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My officials in Transport Scotland have been working with bus operators to monitor the impact on service levels and changes in vacancy levels. Officials are also in regular contact with the Department for Transport, DVLA and DVSA regarding issues about delays to licence applications and driver testing, which have affected recruitment and training of potential drivers.

In addition, Transport Scotland officials have convened a short-life group with operator reps, Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), COSLA, Skills Development Scotland, DWP and Scottish Government employment and skills officials to seek and facilitate solutions to workforce issues through the Labour and Skills Shortages Action Plan, as well as connecting Local Employability Partnerships with bus operators (through the Confederation of Passenger Transport) who are aware of opportunities in their areas.

The mandatory training course will include information on important practical safety elements to consider when purchasing and using fireworks, including what is permitted under relevant fireworks legislation, as well as how to be a considerate and responsible fireworks user.

The Scottish Government intends to work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders on the development of the training course, which will be set out in future regulations. This includes animal welfare charities, as well as other stakeholders such as community safety partners, disabilities organisations and the firework industry. It is recognised that stakeholder input will be important to ensure that the training course is fit for purpose, and includes information for licence holders on the broad range of issues and areas that are impacted by fireworks.

The Bill also includes a consultation requirement for regulations made in relation to the licensing system. This will ensure that stakeholders have the opportunity to contribute to and share their views and opinions on the proposed training course.

The Scottish Government has had no discussions with either party on this matter as local government pay and other employment matters are delegated to local authorities and COSLA.

However, we urge all parties to continue open, constructive dialogue to find a resolution which avoids any potential industrial action and reaches a satisfactory conclusion for both sides.

I engage regularly with EIS-FELA and most recently met with EIS-FELA on 27th April and 17th May to discuss the current pay dispute.

I will continue to meet regularly with both sides, urging them to make every effort to resolve the current dispute without the need for further industrial action, which is absolutely not in the best interests of learners.

Pay for local government employees, including ancillary school staff, is negotiated between the trade unions and COSLA through the Scottish Joint Committee (SJC).

The Scottish Government is not a member of the SJC and does not take part in those negotiations. Any action to address or increase the pay of the non-teaching workforce is therefore a matter for COSLA.

All of the measures within the Bill, including the licensing system, have been developed following a significant programme of consultation, engagement and evidence gathering. This includes the work of the independent advisory Firework Review Group, who considered all of the evidence available and took an options appraisal approach to make a series of recommendations for change to the Scottish Government. The licensing system implements the Group’s recommendation that mandatory conditions should be introduced at the point of sale of fireworks to ensure that the purchase and use of fireworks is a well thought out and planned transaction.

The licensing system has been carefully developed to ensure that robust checks and balances are in place before a member of the public can purchase and use fireworks. This includes a mandatory requirement to successfully complete a training course, which will inform applicants of how to use fireworks in a safe and considerate manner, and it is intended that this will include information about the rules and regulations around the safe storage of fireworks.

The policy objective of the licensing system is that those who are permitted to purchase, possess and use fireworks in Scotland know how to do so in a safe, lawful and considerate manner. Therefore, the licence does not specify how many firework transactions can take place during a permitted firework supply period. It is considered that this strikes the balance between introducing proportionate measures without placing overly restrictive barriers on the legitimate purchase and use of fireworks by members of the public. The Fireworks (Scotland) Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations 2021, which amended the Fireworks (Scotland) Regulations 2004, limit the quantity of fireworks that can be supplied to the general public at any one time to 5kg. Mitigations against stockpiling are also already in place through existing legislation - The Explosives Regulations 2014.

Consideration is also being given on how to incorporate messaging around stockpiling and the safe storage of fireworks in the national Scottish Government communications and awareness raising campaigns which are delivered in collaboration with partners each year over the bonfire period.

As set out in the Heat in Buildings Strategy, the Scottish Government has committed to phasing out the need to install new or replacement boilers in off-gas grid homes from 2025 and in on-gas grid areas from 2030.

The Scottish Government continues to consider a range of possible means to implement this commitment – including forming views on the feasibility of creating new systems to register the sale and/or installation of boilers.

We will consult on a proposed approach in the coming year.

Our manifesto committed to opening NTC Ayrshire and Arran in 2025. We are currently finalising the design of the hospital and we are exploring and reviewing timelines associated with the NTC with a view to having the centre operational earlier than our manifesto commitment.

There will be 2 theatres and one enhanced treatment room. In addition there will also be 11 en-suite inpatient bedrooms and 10 peri-operative rooms to support day case patients.

The Scottish Government has committed a further £20 million over the parliamentary term to our Detect Cancer Early Programme, which aims to provide greater public awareness of signs and symptoms of cancer to improve earlier diagnosis rates.

Significant funding has also been targeted at increasing diagnostic capacity across NHS Scotland. This includes our Endoscopy and Urology Diagnostic Recovery and Renewal plan to specifically support scope based diagnostics backed by £70 million and our £1bn NHS Recovery Plan which sets out our plans and ambitions for the next five years.

The NHS remains under sustained pressure as a result of COVID-19, with the number of people awaiting diagnostic tests now at the highest level since 2018. Patients continue to be seen based on their clinical urgency, for example those referred with an urgent suspicion of cancer continue to be prioritised for key diagnostic tests.