Chamber and committees

We will set out the high-level principles of ADT, including how it will support emissions reductions in due course.

Every call received by Police Scotland is individually assessed using the THRIVE model – Threat, Harm, Risk, Investigative opportunity, Vulnerability and Engagement. Every crime report is different and it is simply not the case that certain specific crimes will no longer be investigated as part of the Proportionate Response to Crime pilot in the North East.

As part of their evaluation of the pilot that was undertaken in the North East, Police Scotland published a number of real life examples that highlighted the diversity in the range of calls received and how they were assessed and responded to. I would particularly draw the member’s attention to the examples where, while the crime appeared to be relatively minor, there were investigative opportunities, meaning that the incident was passed to local policing.

It is important to remember that the pilot’s evaluation shows that only 5% of crime reports were recorded and filed for no further enquiry. The evaluation states that this freed up 2,657 police officer hours which were therefore used to investigate crimes where there are lines of inquiry.

On the basis that Police Scotland are clearly not going to disclose details of their operational tactics, I am fully supportive of their approach.

The 1 September cut-off date for the shingles programme has been in place since the introduction of the programme in 2013. At that point it aligned the offer of shingles vaccine with seasonal flu vaccinations.

The cut-off date ensures that only those eligible for vaccination within the current year’s programme as recommended by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) are included, and assists NHS Boards with planning and delivery locally, drawing up cohort lists (determined by date of birth) and the management of vaccine supply. It also supports the catch up programme for those who are aged 71-79 years who have not previously been vaccinated but remain eligible.

Eligibility for the programme was recently expanded to allow some individuals to get protected at an earlier age. To deliver the programme effectively, NHS Boards will offer the programme on a phased basis over 10 years meaning by 2033 the vaccine will be routinely offered to everyone aged 60 and over.

Since 1 September 2023 the following groups have been eligible:

• People who were aged 65 or 70 years on 1 September 2023
• People aged 71–79 years who have not previously been vaccinated
• People aged 50 years or over, about to start immunosuppressive therapy
• People aged 50 years or over, with a severely weakened immune system
• People aged 18 years or over who have received a stem cell transplant
• People aged 18 years or over who have had CAR-T therapy

This phased approach is based on the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and to support NHS Boards to deliver the programme alongside other immunisation programmes.

There are no plans to expand eligibility any further at this stage. As with all vaccination programmes, the JCVI keeps its recommendations under review. If at any time the JCVI updates its recommendations around the shingles vaccination the Scottish Government will give this due consideration.

The Scottish Government does not collect data on the number of people who have applied for a free personal care package, but have died before receiving it.

It is the local authority’s responsibility to assess each person and consider whether their needs call for the provision of social care services. Local authorities set their eligibility threshold based on local guidance, and it may not be consistent across local authorities. However, those at critical or substantial risk are more likely to receive them sooner, than those who are assessed as moderate or low risk.

The delivery of many of the STPR2 recommendations is not the sole responsibility of Transport Scotland and will require a collaborative approach with Regional Transport Partnership and Local Authorities. This approach is already being taken in the other two mass transit recommendations for Glasgow (STPR2 Recommendation 11) and Aberdeen (STPR2 Recommendation 13).

Whilst STPR2 provides the strategic business case for enhancing the cross-boundary mass transit public transport system for the whole Edinburgh and South East region, the outline business case for Recommendation 12 remains to be developed.

The next appropriate step in this process will include agreement on a suitable way forward for development of the project, therefore Transport Scotland continues to work collaboratively with and advise the local authorities and SEStran on the mobilisation of this recommendation.

Phase one of the Highland Main Line Improvement Project was delivered in December 2012, increasing services from 9 to 11 trains per day in each direction, and reducing journey times by an average of 6 minutes at a cost of £1.2 million.

Highland Mainline Improvement Project Phase Two was completed in March 2019 at a cost of £57m. This phase delivered signalling upgrades at Aviemore and Pitlochry stations, along with an extension of the passing loop at Aviemore and the reconfiguration and extension of the platforms at Pitlochry. The infrastructure work delivered already and an integrated approach to passenger and freight timetable patterns have created capacity for additional rail freight on the Highland Main Line.

There are no active enhancement projects on the Highland Main Line. However, Transport Scotland continues to revise its programme of works against priorities in the context of available funding. This ensures Transport Scotland can deliver the right projects at the right time as it seeks to progress its rolling programme of decarbonisation, whilst also delivering rail passenger and freight services that meet user expectations.

STPR2 follows the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG). STAG is based on HM Treasury’s Green Book “5 Case Model” for business cases, developed for use in Scotland. A transport appraisal using STAG generally considers the strategic and socio-economic cases to assess whether potential options for programmes/projects are likely to meet intended objectives and deliver intended benefits, such as environmental, economic, social impacts relative to anticipated cost.

The evidence from STPR2 demonstrates the Strategic Business Case for the recommendations. Improving health and wellbeing, taking climate action and supporting sustainable economic development are three of the five STPR2 objectives against which all recommendations are appraised. The outcome of these can be found in the appraisal summary tables for each recommendation Final technical report - December 2022 - STPR2 | Transport Scotland .

STPR2 is a national level appraisal and the benefits were identified through a mix of qualitative assessment and quantitative results from transport modelling, suitable for the strategic case of investment decision making. The cost estimates are also in line with the strategic nature of the appraisal. More detailed appraisal and cost benefit analysis for each transport intervention will be undertaken as part of Outline and Final Business Case work.

Programmes of routine maintenance on all trunk roads are developed based on need and are delivered on a prioritised based within the limits of available funding. On occasion other programmes of work, for example road safety, may recommend works that upgrade trunk road signage and road markings.

A number of schemes have been completed on the recently through this budget as part of a package of short term works to improve safety prior to the dualling of the remainder of the A9. Cyclic maintenance is also carried out across trunk roads. This work including grass cutting at junctions to keep visibility splays clear and bollard cleaning to maintain their reflectivity.

The following list highlights a diverse range of schemes currently being prepared for the A9:

• A9 Pitlochry Hospital signs – sign renewal in advance of the southbound off slip and the northbound off slip to Pitlochry. This work is provisionally programmed between 29-04-24 and 03-05-24.
• A9 Inshes countdown signs – replacement of countdown marker signs in advance of the Inshes junction (northbound off slip). This work is provisionally programmed between 27-05-24 and 31-05-24.
• A9 South of Bogbain junction ditching. This drainage work is provisionally programmed between 08-07-24 and 12-07-24.

Additional routine maintenance schemes may be developed and delivered this financial year. This will depend on feedback from weekly inspections and perceived need.

The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands launched the Small Producer Pilot Fund in December 2023 with £180,000 of funding in financial year 2023-2024 for two small-scale abattoir projects, a new information resource webpage for small producers, to develop a framework to assess small producer data, and to procure a service to deliver training courses for small producers. We are currently assessing the outcomes of the abattoir work and the website will launch shortly. This Government remains fully committed to supporting economically active small producers with £1 million in 2024-25 through the Small Producer Pilot Fund.