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The information requested is not held centrally. This is a matter for Healthcare Improvement Scotland. Information regarding making complaints about private dental practices can be accessed online at: Making a complaint about independent healthcare services – Healthcare Improvement Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-40644 on 1 October 2025. 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 provision of healthcare services is the responsibility of NHS boards. We expect all boards to ensure that their services are informed by current clinical best practice. In commissioning boards’ plans for the recently announced £4.5 million a year in funding for ME/CFS, long-COVID and other similar conditions, we have stressed the importance of ensuring that services are informed by current clinical best practice, such as National Institute for Excellence in Healthcare (NICE) guidelines NG:206 and NG:188- which are available to clinicians across the UK.

The regulation of consumer protection, including trading standards, is reserved to the UK Government and managed by local authorities and COSLA.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of trading standards and is considering this report in full. We will engage with the Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland (SCOTSS) in due course.

Since 2022, Health Boards have been responsible for delivering Scotland’s vaccination programmes. The Scottish Government has always recognised that there may be circumstances (eg, in remote and rural places) were some vaccination services need to be delivered by General Practice. It is important that such flexibility exists to ensure that vaccination is as readily accessible to people as possible, regardless of local geography or other situations. However, it is not the case that Health Boards can do so on a discretionary basis.

Through an Options Appraisal process put in place by the Scottish Government, Health Boards must demonstrate a clear and evidenced need for particular vaccination services to be delivered by General Practice. Scottish Ministers must agree such proposals. A small number of discrete cases have been approved, including one practice within NHS Borders and several practices within Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP). In each instance these have been approved in response to specific circumstances to support access to vaccination. Approval has also been given for Highland HSCP to establish a mixed model of vaccine delivery, that will include some GP practices in the area delivering some vaccination services. Highland HSCP are developing their mixed model, and the Scottish Government, along with Public Health Scotland (PHS), are working closely with them to ensure a safe and accessible service.

Since 8 March 2025, Transport Scotland have continued to engage with the Ferries Community Board, both in relation to performance management of the new contract, and also the nature of their ongoing role post-award. This was invaluable to inform the suite of performance indicators, and the role of the Ferries Community Board has been formally embedded within the new arrangements, ensuring that the Ferries Community Board will continue to be engaged on strategic matters throughout the life of the contract.

Since 8 March 2025 officials have engaged with local authorities, including at the Roundtable event on 19 March 2025, and through the Islands Transport Forum, local area ferry groups such as the Argyll Ferry Infrastructure Group and Western Isles Ferry Group, and vessel and infrastructure project working groups, but have not discussed the detailed specification with them; whilst CMAL, as owners of the fleet, have been engaged on a number of technical matters relating to the specification.

If a person is diagnosed with endometriosis, the Scottish Government wants them to be treated as close to home as clinically appropriate. Most individuals can be managed by a gynaecologist with expertise and training in endometriosis within secondary care.

Specialist endometriosis centres in Scotland provide coordinated, multidisciplinary treatment to women who have complex symptoms of endometriosis and to those who need complex surgery. Patients who meet the criteria of the specialist centres should be fully supported to access these services.

Patient travel expenses reimbursement schemes provide financial assistance for patients and authorised escorts travelling to hospital appointments, according to eligibility criteria and medical requirements. The Scottish Government provides guidance to NHS Boards, which are responsible for developing and applying their own policies and reimbursement rates, ensuring patient care and safety.

Transport Scotland engaged with a number of partners on the development of the specification. This included sharing the draft specification with CalMac Ferries Ltd, in addition to discussing specific elements with CMAL, to ensure that operational and technical issues were appropriately addressed to reflect current practice.

Some elements of the specification were also shared and discussed with the Ferries Community Board, specifically regarding key performance indicators and the embedding of the Ferries Community Board in the specification. This input was invaluable to inform the suite of performance indicators, and the Ferries Community Board will continue to be engaged on strategic matters throughout the life of the contract to provide us with an independent community voice.

The grant agreement containing the full CHFS3 specification has been published on the Transport Scotland website and we have intimated this by letter to unions amongst other bodies and welcome the positive statements made at publication by union representatives.

Clinical decisions on the care and treatment of individual patients are always matters of professional judgement for the responsible practitioner.

The overall budget for hosting the Tour de France Grand Départ 2027 is still being finalised. The event is being funded through a combination of public and private investment, with contributions from the Scottish Government, Welsh Government, UK Government, and commercial partnerships. The Scottish Government contribution will be announced to parliament in due course.