Seòmar agus comataidhean

The recently revised PAS 2080 by the British Standards Institute (BSI), is welcomed as a voluntary standard that can assist public authorities in managing carbon in building and infrastructure projects.

Our current position is that the incorporation of PAS 2080 would not be fully mandated in procurement standards, as it would be a barrier to small and midsize enterprises bidding for work. However, it is recommended, through the Client Guide to Construction Projects, to be included within the specified requirements of a construction or infrastructure contract. We will consider whether this position needs strengthened following further ongoing research into the matter.

The Scottish Government are in the process of drafting a Construction Policy Note highlighting PAS 2080. This will assist contracting authority staff, involved in the planning and delivery of public works projects, with practical guidance.

Through our Sustainability in Construction guidance, within the Client Guide to Construction Projects, we encourage public bodies to consider and reduce whole life carbon and PAS 2080 is widely recognised as a clear and consistent methodology for doing so.

The Scottish Government will continue to review and develop processes for reducing carbon through public sector procurements, ensuring that we are operating in line with current best practice and Scottish Government policy.

It is important that there is transparency around the schools where RAAC has been identified and the mitigations in place, and a list of the initial local authorities with confirmed cases of RAAC was published in a Scottish Government news release on 8 th September 2023. This news release is available here - Local authorities publish RAAC data - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

However, it is the statutory responsibility of local authorities to manage and maintain their school estate, and all schools with RAAC should be available on relevant local authority websites.

We are currently aware that RAAC has been identified in 39 schools - including 4 ELC settings within primary schools - and 1 standalone ELC setting, across 18 local authorities. All 32 local authorities have completed assessments of their school estate.

Eleven universities have confirmed the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in their buildings. These are:

• University of Aberdeen
• Abertay University
• University of Dundee
• Edinburgh University
• Edinburgh Napier University
• University of Glasgow
• Heriot-Watt University
• University of St. Andrews
• University of Stirling
• University of Strathclyde
• University of the West of Scotland

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-25062 on 27 February 2024. 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 .

Seven colleges have confirmed the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in their buildings. These are:

• UHI Moray College
• Borders College
•  Dundee & Angus College
• Edinburgh College
• Fife College
• Glasgow Clyde College
• West College Scotland

As set out in the 2023-24 Programme for Government, we are currently undertaking a review of student support for those wishing to study part-time or flexibly. As part of this we will consider the range of circumstances that impact on the way in which people wish to study as part of this work.

Discussions on the Skills Development Scotland budget for 2024-2025 are ongoing. We hope to confirm the ITA position in the coming weeks.

I shall lead a debate in Parliament on the recommendations of the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment on 28 February 2024.

The Scottish Government has listened to young people and their families about the application process and works closely with delivery partners and local councils to make improvements.

In light of feedback received, the Improvement Service, which manages the online portal getyournec.scot , delivered a number of updates to the website in June 2022 to improve the application process whilst maintaining the integrity of the child safety and identity requirements. These improvements included broadening the range of accepted proof documents, providing additional guidance, and enhancing the functionality of the website by adding a save and return feature so that applications can be made in multiple sittings.

The Year 1 evaluation - Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme | Transport Scotland found that a majority (64%) of survey respondents that had signed up for the scheme indicated that the application process had been either very or fairly easy, and those who had signed up after improvements were made were more likely to find the process easy.

Furthermore, local councils provide a variety of options for applications to be made offline or via parentsportal.scot . Many also have dedicated staff on hand to help those who may need additional support through the application process.

NHS Scotland currently offers a whole gene screening panel for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer to test for faults in both BRCA1 and BRCA2 and a range of other target genes. At present, this testing is available to people from specific population groups (including those of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage) if they meet clinical criteria that indicate a higher genetic risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

The Scottish Strategic Network for Genomic Medicine (SSNGM) was established in 2022 to develop a fully considered and sustainable genomic medicine service for Scotland. The SSNGM contains specialist Scottish Genomics Test Advisory Groups (SG-TAG) for both cancer and rare and inherited conditions, whose role is to review and assess the clinical validity and utility of new tests, and changes to the referral criteria for existing tests.

The SSNGM plan to initiate a review of the existing hereditary cancer testing pathways in 2024. This review will include both the referral criteria for our existing genomic test offering and alternative testing methods and will make recommendations via the SG-TAG process.