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In February 2021 the Scottish Government proposed combining the Warm Home Discount (WHD) and Energy Company Obligation (ECO) together as a single, flexible fuel poverty scheme in Scotland. This was among our formal asks of the UK Government when we consulted about our Heat in Buildings Strategy.

In May the UK Government wrote to Scottish Ministers noting our proposal for a single scheme and their intention to use their reserved powers, as their planned reforms in England and Wales would require a separate scheme for Scotland. The UK Government proposed apportionment of funding for a separate Scottish WHD scheme based upon national shares of electricity and gas meter points.

Scottish Ministers replied in June highlighting our concerns about this approach and formally proposing a new single scheme. In July the UK Government requested further details from us and officials provided information about the legislative, administrative and targeting options being considered by Scottish Ministers.

In October, we asked for a response based upon this information and noting that a continuation of the current scheme could only be approved by the Secretary of State. Scottish Ministers wrote again in December seeking a decision or confirmation that the UK Government would extend the current scheme. In January 2022 UK Ministers gave their preferred option as being a continued GB scheme for ECO. They did not provide an indication as to whether any of our proposals would be agreed or not.

Despite having been asked three times, the UK Government has been unable or unwilling to provide a straight answer to our proposal of a single scheme.

Scottish Ministers cannot exercise relevant powers without the agreement of the Secretary of State. Therefore on 8 February we requested urgent confirmation that the UK Government would extend the current WHD scheme in Scotland to provide certainty for vulnerable households and energy suppliers.

Despite having asked how the current WHD scheme will be extended in Scotland on three occasions, we have still not received a response from the UK Government.

I refer the member to my answer to question S6W-07097 on 23 March 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 .

Microfibre shedding from synthetic textiles is a complex problem which adds to microplastic pollution in our environment. Fibres are shed at every stage of the product’s lifespan, from manufacture, through use, laundering and end of life.

Considerable research is being undertaken by industry to better understand this problem. Filters on washing machines will not necessarily reduce this form of pollution as it requires users to clean the filters. As a result the collected material ends up in landfill or washed down sinks, as evidenced through people emptying tumble dryer filters.

We will take an evidence-based approach on this issue, and are taking action on other forms of microplastic pollution, with a ban on microbeads in rinse-off personal care products, and significant ongoing work with the plastics industry to tackle plastic pellet pollution. We are able to take action on matters relating to environmental protection, and while trade and industry are reserved to the UK Government we continue to work for progress in these areas.

The information for parliamentary questions S6W-07334, S6W-07336 and S6W-07337 on 25 March 2022 is not held centrally. Please visit the National Care Framework for Huntington’s Disease website to obtain further information on the services and support available to people with Huntington’s Disease through NHS Scotland, by health board area.

The Scottish Huntington’s Association also maintains a list of HD Clinical Leads by health board on its website: HD Clinical Leads • Scottish Huntington's Association (hdscotland.org) .

Presymptomatic genetic testing is available for those with a family history of Huntington disease and tests whether the person has inherited the faulty gene associated with the condition. This is delivered by our genetic laboratory services and data on the number of people tested is not held by the Scottish Government.

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 .

This data is not centrally available; aggregated data for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) Waiting Times is sent to Public Health Scotland (PHS) from each NHS Board. It does not contain explicit information on the number of young people who have learning disabilities. It reports on the number of referrals for young people to services; numbers waiting to start treatment and total waiting; not accepted for treatment from referral and Did Not Attend status numbers for 1st contact appointments; and the time between referral and first treatment.

PHS are developing a patient level dataset, Child, Adolescent and Psychological Therapies National Dataset (CAPTND) and the Scottish Government has commissioned Directors of eHealth in NHS Boards, working with others, including PHS , to work to improve the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) digital infrastructure. This will enable the recording and extraction of the full CAMHS and Psychological Therapies (PT) National Dataset (CAPTND), which will allow improved reporting on patient characteristics.

A breakdown of the various crime types is provided in the following table, please note that we are unable to separate alcohol offences from drug related offences in some crime groups.

People convicted of offences related to driving under the influence (where main crime), 2015-16 to 2019-20.

In addition to taking forward a National Conversation on rail, we will be consulting specifically on women’s safety when using public transport.

Specific timescales will be outlined following the discussion underway with relevant representative groups on the preferred approach for carrying out this engagement.

We have already made initial contact with Engender. We will also engage with groups who represent women working on our public transport network to capture the views of female staff.

The current functions of SQA will continue and staff working in those functions will continue to carry out their work, as they currently do. We recognise and appreciate the valuable skills, experience and knowledge held by all staff across SQA, and a primary consideration in the reform process will be in making the most of these attributes in the future. As decisions are made about the roles that are needed in the successor bodies, a process will be taken forward to enable matching of current staff to roles - this process will be designed with the input of staff and trade unions and the underpinning commitment to protecting terms and conditions, and no compulsory redundancies as a direct result of reform, will be in place.

We will continue to work closely with staff, facilitated through existing arrangements including via recognised trade unions, to develop the transitions framework and timeline for implementation and to consider impact on groups of staff and individual posts, including identifying suitable redeployment opportunities if they are needed. TUPE and/or COSOP will apply, and as the activities currently carried out by existing bodies move to new bodies, the staff carrying out those activities who are deemed to be in scope of transfer will transfer.

Further detail on programme structures will be published in spring.

Throughout the pandemic we have provided bespoke advice, information and support to help protect the approximately 180,000 people on Scotland’s Highest Risk List.

While we will continue to ensure people at highest risk know where to turn if they need further guidance, clinicians and GPs are the primary source of advice for those on the Highest Risk List. They best know the personal circumstances and conditions of each individual and can advise them on what, if any, precautions to take as they would have before the pandemic, and can provide tailored information and support.

There is strong evidence that people's risk from Covid-19 has significantly changed as a result of the vaccination programme and the time is now right for us to consider who still needs to be on the Highest Risk List. In the meantime, we will:

? continue to respond to scientific and clinical advice regarding COVID treatments, making sure that those who we know will benefit most from them are able to access them; and,

? continue to look at ways to identify people who may be at highest risk, taking emerging evidence into account.

? work with our Clinical Advisory Group to provide support to those who no longer need to be on the list where the evidence indicates that they are no longer at highest risk

Our aim is to ensure that people who have been on the Highest Risk List are supported, empowered, and included throughout this calmer period into a more normal way of living. It has been nearly two years since we asked people to shield, and it is crucial that they are now supported to benefit from the lifting of restrictions as much as everyone else.

This process is currently underway. Health Boards have been asked to submit 22-23 plans linked to activity trajectories and requests for funding, which will be used to allocate resources to address orthopaedic surgery waiting lists.

Additionally, as part of our 100 days commitments, we published an NHS Recovery Plan in August 2021. This sets out our plans for health and social are over the next 5 years. Backed by over £1 billion of funding, the Plan will support an increase in inpatient, daycase, and outpatient activity to address the backlogs of care in orthopaedics and other areas, supported by the implementation of sustainable improvements and new models of care.