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There is no current data which estimates the quantity of textile material fit for reuse that is instead recycled in Scotland.

Five years on from the joint agreement between Scottish Government and the British Medical Association (BMA) on the 2018 GP contract, we have made significant progress in the implementation of Primary Care Improvement Plans (PCIPs). The Vaccination Transformation Programme element of the 2018 GP contract is complete.

While the Scottish Government will seek continuous improvement of our vaccination services, I would envisage neither a return to a model of default GP provision nor local models based on optional GP participation. This is because the aim of the Vaccination Transformation Programme was to ensure that GP practices are able to focus on the work only they can do, such as complex care and diagnosing undifferentiated presentations. Vaccinations can be administered in a wide range of different settings by a wide range of healthcare professionals.

The GP profession voted as a whole in 2018 in favour of not providing vaccinations and this position remains extant. There will always be exceptions to this of course, in rural areas and where the need to vaccinate quickly is paramount. Notwithstanding these exceptions, I would not anticipate making any fundamental changes to our vaccination model which are counter to our 2018 agreement with GPs about the future of the profession.

As at April, the median waiting time from listing to procedure is 81 days and the longest waiting time is 341 days. The service reports that it is now in a position to offer a surgery date that is within 12 weeks of the patient’s decision to go ahead with surgery.

The deployment of firefighters and the welfare of its staff is an operational matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS)

As an emergency service, SFRS has a statutory duty to ensure that fire and rescue cover is always maintained across all communities in Scotland. This sometimes means that firefighters are called upon to work from a different fire station to ensure a full crew is available to safely allow a fire appliance to attend emergency incidents.

SFRS has a Detached Duty Policy to ensure that staff welfare, including consideration of caring responsibilities, is taken into account in reaching decisions on the deployment of staff.

The Scottish Government's position on this is set out in the improvement plan which was produced in response to the recommendations set out in Environmental Standards Scotland's improvement report following its investigation into air quality. The improvement plan was laid in the Scottish Parliament on 27 March 2023 and can be viewed at: Environmental Standards Scotland air quality investigation - Scottish Government improvement plan - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Staff welfare, including consideration of caring responsibilities, is a matter for SFRS as the employer.

One of the key priorities in the Fire and Rescue Framework 2022 is that SFRS continues to promote a culture that values inclusion, promotes fairness, equality and respect for all. This is reflected in the current SFRS Strategic Plan and in the HR policies SFRS has in place to support staff with caring responsibilities.

We will publish the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy in June. A programme of stakeholder engagement will take place over the summer on the accompanying Delivery Plan, with the intention of publishing it alongside the Workforce Action Plan in the autumn.

The Scottish Government nor it's partners hold any indication information, and so cannot identify patients with chronic pain who have been prescribed morphine.

As a statutory inquiry, The Edinburgh Tram Inquiry is independent of the Scottish Government.

Questions concerning the conclusion of the inquiry, including its timeline, are a matter for the Edinburgh Tram Inquiry team and Lord Hardie.

We are aware of the update on inquiry’s website advising that Lord Hardie’s report has been handed over to the publishing company and is due to be with them for several weeks. We look forward to receiving Lord Hardie’s report when it is ready.

The Scottish Government recognises that work is required to reduce inequalities and improve access for all to the screening programmes.

The Breast Screening Modernisation Programme was established in April 2022 to take forward the recommendations of the Breast Screening Review. The Programme has had four meetings over this period, and has agreed its vision and priority areas. Three projects are now underway, focussing on workforce, call/recall of screening participants and data. The Breast Screening Modernisation Programme is linking in closely with the development of the Equity in Screening Strategy to reduce inequalities in the screening programme – for example by improving access and modernising digital capabilities.

The Equity in Screening Strategy has been developed over the past 12 months, through a collaborative process that has involved professionals from all parts of the screening system, third sector representatives and academia. The main aim of the strategy is to improve understanding of where inequalities exist in the screening pathway, and for which population groups. The Strategy is expected to be published in June, with an associated Action Plan being published shortly thereafter.