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The Scottish Government is contributing up to £2m to the development of the Advanced Plant Growth Centre (APGC) at the James Hutton Institute through the Tay Cities Region Deal. The APGC will include vertical growth facilities and perform research on controlled environment agriculture amongst other things.

In July 2021 the Scottish Government agreed a grant of £200,000 to fund an educational vertical farming facility on the SRUC Edinburgh campus at Kings Buildings, to be drawn down in the financial year 2021-2022.

Otherwise, since 2018, no funding has been specifically allocated to vertical farming. The Scottish Government’s next steps for supporting the sector will reflect the evidence gathered on vertical farming in the Local Food Strategy consultation, due to close on the 2nd of December.

In order to understand the role of vertical farming in the context of local food production, the Scottish Government is currently gathering views within our Local Food Strategy consultation. This is due to close on the 2nd of December 2021. Our next steps for supporting the sector will reflect the evidence gathered on vertical farming within the consultation.

We will continue to engage with stakeholders to ensure that we use vertical farming technologies to best effect for the Scottish context.

The primary objective of the booster programme is to maintain protection against severe COVID-19 disease, specifically hospitalization and deaths, over winter 2021-22, and is aimed at maintaining protection in those most vulnerable and to protect the NHS. The autumn/winter vaccination programme also includes the biggest ever flu vaccination programme.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is clear that both of these programmes are important for individual and public health. So, wherever possible, eligible people will be offered COVID-19 and influenza vaccines together.

Booster vaccines will be offered to the same groups who were prioritized at the beginning of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in winter and spring 2020-21, and JCVI have advised that at least 6 months should have passed since a second dose before a booster is administered, however there is some flexibility to offer a booster vaccination to the most vulnerable groups after five months.

The Autumn/Winter vaccination programme continues to roll out in line with advice from the JCVI. The JCVI priority groups are based on either vulnerability to COVID-19, or on interacting with, and therefore possibly spreading to, people who are vulnerable to COVID-19. When someone received their invitation will depend on a number of personal circumstances.

Decisions to prioritise one population group over another are not taken lightly, nor are they straightforward. That is why our prioritisation decisions have been, and will continue to be, guided by the independent expert advice from the JCVI.

The national pancreatic cancer audit is an NHS England initiative and Scotland participates in UK audits (Scottish Cancer Registry data is provided by Public Health Scotland). The Scottish HepatoPancreatoBiliary Network (SHPBN) has reported HepatoPancreatoBiliary (HPB) cancer audits annually since 2010. The 2013-2019 audits are based on quality performance indicators, including some specific to pancreatic cancer. The annual audit reports are available on the SHPBN website. The 2020 audit report is currently in progress.

Through the National Cancer Plan we have placed an emphasis on the less survivable cancers, including pancreatic, and improving their outcomes. We have provided funding and are working with the SHPBN to redesign pancreatic and liver pathways.

Data on the number applications and accepted applicants is collected and published by the University and College Admissions Service (UCAS).

To note:

• Applicants ’ are able to make up to 5 applications to study at Universities across the UK when applying through UCAS.
• An ‘ Accepted Applicant ’ has been made an offer, met the conditions of the offer and accepted a place to study from one of their applications.
• Tables include ‘Pre-clinical medicine’ and ‘Others in Medicine & Dentistry’ due to changes in UCAS subject coding in 2017.

The latest End of Cycle data can be found below.

Main Scheme Applications through UCAS to study Medicine at Scottish Providers

Enhanced cleaning takes place on a regular basis on all vessels whilst they are in service. If a vessel is confirmed as having a positive covid case onboard, it is temporarily removed from service to allow a deep clean to take place by external contractors.

In terms of bus services – enhanced cleaning of all buses takes place daily, but they remain in service.

In terms of Trains - enhanced cleaning protocols remain in place for both ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper Ltd operations.

We are working closely with NatureScot and Scottish Forestry to determine the best approach to developing a new National Register of Ancient Woodlands. This will help us to determine how best to work with planners, developers and land managers as this project is developed. We're committed to working with a broad range of stake-holders and will make sure this includes cross-parliamentary representatives.

Our COVID Status Certification scheme is a necessary, proportionate, and a limited measure targeted towards activities that are a higher risk. This is an alternative to the potential closure of higher risk venues.

We have taken an equality and human rights approach; and have considered how the scheme may impact individuals and communities. This includes, considering the scheme’s compatibility with the Convention Rights identified in the Human Rights Act 1998 and with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010. Other requirements, such as the rights enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) have also been taken into account.

In developing the scheme, ministers and officials have engaged pro-actively with a wide range of stakeholders, including but not limited to, those representing human rights, children’s rights, and each of the protected characteristics in the Equality Act. Stakeholder views and evidence have been reflected in our published impact assessments.

Our decisions are taken, and reviewed on the latest data and clinical evidence . Our review process includes consideration of the impact assessments, such as Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) and Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03940 on 2 November 2021.

NHS Scotland already utilises an electronic prescription message between GP practices and community pharmacies which runs in parallel with paper prescriptions. However, the use of paper prescriptions is still a necessity at this stage as a legal requirement.

The Scottish Government has commissioned NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) to take forward a number of digital priorities in response to COVID. This national programme includes investing in development of a new ePrescribing and eDispensing pathway by enabling the use of advanced electronic signatures in primary care and addressing the need for an end-to-end digital solution that will support replacement of the paper prescription from all community settings with a digital solution. The programme recognises that electronic prescribing will help some vulnerable sections of society, but we must also ensure others are not disadvantaged and the solution adopted should address patient needs including digital exclusion. It is difficult to be precise on timescales at present but significant progress on the technical and process models continues at pace and the Scottish Government is committed to deliver a solution through this programme.

Our refreshed Digital Health and Care Strategy includes a clear approach on how we will empower the public to manage their health and wellbeing through digital means. This work will look to give greater access to things like health records and being able to manage prescriptions online.

In addition, patients who have a long-term condition can access the ‘Medicines: Care and Review Service’ at their local community pharmacy. It promotes a partnership approach between the pharmacist, the patient and their GP practice. Patients with stable long-term conditions can receive serial prescriptions for a duration of 24, 48 or 56 weeks which are dispensed in regular intervals by the pharmacy and remove the need to request regular repeat prescriptions.

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

Most faults on the ChargePlace Scotland network are transient and in the majority of cases require no physical intervention. This means that a high proportion are closed down swiftly and effectively. On a network of now over 2100 units in size, an average of 30 faults a day are raised, the majority closed within 48 hours.

In addition to adding new sites, Transport Scotland’s grant funding for this year will focus on further network resilience opportunities, with authorities tasked to firstly ensure warranty and maintenance contracts are in place, scope out potential expansion at busy/key charge point sites before adding any new sites to the network.