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Details of all Ministerial engagements and expenses are proactively published by the Scottish Government, including the costs of travel and accommodation. The information can be accessed at the following below: https://www.gov.scot/collections/ministerial-engagements-travel-and-gifts

The Scottish Government has provided funding to bus operators through various funds since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic at the end of March 2020. The funding streams within this period that relate to Covid-19 support include the Covid Support Grant, Covid Support Grant – Restart and Network Support Grant Plus.

Detailed information on the funding amounts under each of these grants can be found in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre under Bib number 63569.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland was responsible for meeting the costs of bringing the giant pandas to Scotland in 2011. The Scottish Government made a financial contribution of £42,722.17 towards the planning, delivery and marketing of an arrival event.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10483 on 21 September 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 .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10483 on 21 September. 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 remains committed to finding and implementing a solution to address the landslip risks at the Rest and be Thankful as quickly as possible. I fully recognise the impacts on the local community and businesses and I can assure the member that work is being progressed as a key priority.

Following the identification of a preferred route corridor for the long-term solution, Transport Scotland is currently progressing the design of route options within that corridor. This includes essential data gathering including environmental surveys and, earlier this year, a £1.8M ground investigation was undertaken.

New technical consultants have been appointed to take forward the next stages of design and assessment work, a contract expected to be worth approximately £25M.

I anticipate bringing forward proposals for the medium term solution by the end of this year and to announce a preferred route option for a long term solution by Spring 2023.

The contract to build two new vessels for the Islay routes was awarded to the Cemre shipyard by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited on 28 March 2022. Key activities at this stage relate to design work and procurement of major equipment, material, and service suppliers, all of which are reported to be progressing well and in line with agreed timelines and budgets. The scheduled delivery of the first of the two vessels is October 2024 and will enter service following sea trials and crew familiarisation. The second vessel will follow in early 2025.

The Scottish Government has no direct role in the provision of student accommodation. However, we are aware of the ongoing difficulties faced by students in accessing accommodation this academic year.

We are currently undertaking a review of Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) which will look at a number of issues, including affordability and supply and the findings from this report, along with findings from the New Deal for Tenants Report which considered similar issues in the private rented sector, will inform a student accommodation strategy for Scotland.

Scotland’s Redress Scheme is being delivered in accordance with the Digital Scotland Service Standard . Criteria 8 relates to the creation of a service which protects users’ privacy. All of our systems are designed in line with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) guidance and have been penetration tested by NCSC-approved CHECK suppliers.

Given the sensitivity of the information which is being sent, it is important that survivors have a choice on how they apply. Although email has so far been the most common application channel, survivors can also apply via post. There is also a Document Upload portal which can be used by applicants to submit supporting documents.

The Privacy Notice for Survivor Applicants and the Privacy Notice for Next of Kin Applicants provide details on how the information collected by Scottish Government, as administrators of Scotland’s Redress Scheme, is managed and how it is used. In addition, Redress Scotland, who are the independent body responsible for decisions on applications and the amount of financial redress to award, also have a privacy notice in place.

As required under Rule 9.3.2 of the Parliament’s Standing Orders, the Financial Memorandum was published to accompany the Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Bill, introduced in the Scottish Parliament on 13 August 2020. This outlines the projected and anticipated costs of the scheme.

Although there is an appropriate level of scrutiny on administration costs of the scheme, managed through the Redress, Relations and Response Division of Scottish Government, it is important to note that, as outlined in the Statement of Principles , there is no fixed budget or limit to the number or amount of redress payments which will be paid by the Scottish Government. We are committed to giving financial redress to survivors, regardless of the financial contributions received, because it is the right thing to do.

Redress Scotland is an independent body, which is not part of Scottish Government and is monitored by the Redress Scotland Sponsorship Team, within the Children’s Rights, Protection and Justice Division.