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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)

Energy debt is a matter reserved to the UK Government, so the Scottish Government does not hold this information. I suggest contacting Ofgem in the first instance.

Scottish Government analysts have estimated that the UK Government’s current price cap (Energy Price Guarantee) of £2,500 puts 860,000 (34%) of households in Scotland in fuel poverty and 600,000 (24%) in extreme fuel poverty. In line with the Energy Price Guarantee rising by £500 from April 2023, we estimate that there will be around 980,000 fuel poor households in total (39%) and 860,000 in extreme fuel poverty (34%).

The Scottish Government is considering the Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) latest advice on greenhouse gas emissions targets and will respond as soon as possible. Under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, the CCC’s advice on future target levels must be sought at least every five years to ensure they are still in line with, among other things, current international carbon reporting practice.

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

Addressing the wellbeing needs of the Health and Social Care workforce is now even more crucial than it was prior to Covid-19 and is key to both retaining our GP workforce at the current record level of 5209 and as we press ahead with our commitment to increase the GP population in Scotland by at least 800 additional GPs by end 2027.

We are investing in a number of measures that are accessible to GPs to support the physical, mental and emotional needs of the workforce, including:

• the National Wellbeing Hub and National Wellbeing Helpline;
• investment of £2 million in targeted support to the primary care and social care workforces;
• the Workforce Specialist Service, which is a confidential multidisciplinary mental health service with expertise in treating regulated health and social services professionals;
• Specific GP Coaching for GPs thinking of leaving the profession;
• additional funding to NHS Education for Scotland (NES) for the provision of psychological interventions and therapies to the Health and Social Care workforce;
• guidance to promote effective wellbeing conversations;
• enhancing occupational health provision;
• improving access to quality assured peer support and reflective practice; and since autumn 2021 we have been developing a new National Wellbeing Programme, with workstreams covering specific areas of work including ICU, nursing, primary care and social care.

We are also working with the Scottish General Practitioners Committee of the BMA with the aim of making Practice Learning Time formally available from 2023/24. While practices can set aside learning time on their own initiative, we are considering how this can be supported at a national level.

The Scottish Government does not hold this data. However, some 126,339 properties are connected to Scottish Water’s sewer network in the North region (which includes Highlands and the Western Isles). In 2021, the National Records of Scotland reported the total number of households in the Highlands and Islands as:

• Highland Council – 110,743
• Na h-Eileanan Siar – 12,925
• Orkney Islands – 10,758
• Shetland Islands – 10,554

Therefore approximately 13% of domestic properties may have private sewerage arrangements in the Highlands and Islands. Overall, the Scottish Government estimates that 8% of households across Scotland have private sewerage arrangements.

The recent Covid 19 pandemic highlighted the need for a national medical equipment management system in Scotland that provides an NHS Scotland-wide overview and visibility of critical medical equipment. To deliver this requirement, a National Medical Equipment Management System (NMEMS) is currently being developed by NHS National Services Scotland, NHS Scotland, and the Scottish Government. Once in place the system will also allow for improved strategic planning of medical equipment replacement and will aid the response to medical equipment related safety notices.

The system will be launched in 2 phases: Phase 1 commenced in October 2022 and aims to install medical equipment management systems in all the NHS Boards that currently do not have one. Work for phase 1 is currently underway with a provisional completion date of Spring 2023.

Phase 2 aims to link all the NHS Board medical equipment management systems centrally and is currently on track to commence in early 2023, with completion projected for summer 2023.

The Scottish Government is fully committed to delivering a world class health service for the people of Scotland in a sustainable model that remains fully aligned with the founding principles of the NHS. This will deliver high quality, safe, effective and person-centred care to all patients as they access services. Our Progress Update on the NHS Recovery Plan outlines the actions that are underway as services remobilise from the pandemic. We regularly work with Healthcare Improvement Scotland Community Engagement through their Citizen’s Panel work to understand more clearly views across Scotland regarding their health service.

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

Scottish Water is currently progressing over £23 million of investment in the Highlands and Islands to improve wastewater treatment, enable growth and to maintain its wastewater assets throughout the area. This is primarily to upgrade and improve existing assets as previous investment periods were focused on building new treatment works in many areas across this region to ensure a high standard of treatment and improve environmental water quality.

Scottish Water continues to work with developers that require new sewerage infrastructure in order to extend the public sewer network, with Scottish Water making a financial contribution to a reasonable contribution level established in regulatory guidance.