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The Scottish Government’s Serious & Organised Crime Taskforce (SOCTF) has identified environmental crime and in particular Serious Organised Criminal Gangs (SOCG) activity in waste crime as a priority area and supports the broad network of Scottish and UK regulators in working collaboratively to act against waste criminals.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is also a partner in the Joint Unit for Waste Crime set up by the UK Government in 2020, which aspires to reduce the impact of SOCG activity across the UK, on the environment and the economy, by targeting the criminal groups and activities posing the greatest risk, including those operating cross border.

We are working with other UK governments and regulators to implement a UK-wide mandatory digital waste tracking service. Implementation of this service will help SEPA to track regulatory compliance and tackle illegal waste exports and fly-tipping.

Alongside this, the Scottish Government is also currently developing a new National Litter and Flytipping Strategy, which will help to tackle and minimise the instances of flytipping in Scotland. Our consultation proposals set out a range of proposed measures, including strengthening enforcement to deter flytipping behaviour.

That information is not held centrally.

The Scottish Government does not hold estimated yearly costs of waste crime.

The M8 Woodside Viaduct is a vital element of the motorway and road network serving Glasgow, the wider region and country, carrying approximately 150,000 vehicles per day. The decision to restrict traffic lanes on the viaducts was made for safety reasons by Transport Scotland’s Director of Roads, as reducing the live traffic loading on the structure was a key aspect to its management, continued use and repair.

Demolishing the structure was ruled out due to the economic, environmental and social impacts on businesses and communities served by the local and trunk road network, including the costs, durations and traffic volumes involved. The refurbishment option was considered to have less economic, social, traffic and environmental impacts. This decision was supported by stakeholders, who expressed significant concern over the impact of lane closures, let alone full closure of the viaduct.

Angus Campbell, the Chair of the Ferries Community Board, is now engaging with island communities and ferry users regarding the recommendations of the phase oneProject Neptune report. That consultation is due to finish next month and Mr Campbell will provide Ministers with a report on his findings shortly after.

Following industrial action within the college sector in 2019, the then Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science committed to undertaking a further lessons learned exercise to break the cycle of annual disputes within the sector.

The Scottish Government commissioned Strathesk Resolutions in 2021 to take forward a lessons learned exercise. The purpose of the exercise was to attempt to reduce the likelihood of future industrial dispute and industrial action, with a view to identifying factors that have led to dispute in recent years and to create an environment for more productive dialogue in future negotiations.

The final report compiled by Strathesk Resolutions, dated 25 March 2022, provides the findings and recommendations to the Scottish Government from the lessons learned exercise. At present, the Scottish Government is awaiting formal responses to the recommendations from partners in the Collective Bargaining process and will use these to inform the next steps regarding the implementation of the recommendations.

Critically, and as made clear by the Lessons Learned report, the Scottish Government will maintain its position of not intervening directly in the national collective bargaining process.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15725 on 16 March 2023. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15725 on 16 March 2023. 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

We are fully committed to delivering our Programme for Government and manifesto commitments. We will be able to provide further information in due course.

We have noted the trial based in Wales, which is offering blood tests to people who have recovered from bowel cancer. We will consider of the results of this trial once it has concluded to determine whether it has evidenced benefit for patients.

NHS Shetland, NHS Western Isles and NHS Orkney are the three main Health Boards covering island areas. These Health Boards offer NHS-funded travel vaccination services within their own Health Board area, therefore there would be no requirement to travel to the mainland.