Chamber and committees

The Statement of Dental Remuneration has been amended over the time period since January 2017 and now. The list of treatments in January 2017 is reflected in Amendment 133 and the current list is described in 158. These can be viewed at Statement of Dental Remuneration | Scottish Dental .

In summary, the range of care and treatment is broadly similar in both versions, however, a significant reform was delivered in February 2022 (amendment 155) which aligned child and adult examination appointments through an enhanced fee.

The number of ScotGEM students expected to graduate in AY 2022-23 cannot be confirmed until the academic year concludes. There are, however, 46 students currently in their final year of the course who will be eligible to graduate in summer 2023.

52 students graduated from the ScotGEM course in June 2022. This is the first cohort of students that have graduated since the course commenced in 2018.

The first cohort of ScotGEM students graduated from the four-year course in June 2022. These graduates must now undertake two years of Foundation training before they are eligible to apply for specialty training posts. We therefore will not know how many ScotGEM students have entered General Practice Speciality Training until 2024.

The Scottish Government’s Infrastructure Investment Plan, published in 2011, stated that the Highland Main Line (HML) Rail Improvement project would be completed in phases between 2014 and 2025.

Phase one was delivered as planned 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.

HML 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, enabling simultaneous arrival of trains at both these stations.

In line with a recommendation from the draft Strategic Transport Project Review 2, Network Rail is developing proposals for the lengthening of several passing loops along the line to enable longer and more frequent freight and passenger services. These proposals will then be considered by Transport Scotland, taking into account the usual affordability and value for money considerations.

Achieving freight modal shift from road to rail has been recognised as a key component in achieving carbon reductions within Scotland’s transport system. A single freight train can typically remove 76 HGVs from adjacent roads, reducing congestion and improving safety. 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 and discussions with key rail freight customers are underway to use this capacity.

We remain committed to the expansion of universal free school meals in primary schools. In the Scottish budget for 2023-24, we announced additional investment of £16 million in revenue funding and £80 million in capital funding for free school meal expansion. This will continue to fund the next phase of our expansion, which will be targeted to Primary 6 and 7 pupils in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment, helping children most in need first. This will be the next step in fulfilling our commitment to universal provision of free school meals in primary schools.

The Community Land Scotland Gaelic Development Officer was a partnership arrangement between Bòrd na Gidhlig and Community Land Scotland and any funding is a matter for their decision-making processes.

Community Land Scotland Gaelic Development Officer post was a pilot project that was run in partnership between Bòrd na Gidhlig and Community Land Scotland . This project is now being evaluated and the report is expected in February 2023. This evaluation report will help inform future funding initiatives in our Gaidhlig communities.

The Scottish Government is in regular contact with COSLA regarding the expansion of free school meals.

As part of our planning with local authorities for free school meal expansion, we will consider the arrangements to pilot universal free school meals in secondary schools.

The 2023-24 budget has made provision for £185.8 million to be allocated to local authorities for free school meals.

All food and drink served in education authority and grant aided schools must meet the standards set out in the 'Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2020' to ensure that pupils receive a balanced and nutritious meal that supports healthy growth and development.