of significant harm.

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.

The Scottish Government has not provided funding to local authorities in the last six months to provide free bus passes or rail cards to people seeking asylum and does not hold information on whether local authorities have received funding from elsewhere.

However, Refugee Survival Trust and partners have been provided with funding from the Paths for All Smarter Choices Smarter Places Open Fund. This has enabled them to begin a pilot scheme to provide free bus travel to people seeking asylum living in Glasgow through the provision of three month bus passes, along with information and digital support to access and use the pass.

The Pilot will run until summer 2023 and will help inform options on how to deliver our Programme for Government commitment to consider how best to provide free bus travel to people seeking asylum across Scotland.

I can confirm that I have now received the update from Transport Scotland that Network Rail, who is delivering the project, has confirmed that a planned milestone was missed as the internal consultation with other Network Rail operational colleagues took longer than anticipated to arrive at a single option. However, this has no bearing on the overall project programme.

Following the publication of the Health and Social Care Winter Resilience Overview I wrote to General Practices on 15 November to set my expectations regarding the need to ensure there is an appropriate mix of pre-booked, same day, face to face and remote appointments that suits individual practice populations.

I also announced the formation of the General Practice Access Group. The group aims to understand the challenges and issues affecting access to General Practice and will establish high level core principles to support and enhance patients’ experience of accessing ‘The Right Care, Right Time, Right Place’. The group has commenced its work and I understand will be looking to consult on a draft document in February.

On 21 December 2022 NHS Forth Valley and NHS Lanarkshire have been allocated £52.565 million and £109.967 million respectively to provide primary medical services.

The Scottish Government expects local authorities to exercise their statutory responsibilities and deliver a safe environment for all school users.

Generally, local authorities in Scotland will offer schools basic litter picking equipment such as litter pickers and safety gloves. We are also aware that some schools may hold their own litter picking equipment that may have been provided by a variety of sources, for example from a local business or other donor.

Schools can also access litter picking equipment through charity initiatives such as Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Community Clean Up Hubs, which are located across Scotland. Guidance on organising and undertaking a safe litter pick can be found on the organisation’s website.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14338 on 8 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/questions-and-answers .

Furthermore, any producer with questions or concerns about registration should contact Circularity Scotland for advice and guidance.