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The Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party: Shared Policy Programme sets out that we will phase out the need to install new or replacement fossil fuel boilers in off-gas grid homes from 2025 and in on-gas grid areas from 2030, subject to technological developments and decisions by the UK Government in reserved areas.

The Shared Policy Programme also commits to introducing primary legislation, subject to consultation and to limits on devolved competence, that provides a regulatory framework for zero emissions heating (and energy efficiency), and underpinning powers to support this transition and ambitious programme.

The exact operation of the proposed regulations, and any ensuing obligations on current users of gas boilers, is still to be determined but to ensure that the approach is fair, and to avoid unintended consequences, this will be subject to a detailed consultation in 2022.

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.

The Scottish Government and Public Health Scotland do not currently hold data on the number of people eligible for a Covid-19 vaccine who are unable to receive one due to needle phobia.

As every individual case is different, all those who suffer from needle phobia should initially seek support from their GP, clinician or local health board so that adjustments can be made to accommodate their specific needs. Their local medical team will be more aware of their specific requirements. The staff delivering the vaccines are skilled and experienced, and will be used to dealing with more nervous patients, some of whom have phobias.

Phobias are not covered under the current version of the vaccination certification policy, and are therefore not considered a valid exemption.

NHS Scotland are working with colleagues in some international countries to create a system that will enable them to collect the appropriate information. A range of mechanisms is currently under consideration for how this can be done most effectively and efficiently.

The COVID pandemic has inevitably affected A&E attendance and the pressure is being felt across the UK. Our NHS staff have faced unprecedented pressures over recent weeks as they work tirelessly and consistently to respond to the pandemic whilst continuing to provide vital treatment and optimal patient care. We are in daily contact with every Board, including NHS Forth Valley, and are monitoring the situation closely.

The significant pressures currently presenting in Health Boards, including NHS Forth Valley, are primarily as a result of reduced capacity due to infection control, staffing pressures as a result of self-isolation and annual leave, and an increase in attendances to A&E by those who are much sicker and require higher levels of care.

In July, NHS Forth Valley received their share of the additional £12 million in funding for Boards to support non-COVID emergency care by increasing staffing resource, recruitment is underway.

We are in daily contact with NHS Forth Valley and continue to support improvement work with the Board and the Health & Social Care Partnerships to minimise delays for patients no matter where they are in the system.

This information is not held centrally .

Health Boards throughout Scotland are asked to record any wastage on an online waste recording tool. However in providing some context to the Member there are a number of limitations; it is not mandatory for GP Practices to use the recording tool and most GP Practices do not record waste on the online reporting tool. The vaccine tool was launched in late January; some but not all Boards chose to record wastage from the beginning of the programme (entering data retrospectively)

The total number of vaccine doses recorded as expired since the start of the programme under the reason code ‘expired shelf life’ is 23,312 doses (11,700 Moderna, 5696 Pfizer and 5,917 AZ) however as above, this is not comprehensive.

In terms of stock that will go out of date by 30 September 2021, there is ongoing work to minimise any wastage including sites only drawing down stock where there is certainty that it will be used before expiry.

Given the scale of the COVID-19 vaccination programme, some vaccine wastage has been unavoidable for a variety of reasons. Wastage has remained well below the 5% planning assumption throughout, however, we continue to work with Health Boards to ensure wastage is at a minimum, and maximise the availability of vaccines to the people of Scotland.

Weekly updates on the number of vaccine doses allocated and delivered to Scotland are published at Coronavirus (COVID-19): daily data for Scotland - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) – see COVID-19 Vaccine supply data in the Vaccination section.

The following table presents the information requested.

Table 1 : Number of readmissions with a diagnosis of deep-vein thrombosis readmitted within 90 days of discharge following an orthopaedic or any type of surgery.

Emerging data suggests that some individuals with suppressed immune systems may not mount a full immune response to COVID-19 vaccination.

The multi-centred OCTAVE study led by colleagues from Glasgow University published their preliminary findings with widespread media coverage. The study funded by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Medical Research Council (MRC) was designed to evaluate the immune responses following COVID-19 vaccination in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases including inflammatory arthritis and Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) (an auto-immune disease affecting small blood vessels) who have received Rituximab treatment, along with a host of other conditions with various degrees of immunosuppression.

Initial findings suggest that in total about 40% of those across the patient groups studied produced a low antibody response to two doses of COVID-19 vaccine, and the proportion varied depending on the nature of the immune impairment.

The OCTAVE group presented their findings to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and the Committee took into account these findings to make their recommendation on a third primary dose of COVID-19 vaccine for severely immunocompromised people.

A second study called OCTAVE DUO, led by the same researchers and also funded by UKRI, is examining whether a third dose will give a stronger immune response in people with impaired immune systems.

Information about these studies is available at: Vaccine responses in patients with impaired immune systems – UKRI

New study tests third jab for people with weakened immune systems – UKRI

The number of staff working in NHS Lanarkshire has increased by 31.4 per cent since Sept 2006, to over 12,170 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE). This includes a 28.4 per cent increase in numbers of Qualified Nurses and Midwives, which have risen to 4,309 WTE.

NHSScotland Boards are required to have the correct staff in place to meet the needs of the service and ensure high quality patient care. They have fully delegated powers in relation to employment issues. The Scottish Government works closely with Boards to support their efforts in staff recruitment. The creation of posts and filling of individual vacancies will depend on the service needs of each Board, taking account of national and local priorities.

We are investing £11 million in new recruitment activity and in the creation of a National Centre for Workforce Supply. The Centre will offer NHS Boards expert advice on labour market intelligence and coordinate recruitment campaigns, providing vital additional support to health board recruitment teams.

We are also taking forward a comprehensive programme to support recovery and build further capacity. The programme will include measures to increase international recruitment, retain staff and attract more returners to the service and new youth employment opportunities. The Scottish Government will continue to work with partners to explore options and opportunities that allow us to best support our registered staff.