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The Scottish Government published a progress report on 25 March 2024, which outlines the work undertaken to progress over 50 of the actions in the first year since publication of the Wild Salmon Strategy Implementation Plan.

We have delivered all the powers within the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, which enables each local transport authority to determine which of the options they want to use to improve bus provision in their area. While some may opt for a franchising approach, others may choose to progress with a partnership or run their own services. It is for each local transport authority to determine which of these powers they want to use.

In the case of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, I welcome their decision to explore all available bus powers, including franchising, as part of their Strathclyde Bus Strategy.

Information relating to personnel matters is not routinely shared with the Scottish Government by local authorities. The requested information is therefore not held by the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government continues to engage regularly with local authorities and relevant bodies to ensure enforcement of animal welfare regulations.

Transport Scotland is still engaged in positive dialogue with the housing developer to agree a way forward for access through Ferrymuir Gait. An exact timescale for concluding this matter cannot be provided. However, Transport Scotland is pressing the developer to ensure that the previously communicated timescale of Spring 2024 is achieved.

The Scottish Government has established procedures for sharing information on communications campaigns and messaging at key points with territorial health boards. For example, this may involve presenting the results of creative or message testing or post-campaign evaluations. The learnings from these can be applied to the communications activity undertaken by territorial health boards.

A Transvaginal Mesh Implants Learning Package is available on Turas Learn for all primary care staff.

This was issued to all Primary Care Leads and NHS Board leads for Mesh by the Chief Medical Officer in October 2023 along with information and resources including the referral pathway for mesh patients available on the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde website, patient information on pelvic floor available on NHS Inform and the importance of sharing information with patients and obtaining fully informed consent using the use of BRAN during consent discussions: what are the benefits, risks, and alternatives, and what if I do nothing.

Topics within the learning package include:

• an introduction and background to pelvic floor disorders for women;

• a review of the background history to pelvic mesh in the UK;

• an overview of pelvic mesh complications; and case studies

The learning package remains the most comprehensive resource for primary care.

As part of their Continuous Professional Development (CPD), GPs are also required to access a wide range of professional development resources to support their continued professional development which includes online learning, information from colleges and interface working with primary and secondary care teams.

The Scottish Government has not held recent discussions with the Port of Cairnryan, P&O Ferries or Clyde Marine Recruitment regarding the Fair Work Convention and ferry services between Cairnryan and Larne.

While employment law remains reserved to the UK Government, we will use our Fair Work policy to promote fairer work practices across the labour market in Scotland. In December 2022, we announced the strengthening of our conditionality approach, and now recipients of public sector grants awarded on or after 1 July 2023 are required to pay at least the real Living Wage and provide appropriate channels for effective employee voice.

Both shipping and employment law remains reserved to the UK Government and we would expect all ferry operators to ensure compliance with UK regulations on employees’ pay and conditions.

We remain committed to ensuring funding is distributed equitably across the country as set out in the 2021-22 Programme for Government. The existing National Resource Allocation Formula (NRAC) is updated on an ongoing basis for a range of factors including population demographics, relative health needs and remote and rural factors. We will continue to assess the need for a more detailed review of the formula, in line with developments in National Care Service funding and Integration reform.

Public Health Scotland review the calculations each year, which informs the geographical allocation of the NHS budget, ensuring resources are distributed fairly. The Scottish Government is not involved in the calculation of the target values. However, we use the formula to ensure appropriate allocation of resource. In 2024-25, we will provide an additional £31.1 million in parity funding, ensuring that all Boards remain within 0.6% of their target.

Work to determine how the review should be taken forward is underway, with an initial meeting of the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation (TAGRA) having taken place to consider the next steps to determine scope and timing of the review.

Please note that the main driver of the NRAC formula is the population size of each area for the target year and as such each run incorporates the most up-to-date population information available. This includes the latest population estimates (including census data) and sub-national projections published by National Records of Scotland (NRS).

Advanced Nurse Practitioners are employed within a range of settings within Primary Care.

The 2023 General Practice Workforce Survey ( https://turasdata.nes.nhs.scot/data-and-reports/official-workforce-statistics/all-official-statistics-publications/general-practice-workforce-survey-2023/annual-report/?pageid=10709 ), reports that there are 553.7 whole-time equivalent (WTE) Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs) employed by and working in General Practices.

Alongside this, the ‘Primary Care Improvement Plans - Implementation Progress Summary’ ( https://www.gov.scot/publications/primary-care-improvement-plans-summary-implementation-progress-march-2023/ ) reports that a total of 219.9 WTE ANPs employed by Health Boards within Urgent Care services.

The latest NHS Scotland Workforce data published by NES ( https://turasdata.nes.nhs.scot/data-and-reports/official-workforce-statistics/all-official-statistics-publications/05-march-2024-workforce/ ) shows that there are 4.8 WTE ANPs employed by the Scottish Ambulance Service, as well as 1.0 WTE ANP employed by NHS 24.