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The Complex Pelvic Mesh Service provided by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC) offers holistic care for women experiencing mesh complications. There are a number of consultants operating in the service allowing women a choice over who is involved in their care. Complementing this, and to allow women more choice, individuals can also opt to be referred to NHS England services for surgery, or can choose to travel to Spire Hospital in Bristol, or to Dr Veronikis in the USA.

Any woman seeking referral to the mesh service in Glasgow, NHS England, Spire Hospital or Dr Veronikis should initially discuss her case with clinicians within her own Health Board. If considered appropriate at that stage, she will then be referred to the specialist service in NHS GGC for consideration by a full multi-disciplinary team (MDT). If, after careful consideration by both the MDT and the patient, it is agreed that surgery is appropriate, she will then be given the option of receiving treatment through the Glasgow centre, or referral to an NHS England Specialist Centre, the Spire in Bristol, or Dr Veronikis, depending on her wishes.

Regardless of the treatment option chosen, initial assessment in the specialist service in Glasgow is extremely important as it ensures that the patient receives the proper consideration of a full MDT, and will receive care that is fully integrated with any pre- and post-operative care provided locally.

Public Health Scotland does not publish data at the level of detail requested. However, statistics relating to the waits patients experience for inpatient or day case treatment at specialty level are published up to 31 March 2022 and can be found here: Stage of treatment waiting times - Inpatients, day cases and new outpatients 30 June 2022 - NHS waiting times - stage of treatment - Publications - Public Health Scotland

Both the Scottish Government and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are aware, and regret, that patients are experiencing longer than normal delays in accessing NHS care, including at the mesh removal service in Glasgow. Patients are, however, being seen, surgeries carried out, and concerted efforts are being made to reduce waiting times.

The reimbursement scheme established under the Transvaginal Mesh Removal (Cost Reimbursement) (Scotland) Act 2022 is concerned with the reimbursement of costs associated mesh removal surgery arranged by women privately, where such arrangements were made on or before 3 June 2022. The scheme has no function in relation to the commissioning by NHS Scotland of mesh removal surgery from independent providers.

Mesh removal surgery commissioned from independent providers by NHS Scotland, in the UK or elsewhere, is arranged under Health Boards’ general powers, and there is no time limit on such arrangements being made.

All NHS Scotland Boards are providing assessment and support for people with long COVID. This is being delivered across the full range of services delivered by our NHS and includes local primary care teams, community based rehabilitation services and referrals for further investigation delivered in secondary care settings where clinically appropriate.

It is for each NHS Board to develop and deliver the best models of care for assessment, diagnostic tests, and support for the treatment or management of symptoms, tailored to the needs of their local population. This will involve strengthening the co-ordination of existing services, or establishing dedicated services where appropriate.

To support this, we have made available an initial £3 million from our long COVID Support Fund over this financial year to provide NHS Boards and partners with additional resource to respond to the needs of people with long COVID in their areas. While none of the services being delivered by NHS Scotland Boards are termed ‘long COVID clinics’, initiatives being supported by the funding include key elements of care that are also offered by post COVID assessment clinics elsewhere in the UK; such as the introduction of care co-ordinator roles to provide a single point of contact for people with long COVID and their families and the introduction of a multi-disciplinary assessment service to provide a person-centred assessment of people’s needs.

We have also established a National Strategic Network for long COVID to ensure the continued development of our national approach is informed by evidence and expertise.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-11635 on‎ 14 November 2022. 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

The Scottish Government is committed to the decarbonisation of the transport sector in a sustainable way to deliver a just transition. Our Climate Change Plan includes a commitment that by 2032, 30 per cent of Scottish Government owned ferries will be low emission.

With regards to the wider shipping and maritime sectors, we are committed to working with the UK Government and other governments to support decarbonisation proposals at a UK level and those globally significant proposals originating from the International Maritime Organisation such as the potential to introduce a global levy on marine fuel to fund research into cleaner technologies and fuels.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-11633 on‎ 14 November 2022. 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

The following table shows the number of cardholders under the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme as of the end of the day on 31 October 2022, broken down to local authority level.

This data is supplied by the National Entitlement Card Programme Office (NECPO). NECPO support the 32 local authorities by assisting with the integration of various national and local public services on the National Entitlement Card (NEC) and are the joint controller with local authorities of this data. The table includes travel products collected from the Transport Scot Pass Collect mobile application.

A table giving the number of homelessness applications live as at 25 December 2021, by local authority and the associated number of adults and children is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. No 63756)

The Scottish Government is committed to introducing a new Agriculture Bill to Parliament in 2023.

The public consultation on proposals for a new Bill, “Delivering our Vision for Scottish Agriculture. Proposals for a new Agriculture Bill” was launched on 29 August and will now be open until 5 December. The consultation seeks views on proposals, which aim to assist in delivering the Vision for Agriculture, and suggests a legislative framework required to replace the current Common Agriculture Policy (CAP).