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The Electricians Working Group last met on 29 October 2019 and discussed the proposed consultation on the regulation of electricians and on increasing consumer awareness about the use of electricians. Minutes of all meetings of the Electricians Working Group are available at https://www.gov.scot/groups/electricians-working-group/ .

The Electricians Working Group is expected to meet once the Scottish Government’s response to the consultation is published and will discuss that response.

Vitamin D status is measured annually as part of the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS).

The latest report is available at: NDNS: results from years 9 to 11 (2016 to 2017 and 2018 to 2019) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Scottish Government is not currently undertaking research to assess levels of vitamin D deficiency in the general population, including in relation to deprivation.

We welcome the MS Society’s Neurology Now report as an important document highlighting the issues for people with MS and wider neurological conditions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. I am pleased to say that I recently met with officials from the MS Society to discuss the findings of the report and the ongoing development of MS services in Scotland.

Let me assure the member that the Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all people living in Scotland with MS are able to access the best possible care and support, and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and person-centred. As you may be aware, we are investing £4.5 million over 5 years to implement our Neurological Care and Support – National Framework for Action. This Framework aims include improving the provision of co-ordinated health and social care and support, developing sustainable workforce models and ensuring high standards of care for people living with neurological conditions, including MS.

Over the past year we have invested over £300,000 to projects which improve the health and wellbeing of people with MS in Scotland.

Regarding a reporting framework to measure improvement, we have commissioned NHS Healthcare Improvement Scotland to work with NHS boards, integration authorities, the third sector and people with lived experience to assess progress in implementing the General Standards for Neurological Care and Support. Undertaking this work will identify areas of improvement across NHS Scotland and help to drive forward better standards of care for people with neurological conditions.

The consultation ‘Use and Sale of Fireworks in Scotland, and tackling the misuse of pyrotechnics’ ran from 20 June to 15 August 2021. The consultation consisted of two sections; the first sought views on proposed changes to how fireworks can be supplied and used in Scotland; while the second section considered the use of pyrotechnic devices.

Over 1,700 responses were received, with the majority submitted by individual members of the public, with stakeholder organisations including the emergency services, the fireworks industry and animal welfare organisations also responding. An analysis of consultation responses, undertaken by an independent contractor, will be published shortly.

Where permission was granted, responses have been published at https://consult.gov.scot/justice/use-and-sale-of-fireworks-in-scotland/consultation/published_select_respondent .

A Fireworks and Pyrotechnics Bill will be introduced to Parliament in Year One of this Parliamentary term to prevent harm in our communities.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03374 on 25 October 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 .

The Scottish Government will publish its official response to the Independent Review into the Delivery of Forensic Mental Health Services today, 29 October 2021.

The Scottish Government is already working with partners to address the recommendations of the review. A Short Life Working Group is being established which will bring together key partners, to agree a clear plan for addressing the recommendations of the Independent Review aimed toward increased support for planning, collaboration and improvement of forensic mental health services in Scotland.

The group will not revisit the work of the Independent Review but will consider how best to address the issues that are already set out in the Review reports. It will be strictly time limited, with an expectation of its work concluding early in 2022.

Since 25 January 2019, a period largely covered by Covid restrictions, there have been the following cases referred to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) for consideration of prosecution:

The Scottish Government aims to facilitate a constructive relationship between fishers and offshore wind developers in relation to the development of offshore wind energy in Scottish Waters. This is led by Marine Scotland through ‘Commercial Fisheries Working Group’ meetings where the interests of fishers are represented by the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF), Scottish White Fish Producers Association (SWFPA), Community Inshore Fisheries Alliance (CIFA) and Regional Inshore Fisheries Groups (rIFGs).

In addition, the Scottish Government’s sectoral marine planning process for offshore renewable energy, which identifies potential areas for future development, involves fishing representatives being invited to join the relevant governance groups, in order to help inform the location of any resultant development areas. Furthermore, the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation and regional Inshore Fisheries Groups also facilitate the collection of wider views of the fishing sector to support plan development.

We are committed to ensuring that police and local authorities continue to have the powers and resources needed to further reduce antisocial behaviour in our communities, including investing in prevention and early intervention.

Criminal Law (Consolidation) Scotland Act 1995 Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004, section 96 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, section 18 - 22 of the Public Order Act 1986 and section 38 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 provide both Police Scotland and local authorities with sufficient existing powers to tackle instances of antisocial behaviour. The Scottish Government continues to support Police Scotland and local authorities in using these powers appropriately and proportionately.

The Scottish Government is always open to looking at how we can improve the approach being taken to tackle antisocial behaviour for the benefit of all communities and we are currently engaging with the Scottish Community Safety Network (which has links into all of Scotland’s local authorities and Community Planning Partnerships) to use their expertise and knowledge to help to inform our approach to tackling antisocial behaviour.