Chamber and committees

The replacement of train fleets in Scotland, including the HSTs, is aligned with the phases of the Decarbonisation Action Plan, a link to which is provided here:- Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan | Transport Scotland

This timescale is of course subject to continuous review in line with delivering the decarbonisation of the rail network in Scotland affordably and practicably and any other relevant developments, including recommendations arising from the Steering Groups considering the recommendations of, and subsequent analysis from the recent RAIB report into the Carmont accident.

The concept design for the Small Vessel Replacement Programme is set to be completed by the end of 2022 with the Single Procurement Document (Scotland) set to issue at the same time.

There continues to be an increase in the prison population since the easing of lockdown, which has been largely driven by growth in the remand population. We continue to monitor the prison population to ensure prisons remain safe and well ordered.

We are taking actions and working towards using imprisonment only for those who pose a risk of serious harm and only be contemplated where absolutely necessary.

We are making a total investment of over £3.1 billion in 2022-23 to strengthen and reform vital services across the justice sector including substantial expansion of community justice services supporting diversion from prosecution, alternatives to remand and community sentencing.

The Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill was introduced to Scottish Parliament on 8 June 2022. The provisions of this Bill are intended to introduce a number of reforms designed to deliver on the Scottish Government’s commitment to refocus how imprisonment is used. They are intended to ensure that, as much as possible, the use of custody for remand is a last resort for the court, and to give a greater focus to the rehabilitation and reintegration of individuals leaving custody.

We are also investing over £500 million in the prison estate over this parliamentary term which will allow the Scottish Prison Services to meet the needs of the diverse prison population, realise the associated benefits and ensure equality of access to regimes and services.

Since the answer to question S6W-08638, the Scottish Breast Screening Programme has continued work towards the restart of self-referrals for those over 71, and these are on-track to recommence by Autumn 2022.

Commencement will be done in a careful, phased way to ensure that it does not unduly impact screening on the eligible cohort of 50-70, for whom the benefits of breast screening are clear.

I will update parliament with further details on the plans in the coming weeks.

The information that has been requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

Official statistical reports relating to the Scottish Ambulance Service can be found on the following link. Public Health Scotland .

The Scottish Government launched the Social Care Staff Support Fund on 25 June 2020 to ensure that social care workers receive their expected income should they be off ill or self-isolating due to coronavirus.

Staffing costs claimed through sustainability payments encompass the Social Care Staff Support Fund, the staff movement policy and other additional staffing arrangements therefore, we do not have data broken down to the level that you have requested. The guidance for the financial support for social care providers recommends a light touch approach to gathering evidence, recognising the administrative burden of claiming additional costs on both commissioners and providers alike, whilst they respond to the pandemic.

Feedback from stakeholders confirms that the Social Care Staff Support Fund has been utilised to prevent financial hardship for eligible social care workers.

The need for Low Emission Zones (LEZs) is for individual local authorities to consider based on specific air quality parameters within their respective areas. To date no LEZ proposals have been submitted for Ministerial approval by Highland Council.

Any local authority considering the introduction of a LEZ would undertake an assessment in accordance with the National Low Emission Framework (NLEF).

Highland Council carried out an NLEF assessment in 2020 and concluded that existing measures contained within their Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP), along with other local measures, would be sufficient to improve air quality within Inverness.

There are no plans to review home educated pupils' entitlement to free school meals at present. Free school meals are not normally provided for children and young people whose parents have chosen to home educate them, as the local authority is not responsible for providing their education. Free school meals would only be provided to children and young people who are not receiving their education at a local authority run school if they had entered into an agreement to do so through their local authority. The Scottish Government is not normally made aware of these arrangements.

Local authorities have the flexibility to make discretionary offers of free school meals to families experiencing financial hardship due to exceptional circumstances if they do not meet the regular eligibility criteria. We would urge any families who are home educating their children and experiencing financial hardship to contact their local authority to enquire about what alternative forms of assistance might be available to them.

Families can also access Money Talk Team, a free service provided by Citizen’s Advice on behalf of the Scottish Government that helps to ensure that families are receiving all available benefits and are not paying more than is required for services. More information about this service can be found online at https://moneytalkteam.org.uk/ or by calling their free phone helpline on 0800 085 7145.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-09230 on 11 July 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 .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-09230 on 11 July 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 .