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We will work with all key stakeholders, including the trade unions, to ensure the most efficient and best value arrangement to deliver our key lifeline ferry services. An independent review analysing the existing governance structure is already underway and our consultants will be engaging with stakeholders shortly. The provisional outcomes of the review will be published around the end of the year when further engagement on potential options will take place.

Under the Emergency Measures Agreements (EMAs) in place, (a) Abellio ScotRail and (b) Serco Caledonian Sleepers Limited are not entitled to indemnification in the event of industrial action although the net difference between revenue and costs in any EMA period pass through to Scottish Ministers.

To the extent that industrial action increases the net cost to the Scottish Government it increases the need for further efficiencies and cost reductions given that funding, in the context of Covid, is severely constrained.

Drawing on the expert advice provided through the Covid-19 Advisory Sub-Group on Universities and Colleges, we have been working intensively with student bodies, institutions and trade unions to now have published guidance, which supports the wider resumption of in-person learning and student activities for the next academic year. This focuses on the reduction and management of risk and good practice for achieving this, whilst institutions are also asked to ensure measures go further than the minimum baseline where that is necessary to keep people safe.

The Scottish Government recognises the severe impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on performing arts and venues, with the necessary restrictions meaning that many activities have had to be suspended. The effects of these restrictions on the performing arts sector has been considered in the various Business and Regulatory Impact Assessments (BRIA) in relation to the impact of the pandemic. These BRIAs have been informed by engagement with relevant businesses.

The latest BRIA , agreed by Ministers on 24 June, considered the available evidence and presented reasonable views of likely costs, benefits and impacts of the measures set out in the regulations and guidance. It was recognised that the limitations on performing arts venues are part of an overall system to balance suppression of the virus while minimising wider harm to Scotland’s health and wellbeing, as well as minimising the wider social and economic harms associated with the measures.

The Scottish Government has recently provided an additional £25 million to businesses in the culture sector, via a second round of the Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund and the Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund, to help mitigate the impact of these necessary restrictions.

The Scottish Government and COSLA jointly published our Learning/Intellectual Disabilities and Autism: Towards Transformation Plan in March 2021, which builds on existing autism and learning disabilities strategies. The plan looks at the actions needed to shape supports, services and attitudes to ensure that the human rights of autistic people and people with learning/intellectual disabilities are respected and protected and that they are empowered to live their lives, the same as everyone else.

The Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Joint Delivery Board has recently agreed the final version of the National Neurodevelopmental Principles and Standards of Care. The Principles and Standards of Care is for those children and young people who have neurodevelopmental profiles and support needs, including those with autism, and require more support than is currently available. The National Neurodevelopmental Principles and Standards will be published shortly.

The Additional Support for Learning Act places duties on education authorities to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their pupils, including those with autism. We provide free professional learning opportunities for practitioners, including the Autism Toolbox and Inclusive Practice online professional learning modules.

In addition, we published our Autism Action Plan in December 2020, setting out the actions we will take to improve the support to children and young people with autism in Scotland’s schools. We have made significant progress in implementing these actions and will formally report our progress in December 2021. Our work on supporting young people with Autism in mainstream schools is also supported by our guidance on the presumption of mainstream education.

The Scottish Government also directly funds the National Autism Implementation Team (NAIT) which supports NHS Boards to consider best practice and improve service in the redesigning of autism diagnostic services.

The current Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service (CHFS) contract is due to expire in September 2024. Work is underway to consider the appropriate approach to future contracts and tendering. No decisions on the form of tender or timescales have been taken as yet.

In line with local partnerships’ responsibility for local suicide prevention planning and delivery, NHS Forth Valley recently appointed a strategic suicide and drug related death prevention co-ordinator who is engaging with the National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group’s delivery lead for local suicide prevention action planning. This has enabled support and advice on local suicide prevention planning and evaluation in line with the (NSPLG) April 2021 guidance ( https://www.cosla.gov.uk/about-cosla/our-teams/health-and-social-care/local-area-suicide-prevention-action-plan-guidance ). Further details on local suicide prevention planning, including specific activities taking place in the area, can be provided by the local co-ordinator.

More broadly, the Scottish Government understands that mental health and suicide prevention has been identified as a strategic priority in the Falkirk area, and that the Community Planning Partnership has developed practical resources to support people with their mental health, including in response to the impacts of the pandemic.

Local suicide prevention partnerships are at different stages of developing action plans following the publication in April 2021 of the National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group (NSPLG) guidance ( https://www.cosla.gov.uk/about-cosla/our-teams/health-and-social-care/local-area-suicide-prevention-action-plan-guidance ). The guidance sets out advice on developing appropriate governance, engaging with those who have lived experience, undertaking a local needs assessment and developing outcomes which would inform an action plan.

Some local partnerships already have established plans in place, whilst others are at an earlier stage of developing plans in line with the guidance. Many have increased the priority given to mental health and suicide prevention over the course of the pandemic.

As set out in response to S6W-01462 on 6 August 2021, to support local partnerships there is ongoing engagement between the NSPLG’s delivery lead on local suicide prevention action planning and local suicide prevention leads. This supports the development and continuous improvement of suicide prevention plans - through advice, support and sharing of good practice. It also ensures there is appropriate alignment and learning between national and local plans. Whilst responsibility for local planning and delivery rests with local partnerships, NSPLG will review progress on the development of local suicide prevention action plans across Scotland in April 2022.

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 .

Transport Scotland has been monitoring transport trends during the Covid-19 pandemic. This information is regularly published on the Transport Scotland website and can be found using the link: COVID-19 National Transport Trend Data . The Covid-19 Sub-National Reports provides travel trends on ferries.

We responded to the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee on 11 March 2021 outlining the scope and advising there is nothing ‘off limits’ to the appointed consultants when addressing the issues within the scope of the review. This reflects the desire that the review should be independent, and recommendations not influenced by any pre-conceived views.