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To the end of financial year 22-23 the Scottish Government expects to have spent around £210m on the initial delivery of the Rail Decarbonisation Action Plan.

The answer to question S6W-11007 on 4 October 2022 explains the current Rail Decarbonisation projects underway .

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 .

In the 2021-22 Programme for Government and as part of the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Green Party, the Scottish Government committed to undertake an in-depth analysis to better understand our energy requirements as we transition to net zero. Work is underway and analysis will include a detailed assessment of oil and gas production in Scotland; a study of energy demand; and assessment of the just transition implications of the energy transition. This work will enhance the evidence base for policy making and is expected to report by the end of 2022.

Following the launch of the Victim Centred Approach Fund (VCAF) in March this year, we continue to work with the 23 victim support organisations awarded funding over the 3 year VCAF period. This includes regular meetings, providing support in carrying out outcome focussed evaluations and encouraging the sharing of good and emerging practice.

As a publicly owned and controlled railway, it is important that ScotRail plays its part in delivering Scottish Government ambitions for its success. As part of that, ScotRail quite rightly reviewed the ban on alcohol and brought forward proposals for consideration.

Given the diversity of views on the sale and consumption of alcohol on ScotRail services, consideration of its reintroduction will form part of the National Conversation on Rail. This will enable a wide range of views to be taken into account before any final decision is made. In the meantime, everyone needs to be mindful that, while many of the pandemic restrictions have been lifted, Covid hasn’t gone away and the Scottish Government’s advisory guidance remains in place.

Information relating to processing times of new applications is published as part of routine statistics publications on Adult Disability Payment. The most recent publication provides information covering the period from 21 March to 31 July 2022. These statistics showed that:

• the shortest time taken to process an application was less than one day;
• the median average processing time was 36 working days; and
• 2% of new applications in the time period took 81 days or longer to process.

The published statistics can be found at https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/about/statistics/social-security-scotland-statistics-publications . The next publication, covering to 31 October 2022, will be released in December 2022.

Follow-up scans are agreed on a local basis. Women over 71 who have a history of breast cancer have the option to self-refer for screening.

However, with the development of the Scottish Cancer Network we are working towards the development of clinical management pathways, with breast cancer being one of the first three in development. The Scottish Cancer Network is a dedicated national resource to support and facilitate a ‘Once for Scotland’ approach to cancer services, which will assist in enabling equitable access to care and treatment across Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-11011 on 4 October 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

Management of reimbursement for energy costs associated with medical machines in individuals homes are decisions made by NHS Boards. The Scottish Government continues to work with NHS Boards to address financial pressures across the healthcare system, including the increase in energy costs. In May 2022, we published our Resource Spending Review that set out investment of £73 billion in health and social care to 2026-27.

The Scottish Government will also use the Emergency Budget Review to increase the Fuel Insecurity Fund to £20 million in 2022-23. The Fuel Insecurity Fund is aimed at helping people who are at risk of self-rationing their energy use, or self-disconnecting entirely because they cannot afford their energy bills.

As announced in the Programme for Government on 6 September, the Scottish government made a commitment that ScotRail fares will not increase before March 2023. The Scottish Government is clearly aware that any RPI linked fares rise would hit hard-pressed passengers in the pocket at a time when the cost of living crisis is at its height, and potentially turn them away from rail at a time when we should be encouraging them back.

The Scottish government supports calls for simplification of the current rail fares system and we will be exploring what we might be able to do with the powers the Scottish Government has to make fares easier for all, including through the Fair Fares Review.

The Scottish Government currently has no plans to undertake a consultation on the introduction or piloting of bans or other restrictions on Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) over 7.5t in weight from overtaking on Scottish trunk roads.