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This is a matter for CalMac Ferries Limited, Scottish Ministers do not have a role to play and have not been involved in any discussions.

The Scottish Government recognise the challenge for local authorities that have responsibility for ferries and welcomes all extra funding for Scotland. However, it is unacceptable for the UK Government to decide how money is spent in areas of devolved responsibility.

The Scottish Government actively engages with the shipbuilding industry, through individual companies and our enterprise and skills agencies. Transport Scotland has no role in the procurement of local authority ferries.

Throughout our programme of work to deliver the new Winter Heating Payment in Scotland, the Scottish Government engaged regularly with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and emphasised the need for data to be transferred as early as possible.

DWP were unable to provide the data required prior to 31 January. The Scottish Government and DWP have begun discussions about the feasibility of moving payments forward for future years.

As the Regulator for Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is responsible for enforcing the scheme. SEPA has agreed that, where there are clearly evidenced operational challenges, they will take a proportionate approach to compliance. They have committed to providing advice and guidance as the preferred route to achieving compliance for businesses who are striving to meet their obligations.

As I highlighted in my answer of S6W-14847 on 6 March 2023, bus services operate in an open de-regulated market, decisions about the incorporation of towns on service routes to major cities is a matter solely for the bus companies and local authorities. However, given the importance of bus services in rural areas, I strongly encourage operators and local authorities to work together to ensure that connectivity is protected and maintained.

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

A detailed analysis of public transport accessibility for the residents of Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders was undertaken as part of the South West Transport Study ( swsts-inital-appraisal-case-for-change-including-appendices.pdf (transport.gov.scot) and Borders Transport Corridors Study ( borders-transport-corridors-pre-appraisal-report.pdf ).

The assessment included consideration of public transport accessibility, both by bus and rail, to a range of key employment, health and education destinations within the region and also to major towns and cities in Scotland and the north of England. In both cases, the assessment used a number of metrics, including the outputs from a bespoke analysis tool using Geographic Information System software to assist with the task.

Further details of both these assessments can be found respectively in Sections 5.5 of the South West Scotland Transport Study report and Section 3.5.10 of the Borders Transport Corridors Study report.

The outcomes of this work were then taken forward in to the Second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), which was published on 8 December 2022. The above projects were designed as advanced studies for each of these STPR2 regions and were, in fact, two of only three regions in Scotland to benefit from this advanced work. The outcomes were subsequently refined and updated to comprise the STPR2 Case for Change reports for each region, potential interventions were then subjected to more detailed assessment during the STPR2 appraisal process.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) total net expenditure and the percentage of total net NHS Board expenditure spent on CAMHS is published on Public Health Scotland’s website Scottish health service costs under data files mental health expenditure Excel workbook in table 1.

This information is available for financial years 2011-12 to 2021-22 for each NHS Board in Scotland. Please note, figures presented for years 2011-12 to 2018-19 may differ from those included in the original response to question S5W-26493 on 11 February 2021 due to NHS Boards updating their expenditure figures post-publication.

The other part of this request relates to the percentage of total net NHS Board mental health expenditure spent on CAMHS – this information is presented in the following table for financial years 2019-20 to 2021-22 for each NHS Board in Scotland.

Table: Percentage of total net NHS Board mental health expenditure spent on CAMHS in financial years 2019/-0 to 2021-22.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving ferry services for our island and remote communities and I am open-minded to all practical and affordable proposals from our ferry operators to address current operational challenges.

I have previously approved time charters of the MV Arrow to add resilience and capacity to both the Clyde and Hebrides and Northern Isles Ferry Services.

The number of registered businesses in Scotland in 2022 was 175,175, which was down 1.1 per cent on 2021, but was 1,180 higher than in 2016. Registered businesses account for less than half the total number of businesses: the overall number of businesses (360,910) increased over the latest year and is now the second highest since the series began in 2000. The number of large firms in Scotland (employing 250 and above employees) has been affected by declines in sectors that have been most impacted by the pandemic and the cost crisis. However, employment in private businesses is estimated to have grown to quarter 3 2022 and is close to the highest in this series (beginning 1999), contributing to current high employment rates. For example, the latest Labour Force Survey estimates for Oct to Dec 2022 show the highest overall employment rate (76.6%) since records began in 1992.

The Scottish Government’s ‘There’s More to Care than Caring’ campaign launched 27 January 2020 and has run four times, with the latest activity starting on 23 January 2023 and due to conclude on 20 March 2023. We have evaluation data from the previous 3 campaigns, which details the achievements of the campaign in regards to engagement with the audience however this information is not broken down into subsectors across social care.