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As part of service continuity planning CalMac Ferries Ltd (CFL) are undertaking public consultation sessions with communities in early 2022 to gather feedback on Troon timetables. This also includes plans for transport integration and connectivity with other modes whereby CalMac continues to engage with ScotRail and bus operators.

In addition to support the service, two shuttle-bus services will also be available from Ardrossan to Troon and between Troon railway station and port.

The Chronic Pain Winter Support Fund has been distributed as follows:

The indoor events capacity limits were introduced in regulations from 26 December 2021 in order to mitigate the greatly increased transmission rates of the omicron COVID-19 variant, recognising that large capacity events indoors pose a high risk of transmission of the virus. The regulations apply the limits to an event which brings individuals together for the purpose of community, culture, sport, recreation, entertainment, art or business. The Scottish Government continues to engage with the bingo sector about these regulations and their impact.

The Scottish Government has provided funding to the University of Edinburgh to explore the feasibility of targeted lung health checks in those from areas of deprivation. We continue to support this work which is progressing and remain in regular contact with researchers. Results and learning from this work will be appropriately considered, once available.

Any decision on whether or not to introduce a new national screening programme in Scotland is guided by the recommendations of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent expert advisory group which advises all four nations of the United Kingdom on screening policy.

In 2007, the UK NSC recommended against the introduction of a lung cancer screening programme; however, it is currently reviewing this and will take into account new evidence that has emerged since the previous recommendation.

We do not have a definite timescale for when the NSC will publish its findings, but we are expecting an update in the coming months.

Following completion of this review, the UK NSC will make a new recommendation. If the recommendation is to introduce lung cancer screening then the Scottish Screening Committee, in consultation with medical experts in this field, will advise Scottish Ministers on the most appropriate course of action for Scotland.

Our £9 million funding package to deal with the Omicron crisis has been targeted at those businesses most severely impacted. We recognise that the public health advice to reduce the spread of omicron and the re-introduction of regulations has affected some businesses more than others within tourism and hospitality.

B&Bs and Guesthouses are not as severely affected by restrictions as other businesses, and therefore not in scope for this tranche of funding. We recognise that this is a challenging time for businesses of all kinds and are continuing to press the UK Government for more comprehensive support.

The UK National Screening Committee’s review into whether a programme of national lung screening should be introduced will rigorously review the harms and benefits of lung screening, and will include consideration of efficacy, health economics and mortality. The Scottish Screening Committee will consider all of these elements once latest evidence is gathered.

We plan to launch the consultation into proposed further restrictions on the advertising and promotion of Nicotine Vapour Products in the coming weeks.

Following requests not to consult during the Christmas and New Year period – one of the busiest for the retail sector – the Scottish Government has taken the opportunity to review and update the document to take into account, the most recent emerging evidence. This review is now in its final stages.

The Scottish Government has taken the opportunity to liaise with a short-life working group and update the consultation in line with the most recent emerging evidence. We have also taken on board requests not to launch the consultation in the run-up to Christmas which is the busiest trading period and may not allow retailers the full opportunity to share their views.

The document is now in its final stages of review and will be published in the coming weeks.

As noted in the answer to question S6W-05600 on 19 January 2022, the Scottish Government is currently awaiting the outcome of the UK National Screening Committee’s review into whether a programme of national lung screening should be introduced. This will rigorously review the harms and benefits of lung screening, and will include consideration of efficacy, health economics and mortality.

At the same time as the ongoing UK NSC review, the Scottish Government has provided funding to the University of Edinburgh to support an exploratory piece of research into the feasibility of the introduction of lung health checks within Scotland targeting those from areas of deprivation at higher risk of lung cancer.

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 .