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Ambulances are not single-crewed other than in exceptional circumstances, such as short notice unplanned staff absences, and every effort is made to double crew ambulances through rostered and relief staff, overtime or ambulance bank staff. Scottish Ambulance Service Technicians are able to deliver high quality care to patients, but where a paramedic skill set is required, paramedics will be tasked to calls.

The Scottish Government has been working closely with the Scottish Ambulance Service to reduce single-crewing wherever possible. Prior to COVID-19, we had a plan in place with the Service to reduce instances of single crewing. This resulted in instances of single crewing falling to 0.9% in quarter 1 of 2019/20.

Unfortunately as a result of COVID-19 there has been occasions where single crewing has had to be used as a result of late notice staff abstractions, however we are continuing to work with the Scottish Ambulance Service to reduce this where possible.

A well-functioning care sector will be vital in delivering a prosperous wellbeing economy for Scotland – one that is strong, fair and green.

The Scottish Government’s Economic Recovery Implementation Plan published in August 2020, acknowledged the care sector as key economic infrastructure and recognised that investment in care yields significant economic returns.

The Scottish Government has committed to delivering a 10 year National Strategy for Economic Transformation in Autumn 2021. This strategy will set out the steps we will take to deliver a stronger, fairer and greener economy.

Scottish Ambulance Service staffing is up 63.5% under this Government, by 2,346.1 WTE between Sept 2006 and June 2021, and now stands at 6,040.4 WTE.

In terms of specific numbers of paramedics in post since 2017, this is detailed in the following table:

The Scottish Government is not able provide this information; this would require minute by minute analysis of all data held for the specific areas and all surrounding areas as the Scottish Ambulance Service operates a national service.

Vehicle cover provided is dynamic and fluid with ever changing variables.

The cervical screening programme routinely invites anyone with a cervix who is between the ages of 25 and 64 for a test every 5 years. This is in line with the recommendation given by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), to change the primary screening test from cytology (looking at cervical cells through a microscope to find those which could develop into cancer) to testing for high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV). The new test is more effective at identifying those at risk of developing cervical cancer, meaning those who don’t have HPV will be invited for a cervical screening test every five years instead of every three. The Scottish Government, along with the rest of the UK, is advised on all aspects of cervical screening including the move to HPV testing by the UK NSC.

Further information on the UK NSC’s recommendation can found on the following website: https://view-health-screening-recommendations.service.gov.uk/cervical-cancer/.

In Scotland, it is estimated that over 9 in 10 adults, or 93.6% of the adult community population (95% credible interval: 92.3% to 94.7%) would have tested positive for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 from a blood sample in the week beginning 9 August 2021, suggesting that they had the infection in the past or have been vaccinated. Those who have tested positive for antibodies may have obtained them from prior infection before vaccination.

Antibody data from the ONS COVID-19 infection survey was published by the Scottish Government on 1 September 2021 at: Coronavirus (COVID-19): ONS Infection Survey – antibody data – 1 September 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).

The Scottish Government is grateful to everyone who has volunteered for COVID-19 vaccine trials in Scotland. The clinical trials participants have made an important contribution in tackling the coronavirus pandemic.

The Scottish Government are committed to ensuring that these participants are not disadvantaged. Work is ongoing to ensure that vaccine status is correctly presented on the coronavirus vaccine database.

An interim letter was sent to study investigators to send on to participants, including those in the Valneva study, on 15 July advising how they can provide vaccination status. An updated letter is currently being prepared and will be sent out in the coming weeks.

The digital application to record the COVID-19 vaccine will be available from 30 September. Clinical trial participants who have received a licenced product and are un-blinded will be able to access the application. Other clinical trial participants will not have access to the application at this time. However, other measures are in place to provide proof of vaccination.

This includes a letter of support and subsequently participants will receive a hard copy Record of Vaccination which contains security features and 1-D barcode. This Record of Vaccination can be used across the UK. In due course, this will be replaced by a QR Record of Vaccination with a QR code.

Participants should receive a record of vaccination status and do not have to do anything. If they have not received it or have lost it, they should contact their Principal Investigator.

General advice is on the NHS Inform pages at https://www.nhsinform.scot/covid-19-vaccine/after-your-vaccine/get-a-record-of-your-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination-status and https://www.nhsinform.scot/clinicaltrialparticipants .

The UK-wide Principle Trial (Platform Randomised Trial of Treatments on the Community for Epidemic and Pandemic Illness) funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is looking at early treatment for COVID-19 to prevent ill health and hospitalisation. It is evaluating a number of potential treatments. More information about this trial is at: Join the PRINCIPLE Trial — PRINCIPLE Trial

The Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office is also funding a trial of a potential anti-viral medicine as an early treatment of COVID-19. More information about this trial is at: GETAFIX - Glasgow Early Treatment Arm FavipiravirX (getafix-trial.org.uk)

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.

Information on how many people have received a dementia diagnosis in each year since 2007, broken down by NHS board, is not collected or held centrally.