We are not able to provide this information due to commercial sensitivity however a total of 14 suppliers were in attendance at the meeting.

We are deeply concerned about these reports. The only nutrition suitable for babies under 6 months is breastmilk or first stage formula milk.

Parents should be advised to speak to a health professional for further advice and support for breastfeeding or safe formula feeding, and can be directed to their local authority for crisis funding in an emergency. Food banks are not a safe, secure or sustainable route to accessing infant formula milk.

We continue to work with partners to ensure that our financial supports, such as Best Start Foods, Best Start Grants and the Scottish Child Payment, are maximising the support available for families to live dignified lives and meet their basic needs. It is crucial that families follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to make up baby’s formula feeds safely. We have adapted existing information for safe formula feeding on our Formula feeding | Parent Club website and are promoting this through our social media channels.

The Scottish Government will give full consideration to the case for establishing a register of quarries as part of the work underway to develop plans for a devolved replacement for the UK Aggregates Levy.

The Scottish Government has not allocated funding nor spent any money on this.

Information on Ministerial engagements is routinely published on the Scottish Government website and can be found at: www.gov.scot/collections/ministerial-engagements-travel-and-gifts/ .

Information on Ministerial engagements prior to May 2016 can be found at: Ministerial Engagements (webarchive.org.uk)

Visits are not recorded by parliamentary region. The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The Scottish Government is actively engaging with Transform Scotland, and other key stakeholders, as we progress our Fair Fares Review, which is being undertaken to ensure a sustainable and integrated approach to public transport fares. I thank Transform Scotland for their interest in this work and contribution via their report. Transport Scotland will consider its findings and recommendations as part of the Fair Fares Review.

In the meantime, we have announced as part of the Fair Fares Review, a pathfinder pilot project to remove peak fares from Scotrail services for a trial period. This is in addition to a range of actions already being taken to widen access and maintain the affordability of public transport.

• Up to 2.3 million people in Scotland are now able to access free bus travel through the scheme for older and disabled people and for those aged under 22.
• We are supporting the growth of smart and integrated ticketing and payment in Scotland, including funding the growth of contactless payments on buses, enhancing journey planning information, including on fares, and progressing measures in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 to improve consistency and integration.
• We have frozen rail fares until at least March 2023 and, likewise, we have intervened to hold fares in the northern isles ferry network at current levels until the end of March 2023.

I have been clear that we will make full use of all of the powers available to us, including legislation if necessary, to find solutions for homeowners living in buildings with potentially unsafe cladding. This includes encouraging cooperation from developers. Specific proposals would be brought forward through a formal consultation process.

Homelessness data, which includes information about temporary accommodation placements, is available for all local authorities from 2017-18. The following table shows the median total time in days spent in temporary accommodation for households with homelessness applications that closed in each year from 2017/18 by household type. The figures are based on homelessness applications with at least one associated temporary accommodation placement.

Median total time (days) spent in temporary accommodation, by household type: 2017-18 to 2021-22

Transport Scotland, through its Operating Companies, consider local communities and affected businesses during the works planning and consultation process. For planned closures, consultation with the community and business groups is undertaken as part of the planning process, to consider the specific concerns and needs of those parties. Where possible, works are scheduled to avoid busier periods and times. This helps to minimise impacts on road users, businesses and local communities, with operating company contracts including specific times on certain routes where planned works are to be avoided.

Work is underway to consider options for changes to Council Tax, reflecting the current circumstances created by the cost crisis. Central to this, the Programme for Government 2022-23 committed to establishing a working group to oversee deliberative engagement on local government funding, including Council Tax.

The Joint Working Group has commenced its work and within its remit has begun to consider the provision of powers to allow local authorities to increase the rate of Council Tax on second and empty homes to support best use of existing housing stock. We will take account of the Group’s conclusions in developing proposals for public engagement and consultation on the matter.