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The Scottish Government did not allocate any finance for the Young Islanders Challenge in 2021-22. However, £28,500 was allocated to our delivery partner, Youth Scotland, to support the Young Islanders Challenge in 2020-21.

The specific information requested is not held centrally.

I refer the member to the answer to S6W-10892 on 20 September 2022 which provides information on funding for extra-curricular activities for young people and activities for young carers. 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 Scottish Government recognises that pulmonary rehabilitation is an important element of respiratory care. Since the publication of our Respiratory Care Action Plan in March 2021, we have established the Scottish Respiratory Advisory Committee (SRAC) to oversee its implementation. They have identified pulmonary rehabilitation as one of the key priorities for 2022.

To take forward this key priority, we have established a group of clinical experts from across Scotland, as well as involving people living with respiratory conditions. The group are currently carrying out a scoping exercise to determine areas of good practice and areas that require improvement, including access to appropriate venues. This scoping exercise will aid the development of consistent guidance on access to and delivery of pulmonary rehabilitation services across Scotland. The group will also seek out new and innovative approaches in pulmonary rehabilitation and support boards to test new models out with traditional health settings.

Increased energy costs are one of a range of cost pressures NHS Boards need to manage in order to deliver services that best meet the needs of their local populations.

We have committed to an Emergency Budget Review to tackle the challenges facing public finances and help support those hit hardest by the cost crisis. The Scottish Government continues to work with NHS Boards to address financial pressures across the system, to the support recovery and reform and delivery of a financially, environmentally and socially sustainable health and care services.

The latest available information on the number of people convicted for ‘stalking offences’ is provided in the following table.

Number of people proceeded and convicted for stalking offences (where main crime) in Scottish courts, 2018-19 to 2020-21.

Since the introduction of Graduate Apprenticeships (GAs) in Scotland we have seen a positive increase since the first two years of the scheme in the number of individuals taking up the opportunity to study for degree-level courses while in employment.

The following table shows the number of GA starts from 2017.

The Scottish Government has not received any requests from the affordable housing supply sector for an early review of benchmarks in accordance with the scenarios envisaged in the Report on the work of the 2021 Affordable Housing Investment Benchmarks Working Group.

Scottish Ministers remain fully committed to a health service that provides timely, quality care, is free at the point of contact and true to the founding principles of the NHS. The creation of a National Care Service will bring social care in to parity of esteem with healthcare and end the postcode lottery of care provision to ensure that everyone can get the care they need across the country.

Our publicly owned and operated NHS in Scotland makes very limited use of the independent sector for targeted services and to supplement capacity, where necessary. Over the last 10 years, use of the independent sector by NHS Scotland has consistently represented less than 1% of total frontline spend, with spend in 2020-21 being just 0.5% of the total frontline health budget. This compares to 6.8% and 0.8% for NHS England and NHS Wales, respectively. Further detail on spend with independent providers for NHS Scotland is available in Health Boards’ accounts which are published annually on each Health Board’s website.

Social Care services are commissioned by Local Authorities and the information requested would require to be requested from them.

According to the latest quarterly edition of the Scottish Child Payment statistical publication, between 9 November 2020 and 30 June 2022, the number of applications received for the Scottish Child Payment benefit from people living in the Dundee City Local Authority area is 5,990. In total, 5,500 applications had been processed as of 30 June 2022.

Scottish Government published an estimate on uptake in October 2021 as part of their benefit take-up strategy. The estimate of national take-up for the Scottish Child Payment benefit was 77%. This publication did not include geographical breakdowns.

As of 30 June 2022, it is estimated that 104,000 children were in receipt of Scottish Child Payment. Whilst this 104,000 figure is included in the latest Scottish Child Payment statistical publication, we do not currently produce equivalent information by Local Authority areas.

Between 15 February 2021 when the benefit officially launched and 30 June 2022, Social Security Scotland had issued £2.9 million of Scottish Child Payments to clients living in Dundee City Local Authority area.

The welfare of all displaced Ukrainians staying across the country is the Scottish Government’s absolute priority. Before the first guests boarded the M/S Victoria, a full Joint Assurance Review was undertaken with City of Edinburgh Council and other stakeholders, covering issues like safeguarding and security. The Scottish Refugee Council and the Ukrainian Consul General were both consulted as part of preparations for displaced people to live aboard the ship. Local health partners were also closely involved in preparations for opening the ship as temporary accommodation. Additionally, in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council, we engaged with key stakeholders, community groups and third sector partners, including Public Health Scotland, Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations' Council, Volunteer Edinburgh, Scottish Chambers of Commerce, and Capital City Partnership.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the reasons why people are reportedly using private healthcare.

However, we recognise that addressing the effects of the pandemic has inevitably disrupted the NHS’s ability to carry out routine procedures, meaning longer waits for many patients. We are resuming services as quickly and as safely as possible, while patients who need urgent care, including cancer treatment, are being prioritised.

We recognise the impact long waiting times can have on patients. That is why we have introduced a new set of ambitious targets for NHS Scotland to address the backlog of planned care. Key targets are to eliminate:

• Two-year waits for outpatients in most specialities by the end of August 2022
• 18-month waits for outpatients in most specialities by the end of December 2022
• One-year waits for outpatients in most specialities by the end of March 2023
• Two-year waits for inpatient / daycases in most specialities by the end of September 2022
• 18-month waits for inpatient / daycases in most specialities by the end of September 2023
• One-year waits for inpatient / daycases in most specialities by the end of September 2024

We are working with NHS Boards to maximise capacity to meet these targets and have increased the flexibility Health Boards and clinicians have to manage waiting lists, with a focus on eliminating long waits, as well as continuing to treat the most clinically urgent patients.

The Scottish Government remain absolutely committed to keeping our NHS true to its founding principles – publicly-owned, publicly-operated, and free at the point of need.