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Where it is clinically appropriate to do so, patients of all ages will be examined with a stethoscope to listen for breathing and heart sounds. They may also have ECG electrical recordings of their heart rate, blood tests and have access to other investigations such as Echocardiograms, rhythm monitors and blood pressure recordings, should these be required.

The Heart Disease Action Plan recognises the need to ensure timely and equitable access to diagnostics, including echocardiography.

As set out within the plan, we are working to address key workforce issues relating to cardiac physiology. Cardiac Physiologists are healthcare professionals who are vital to the delivery of many aspects of cardiac care, including the provision of echocardiography.

Furthermore, we have also recently provided funding for the delivery of a pilot project to improve access to echocardiography. The learning from this will support us in understanding how best to further support improvement across Scotland.

Service levels and the rolling stock used have been designed to match changing demand during the pandemic period, while at the same time considering efficiency of resourcing and overall affordability, for which Abellio ScotRail is responsible. Decisions on service levels are then considered at Scotland’s Railway Task Force which has met throughout the pandemic.

We expect ScotRail, from 1 April 2022, to continue to operate service levels and train capacity adjusted to reflect and encourage growing levels of demand as wider Covid restrictions are eased.

Those who experience difficulties carrying out a LFD test can ask someone they trust to assist them with the swabbing and testing process. Walk-in asymptomatic test sites (ATS) can also advise people how to use a LFD test. After self-swabbing, the person hands their used swab to a site operative for it to be analysed.

People identified as contacts of a case who are unable or do not have the support to carry out LFD testing can call the National Contact Tracing Centre on 0800 030 8012, for advice.

Additionally, for people with access to a smart phone, an expansion to the existing 119 Be My Eyes service was launched on 27 January to assist asymptomatic visually impaired people and anyone else who needs support, to conduct a rapid lateral flow self-test independently.

Instructions for use for LFD self-tests used in the National Testing Programme are also available in large print and easy read and can be accessed here: Acon Flowflex , Innova and Orient Gene .

Regular testing for people without symptoms is voluntary and for some people it may not be appropriate for testing to take place at all. Those who work most closely with the individual will be best placed to decide whether testing will be appropriate, taking into consideration the needs of the individual.

It is for Abellio up to 31 March and the new operator ScotRail Trains Ltd from 1 April 2022, to decide what rolling stock it runs and this needs to deliver the required timetable performance and provide capacity to meet changing demand levels. Transport Scotland continues to monitor the capacity provided through the current service operation contract.

Since November 2021, a mix of class 43 HSTs (4 + 5-cars) and class 170 (3-cars) trains has been running between Edinburgh and Aberdeen. From time to time it has been necessary to substitute other types of trains for the planned HSTs due to a variety of operational reasons, including absence due to Covid of the staff trained to operate HSTs.

Details of the grant allocations and outturns for each council as part of our Area Based Schemes programme since 2013 are published on the Scottish Government website:

Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland: area-based schemes - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Information about the previous Home Insulation Scheme (HIS) and the Universal Home Insulation Scheme (UHIS) from 2008 to 2013 is available from the Energy Saving Trust website.

Home+Energy+Programmes+Summary+Report+20092013.pdf (energysavingtrust.org.uk)

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05521 on 24 January 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

Further to the answer given to question S6W-04701 on 23 December 2021, I can confirm that the case note review for Mr Slorance, undertaken by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, was completed in November 2021.

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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05521 on 24 January 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

The National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000 defines the conditions which the Scottish Ministers must be satisfied or may be satisfied before an area may be proposed for designation as a National park. Under Section 2(2) of the Act the Conditions are:

a. that the area is of outstanding national importance because of its natural heritage or the combination of its natural and cultural heritage,

b. that the area has a distinctive character and a coherent identity, and

c. that designating the area as a National Park would meet the special needs of the area and would be the best means of ensuring that the National Park aims are collectively achieved in relation to the area in a co-ordinated way.