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Statistics for the cervical screening programme that will allow comparisons with pre-Covid-19 pandemic uptake are due to be published by Public Health Scotland on 1 September 2021.

Comparable data on national performance for uptake in the breast and bowel screening programmes that will allow comparisons between uptake before and after the COVID-19 pandemic will be made available in 2022. NHS National Services Division advise that recent uptake in the bowel screening programme is similar to pre-pandemic levels at around 67%. Breast screening uptake is measured on an annual and 3 year cycle with current indications that uptake is running at an average of 80% across the whole programme, which is higher than uptake prior to the pandemic.

We are committed to building a more circular economy as a vital part of our journey to net-zero, and continue to work with industry, businesses and other organisations to design products to last as long as possible while encouraging reuse, repair and recycling.

We are already taking action to maximise recovery of materials from decommissioned wind turbine infrastructure. Zero Waste Scotland are working to improve the circularity of the sector and SEPA have published guidance on extending life and decommissioning of onshore windfarms, encouraging the reuse and recycling of turbines.

We are committed to introducing a Circular Economy Bill to advance Scotland’s ambitions for the circular economy through measures which will encourage reuse of products and reduce waste.

The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested. All information on prescribed and dispensed items are published, and categorised by British National Formulary chapter, in both monthly open data files and as part of the annual Dispenser Payments and Prescription Cost Analysis which was released on 29 September 2020. Public Health Scotland published data does not provide details on reason for prescribing a specific medicine.

The evidence on symptoms in relation to COVID-19 is currently under active consideration. However, there has been no change at this time to the NHS Inform guidance on the main symptoms to look out for – a new, continuous cough, a high temperature or fever and a change in sense of smell or taste.

Around one in three people with COVID-19 do not show any symptoms and rapid lateral flow testing is already helping to identify new cases. Regular, rapid testing is already available to people in a wide range of settings, and everyone should access testing regularly.

Data on turnaround times is management information and is not currently published.

It is vital that test results are communicated in a timely manner to allow the appropriate public health action to be taken. PCR testing in Scotland is split between NHS Scotland testing, which focuses on health and social care testing, and the UK-wide National Testing Programme operated on a 4 nations basis, which primarily focuses on public-facing, symptomatic testing. We receive a population-based share of the capacity of the UK National Testing Programme Laboratory Network. We continue to work very closely with DHSC to improve and maintain strong testing turnaround times which may be affected by any testing fluctuations across the UK-wide network. Additional laboratory capacity is being brought online to respond to recent the rising demand for PCR tests.

The Breast Screening Programme invites women between the ages of 50 and 70 for routine breast screening every three years. This is in line with the recommendation provided by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC).

When the programme resumed on 3 August 2020 following a pause due to the impacts of COVID-19, the difficult decision was taken to maintain a pause on the option for those over the age of 70 to self-refer into the programme. This decision was taken on the basis that the risks and benefits of screening women over the age of 70 are not yet clear. Available capacity is therefore being used to prioritise women eligible for screening and for whom the benefits are already clearly established.

The option for women aged 71 and over to self-refer for a breast screening appointment will resume once capacity in all screening centres returns to pre-Covid or close to pre-Covid levels. This is based on the recommendation of the Scottish Screening Committee, the National Screening Oversight and the Breast Screening Programme Board, all three of whom are keeping the situation under regular review. They are also working closely with Health Boards to increase appointments and meet this criteria as soon as possible.

We continue to emphasise that everyone should remain symptom aware and report any symptoms to their GP immediately for these to be investigated.

We want event organisers to be able to plan future activity with confidence, but we must continue to move very carefully to ensure continued suppression of COVID-19. The First Minister’s statement on 13 July confirmed that the size of events and stadia attendances will increase outdoors to 2,000 seated and 1,000 standing, and indoors to 400.

If event organisers want to organise an event when in Level 0 in excess of the relevant capacity limits, they must apply for approval to the relevant local authority.

This requires Event organisers to apply in line with the requirements of the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 as amended and provide the Local Authority with an application in writing (can be email) along with the minimum of:

• A description of the type of event (or events) proposed,
• An event plan for the event (or events) proposed, and
• A risk assessment for the event (or events) proposed, including what measures are proposed relating to the prevention or minimisation of the risk of the incidence and spread of coronavirus arising from the event (or events).

It is a matter for local authorities to consider/assess individual applications having considered particular circumstances of the current regulations and latest guidance.

Throughout the pandemic our approach and principles are set out in our Framework for Decision Making, based on clinical evidence, expert advice, and a balanced assessment of the risks. The Scottish Government, the Chief Medical Officer's Advisory Group and SAGE have used scientific evidence on transmission coupled with the social and economic benefits, which Ministers have then used to make decisions.

We are currently finalising the Terms of Reference and membership of the Implementation Group, and will announce this shortly along with details of the first meeting. All future information about the Implementation Group will be published on the Scottish Government website.

As recommended by the National Review of Eating Disorder Services, it is anticipated that the Implementation Group will have a lifespan of around one year. However, this can be kept under review, if appropriate.

EURO 2020 was a flagship event approved by the Scottish Government through an events gateway process. Flagship events are internationally significant events which maintain Scotland’s longer-term profile as a host of major events, with an eye to recovery from the pandemic, and with appropriate Covid-19 mitigations in place which were supported by months of very detailed planning.