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Waiting times statistics for patients requiring to see a dementia specialist for a consultation or treatment are not held centrally.

The performance and attainment data published by The Times was obtained from the Scottish Government and is publicly available via the School Information Dashboard Profile | Tableau Public . The Scottish Government does not produce school league tables and never will. The guidance published alongside the data makes it clear that statistical data alone is not a measure of how well a school is doing. All schools are unique. To properly understand how well a school is doing it is important to look at a range of different data sources, together with information about the individual school.

A wide range of school performance and attainment data is collected and analysed by the Scottish Government to inform the National Improvement Framework and Improvement Plan for education. The information gathered identifies where further improvements can be made which will, in turn, contribute to delivering our priorities to deliver equity and excellence in Scottish education.

The Scottish Government is supporting vital research into the immune response to COVID-19 after infection and vaccination, which is being undertaken by the SIREN (Sars-CoV-2 Immunity & Reinfection Evaluation) research study. The primary aim of the study is to determine whether the presence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 (anti-SARS-CoV-2) is associated with a reduction in the subsequent risk of re-infection over short term periods (reviewed monthly), the next year and in the longer-term. It will help us understand whether a previous infection of SARS-CoV-2 will offer an individual any protection against future infection of the same virus.

The Scottish Government is also participating in the recently launched Post Positive PCR Antibody Testing Initiative (PPPATI), which is using antibody testing to further our understanding of vaccine effectiveness and the immune response to COVID-19.

It is not. The change to routine cervical screening intervals from three years to five years is due to the implementation of a test for high risk human papillomavirus (HPV) as the primary screening test in March 2020. The new test is more effective at identifying those at risk of developing cervical cancer, meaning women who don’t have HPV will be invited for a cervical screening test every five years instead of every three.

Waiting time statistics for patients requiring treatment related to MS is not held centrally by the Scottish Government or Public Health Scotland (PHS). Patients’ specific condition or diagnosis is not collected by the PHS Waiting Times Team.

In regards to improving early diagnosis and understanding symptoms, the Scottish Government has provided a total of £650,000 funding to the Future MS project led by the University of Edinburgh. Future MS involves the collection of clinical data and biological samples from recently diagnosed, treatment naïve, relapsing-onset multiple sclerosis patients in order to develop a more personalised approach to clinical management. The project has recruited more than 400 MS patients from across all the territorial NHS Boards in Scotland.

We will invest £4.5 million over 5 years to implement the 17 commitments of the Neurological Care and Support in Scotland: A Framework for Action 2020 – 2025 . The aims include improving the provision of co-ordinated health and social care and support, developing sustainable workforce models and ensuring high standards of person-centred care for those with neurological conditions, such as MS. Over £300,000 has been committed so far to projects which improve the health and wellbeing of people with MS in Scotland, via the Framework.

The Scottish Government maintains positive relationships with third sector partners such as the MS Society, the MS Trust and Revive MS Support, supporting them to complement services provided by NHS Boards and improve understanding of the early symptoms of MS.

The following table shows the number of samples collected within the cervical screening programme from 1 January 2019 to 26 August 2021. As part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the cervical screening programme was paused between 30 March 2020 and 29 June 2020. The table below shows that a small number of samples were collected during this time; this is because colposcopy and gynaecology continued taking samples for clinical management, and some GP practices continued screening for those on non-routine recall.

Screening resumed on 29 June 2020 in a phased, careful and prioritised way, as part of the remobilisation of the NHS in Scotland. Anyone who was invited for cervical screening before the pause in March and had yet to make an appointment or had it cancelled was able to make an appointment from 29 June 2020. Non-routine cervical screening appointments resumed in mid-July and routine screening appointments from September 2020.

It is important to note that the data below is management information and has not been subject to the necessary quality checks carried out for an official publication.

The following table shows the number of people who attended an abdominal aortic aneurysm screening appointment between January 2019 and July 2021. The programme was paused between 30 March 2020 and 6 July 2020 and when screening resumed it prioritised higher-risk screening participants.

It is important to note that the data below is management information and has not been subject to the necessary quality checks carried out for an official publication.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02045 on 25 August 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

Local authorities are independent corporate bodies with their own powers and responsibilities, separate from the Scottish Government. As such, the information requested is not held by the Scottish Government and would have to be obtained directly from individual local authorities or from COSLA.

Scottish Local Government Financial Statistics is an annual publication providing a comprehensive overview of financial activity of Scottish local authorities in 2019-20 based on authorities' audited accounts.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-00570 on 21 June 2021. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.