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In the Programme for Government 2021-22, we committed to “engage with our Scottish Connections international community and expand on our work with Scottish diaspora networks across the world.”

Across the Scottish Government, we already have a wide range of activity to engage with our diaspora groups and those with a connection with or affinity to Scotland.

Our external network of international offices work directly with our diaspora communities in key locations around the world, and two new overseas offices in Copenhagen and Warsaw will expand this network further. GlobalScot, Scotland’s network for international business, reached its 20th anniversary and its 1000th network member this year. Our engagement with the Higher Education sector, including our substantial global alumni network and programmes such as the Saltire Scholarships, plays a key role in building Scotland’s connections internationally.

We are currently undertaking research to advise on our future approach to diaspora engagement to expand our international impact. The report from the first phase of this project will be published in due course. We are also planning a programme of international activity for Scotland’s Winter Festivals, with St Andrew’s Day and Burns Night in particular providing key opportunities to support and connect with our existing diaspora networks around the world.

The fire safety review panel considered a broad range of evidence on fire safety of cladding systems. Some of the evidence supported the retention of the large scale fire test, BS8414, as a means to demonstrate the safety of cladding systems with some combustible elements. Whilst other evidence supported a ban on combustible materials. A fourth option allows respondents to set out alternative views.

ScotRail is exploring potential options to provide contactless ticket infrastructure on the rail network as part of a mix of products to offer passengers.

Contactless payment is already accepted at all stations on ScotlRail’s network for tickets. Mobile ‘phone ticketing has also been introduced. To extend ticketing systems to tap in style contactless ticketing would need considerable investment in ticketing infrastructure, such as gates, as well as back office systems and potentially a fares structures review, which is why this is subject to consideration in the context of changing travel and ticket purchase patterns.

Our overriding commitment, agreed with social security clients and stakeholders, is to ensure the safe and secure transfer of clients to Adult Disability Payment. Significant changes are however being made to improve clients’ experience of accessing disability assistance, such as replacing assessments with person centred consultations. The reliability criteria, which requires a client to be able to carry out activities, safely, repeatedly, in an acceptable manner and in a reasonable time, will be more fully defined in legislation. This will ensure that decisions take full account of clients’ experiences relating to the daily living and mobility activities.

An independent review of Adult Disability Payment will commence in summer 2023. The review will enable all of the criteria to be considered and will ensure that those in receipt of Adult Disability Payment will be able to provide their valuable feedback and experiences of the process up to that point.

Councillors' pay increased by 4.2% on 1 April 2021, taking the annual salary of ordinary councillors from £17,854 to £18,604. This reflects the arrangement introduced in 2017 which now ensures councillors’ pay is increased annually in line with the percentage increase in the median annual earnings of public sector workers in Scotland.

The Scottish Government currently has no plans in the near future to carry out its own review of councillor remuneration. However, we are aware that COSLA's Barriers to Elected Office Special Interest Group is considering this issue, and we are open to discussing and exploring the findings of their work with them, once it becomes available, and how we might support them to address this issue.

Further to our response to Mr Leonard's previous question on this issue (S6W-02579 on 13 September 2021) the Statement of Requirements for the Tripartite review have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre under BIB number 62666.

This review is separate to other policy reviews.

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 sheriff must make an order (a “first order”) initiating the inquiry within 14 days of receiving the first notice from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

If the sheriff orders that a preliminary hearing is to be held, it must be ordered to take place within 56 days after the date of the first order.

The purpose of a preliminary hearing is to - ensure that the purpose of the inquiry is achieved when the inquiry takes place, consider the scope of the inquiry and identify the issues which are in dispute, and consider the information likely to be presented at the inquiry and the manner in which it should be presented.

The sheriff may order as many preliminary hearings to take place as is necessary to achieve that purpose.

Crown Counsel issued an instruction on 16 June 2021 that that a Fatal Accident Inquiry take place in relation to the deaths of Richard Dyson and Simon Midgley.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Health and Safety Investigation Unit is investigating the deaths of Mr Dyson and Mr Midgley and is preparing to lodge a first notice with the court. The first notice will set out any issues identified by the procurator fiscal which it is anticipated the inquiry should address.

The sheriff will appoint dates for the Fatal Accident Inquiry to take place after the first notice has been lodged.

We have gathered a range of evidence and in considering the venues and settings we must also consider the behaviour, activities, and interactions that occur within those settings.

Research evidence indicates that being vaccinated reduces the risk that a person will become infected with the virus, and likely further reduces their risk of transmitting coronavirus. Ensuring only those who are vaccinated attend higher risk venues and events therefore directly reduces the risk of transmission.

We will publish a full assessment of the evidence for certification, based on the four harms model that we have used throughout the pandemic, in advance of the scheme coming into force.

Once again, I want to thank our health and care staff for their magnificent work to date. Whilst we are beginning to see a reduction in the numbers of new Covid cases, the last few weeks have been enormously difficult and our health and care services are continuing to deal with a challenging combination of issues.

With the continued increased demands on services across health and social care, we must ensure that the vital services provided by our NHS are protected as we move into a challenging winter period. This means we must continue with a measured and consistent approach to remobilising and renewing across our system, learning from the pressures we were subjected to over the last year and maintaining the ability to quickly respond and intervene, where necessary. I am also mindful of the impact of these pressures on our excellent health and care staff, many of whom have been on the frontline of the Covid response for a considerable period.

It is clear that as we move into the winter period, we need to continue to balance the capacity of the NHS to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic against increasing demands of emergency, urgent and planned care and delayed discharges.

With this in mind, I have decided that the NHS will remain on an emergency footing until at least 31 March 2022.