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A project programme will be made available following the tender stage and appointment of a contractor, however programme dates are subject to completion of the commercial arrangements currently being discussed with Peel Ports Group and Transport Scotland.

Service continuity plans for when services temporarily relocate to Troon are currently being developed.

Glen Sannox and Hull 802 have 3 training cabins, 8 officer cabins and 23 crew cabins each. There are no passenger cabins on either vessel. Passengers will have access to facilities such as lounges, cafeterias and shops.

Works are underway at Troon harbour which will be used as an alternative mainland port to support CalMac services. Troon will also support the operation of the Ardrossan-Brodick/Campbeltown ferry services when they are temporarily diverted during the construction phase of the Ardrossan Harbour redevelopment project.

These works are closely monitored and are set to be completed before the scheduled introduction of the MV Glen Sannox.

In addition, upgrade works as part of the Skye Triangle Infrastructure Programme at Tarbert (Harris) and Uig (Skye) ports are currently in the construction phase, and are expected to be completed by early 2022 and Summer 2023 respectively.

Lochmaddy (North Uist) is currently in procurement phase with a contract award expected early 2022 and completion of works by Spring 2023; programme dates are subject to funding approval and contractor mobilisation.

As part of service continuity planning CalMac Ferries Ltd (CFL) are undertaking public consultation sessions with communities in early 2022 to gather feedback on Troon timetables. This also includes plans for transport integration and connectivity with other modes whereby CalMac continues to engage with ScotRail and bus operators.

In addition to support the service, two shuttle-bus services will also be available from Ardrossan to Troon and between Troon railway station and port.

The Scottish Government, through Transport Scotland, are working closely with CalMac on plans for introducing the vessel into service. This includes crew recruitment, vessel familiarisation and network trials when appropriate on Arran, at Ardrossan and Troon.

Since the start of the pandemic, the Scottish Government has provided £2.5million support to outdoor education. We continue to work with the sector on an ongoing basis to support schools to access and use outdoor centres, and to ensure that our Covid-19 guidance provides clear advice on safe, supported outdoor learning experiences and visits to centres.

The Scottish Government recognises and values the importance of outdoor education centres especially in this challenging time, and is committed to ensuring learners have access to valuable outdoor learning experiences.

The Scottish Government has provided funding to the University of Edinburgh to explore the feasibility of targeted lung health checks in those from areas of deprivation. We continue to support this work which is progressing and remain in regular contact with researchers. Results and learning from this work will be appropriately considered, once available.

The indoor events capacity limits were introduced in regulations from 26 December 2021 in order to mitigate the greatly increased transmission rates of the omicron COVID-19 variant, recognising that large capacity events indoors pose a high risk of transmission of the virus. The regulations apply the limits to an event which brings individuals together for the purpose of community, culture, sport, recreation, entertainment, art or business. The Scottish Government continues to engage with the bingo sector about these regulations and their impact.

The UK National Screening Committee’s review into whether a programme of national lung screening should be introduced will rigorously review the harms and benefits of lung screening, and will include consideration of efficacy, health economics and mortality. The Scottish Screening Committee will consider all of these elements once latest evidence is gathered.

We welcomed the previous Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform (ECCLR) Committee’s Inquiry report into regional marine planning. This report and its 29 recommendations have been carefully considered to help inform our future approach to regional marine planning. There will be a formal response to the ECCLR inquiry, with individual responses to each recommendation, made in advance of an announcement about the next steps for marine planning in Spring 2022.