Seòmar agus comataidhean

The answer to question S6W-18396 on 12 June 2023 to the member outlines some of the practical measures being undertaken in order to achieve this commitment, and deliver a fairer, greener transport system for everyone in Scotland. However, given the Scottish Government recognises the need to go further in order to meet our statutory climate goals, and we are committed to finding ways to make alternative travel modes more attractive, and supporting people to take fewer journeys by car. The evidence is clear travel behaviours can only be changed on the required scale through a broad combination of interventions, including infrastructure, incentives and regulation.

As outlined in the draft 20% car KM reduction route map, we have commissioned research exploring equitable options for demand management to discourage car use. This will form the basis of a Demand Management Framework by 2025. The most direct levers on the cost of buying or running a petrol or diesel car – fuel duty and vehicle excise duty – are currently reserved, and the recent rises in the cost of motoring underline the unfairness of the current, regressive motoring tax regime. We will continue to press the UK Government for a fair and progressive future transport tax system that better incentivises the transition to zero-emission vehicles, reduces unnecessary journeys and raises revenues to fund policies to support a shift to more sustainable travel.

The Scottish Government plans to continue with the approach outlined, and the updated 20% route map which will be published in the coming months will provide further detail on how we will deliver this commitment.

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

Civil servants operate flexibly across a range of policies and programmes according to the specific requirements of the work at any time. They do not, as a matter of course, record the proportion of their time that they spend working on particular matters. It is therefore not possible to say specifically how many hours were spent by civil servants involved in this work.

Independent advisers Teneo and Woodbank Marine as well as Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) were consulted during the due diligence process.

Civil servants operate flexibly across a range of pharmacy policies and programmes according to the specific requirements of the work at any time. They do not, as a matter of course, record the proportion of their time that they spend working on particular matters. It is therefore not possible to say specifically how many hours were spent by civil servants involved in this work.

Current funding of £30.8 million is allocated for NHS Pharmacy First Scotland. This includes £10 million of new funding which was invested between 2020-21 and 2022-23.

This funding provides a monthly base payment to every pharmacy for provision of the service as well as activity payments for specific interventions. These pharmaceutical care interventions are Advice, Referral or Treatment.

Specific information of this nature would be regarded as commercially sensitive and therefore not appropriate for disclosure. Ministers have however stated that re-procurement would have potentially added a delay of around 2 ½ years to the anticipated delivery of vessel 802.

A detailed options appraisal upon a range of options, to complete the delivery of Hull 802, was completed by the due diligence team of officials, independent experts and Ferguson Marine.

An Islands Community Impact Assessment was not completed as part of the due diligence exercise. Previous analysis of the value to island communities of ferry services was however considered.

Any quotations received during this process would be regarded as commercially sensitive and therefore not appropriate for disclosure.

Since its introduction in July 2020, over 3 million NHS Pharmacy First Scotland consultations have taken in place across Scotland.

In the annual Dispenser Payments and Prescription Cost Analysis publication, Public Health Scotland reported that in financial year 2021-22 alone, a total of 2,954,181 Pharmacy First consultations were undertaken with 95% providing advice on self-care or treatment at the point of contact, therefore removing the need for unnecessary visits to GP practices, Out of Hour services or Emergency Department for everyday self-limiting conditions.

Consultations using PGDs in 2021/22 accounted for 4% (119,728) with 84% (100,182) being treated by the community pharmacy instead of requiring a GP/Out of Hours appointment.

Public Health Scotland has also reported that in 2021/22, 23% of the Scottish population (1,242,801 people) accessed Pharmacy First services at least once.