Chamber and committees

Details on the number of firefighters, appliances and fire stations are included in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Fire Safety and Organisational Statistics and is published on its public website.

http://www.firescotland.gov.uk/about-us/fire-and-rescue-statistics.aspx

The future numbers of fire fighters, appliances and fire stations is an operational matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

In ChargePlace Scotland (CPS) (www.chargeplacescotland.org), we already have one of the most comprehensive EV networks in Europe, with over 700 public charge points, including over 175 rapid chargers. Since 2012 the Scottish Government has invested approximately £15 million in the development of this network. Grant funding has been provided to all 32 Scottish local authorities to install charge points in town centres and in public car parks. Furthermore, the Energy Saving Trust (EST) administrate grant funding for the provision of charge points on non-local authority land such as local businesses, commercial operators and local attractions. The EST also manage funding for domestic charge points.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has 21 training facilities.

National

SFRS National Training Centre, Westburn Drive, Cambuslang, G72 7NA.

North Service Delivery Area

SFRS College Perth, 401 High St, Perth, PH1 1PL.

Dundee Airport Training Facility, Riverside Drive, Dundee DD2 1UH.

Blackness Rd Fire Station & Local Training Facility, Dundee DD1 5PA.

MacAlpine Rd Fire Station & Local Training Facility, Dundee DD3 8SA.

Kingsway East Fire Station & Local Training Facility, Dundee DD4 7RX.

Arbroath Fire Station & Local Training Facility, Arbroath DD11 1EU.

Fort William Fire Station & Local Training Facility, Fort William PH33 6FB

Invergordon Training Facility, Academy Road, Invergordon, IV18 0LB.

Sumburgh Airport Training Facility, Sumburgh, Shetland Islands ZE3 9JP.

Stornoway Airport Training Facility, Stornoway, Western Isles. HS2 OBN.

SFRS Training College, Portlethan, AB12 4RR.

East Service Delivery Area

SFRS Training Facility - Strathore Road, Thornton, KY1 4DF.

Newcraighall Fire Station & Local Training Facility, E821 8QS

Stirling Fire Station & Local Training Facility, KF8 1TH

West Service Delivery Area

Oban Training Facility, Soroba Rd, Oban, PA34 5SB.

SFRS Garroch Training Facility, Cargenbridge, Dumfries, DG2 8PN.

Maryhill Fire Station & Local Training Facility, Glasgow, G20 7TL

Cowcaddens Fire Station & Local Training Facility, Glasgow, G4 0ES

Kilmarnock Fire Station & Local Training Facility, KA1 4HL

Draghorn Training Facility, 7 Corsehill Mount Rd, Dreghorn, KA11 4JZ.

The Scottish Government is not a participant in pay negotiations with the Fire Brigades Union. Pay is a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service as the employer.

The costs of the fire training facility will be market tested by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) prior to commencement of the works. The SFRS estimate that the cost will be between £11m and £12m.

Planning permission for this project has not yet been fully granted by the City of Edinburgh Council but SFRS anticipate that the facility will be operational by the summer of 2019.

Scottish Ministers have no direct role in the support of children and young people with differences of sexual development. The medical treatment or support of children, adolescents and adults with differences of sexual development is an operational matter for NHS Scotland. NHS National Services Scotland facilitate a national managed clinical network of healthcare professionals specialising in differences of sex development, and there are several specialist multi-disciplinary clinics across Scotland. The network aims to ensure equity of high quality care is provided across Scotland.

My answer to S5W-12802 on 29 November 2017, explains that we will shortly publish a consultation seeking views about the actions needed to address the issues experienced by intersex people/people with differences of sexual development and their families. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

The Scottish Government has not provided any direct financial support to organisations that support intersex people/people with differences of sexual development.

In 2014, the Scottish Government added intersex (I) to its sexual orientation and gender identity (LGBT) equality approach. In each of the years 2015-16, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018, funding of £45,000 per annum has been allocated to the Equality Network for their intersex equality project. Rather than providing direct support to intersex people/people with differences of sexual development, this funding supports national work to facilitate engagement between intersex people, equality organisations, the NHS and other service providers to help inform and develop a shared understanding of intersex equality, rights and inclusion priorities as well as supporting intersex people to engage in equality policy and good practice development.

We recognise that people who have a difference of sexual development may not identify with the term 'intersex'.

My answer to S5W-12802 on 29 November 2017 explains that the Scottish Government will publish a consultation seeking views about the actions needed to address the issues experienced by intersex people/people with differences of sexual development and their families. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

In the Fairer Scotland Action Plan, we committed to reforming gender recognition law so it is in line with international best practice for people who are transgender or intersex.

Intersex people/people with differences of sexual development face issues that are distinct from those experienced by transgender people, and those issues go beyond legal gender recognition. For those reasons, we have decided that we should consult separately on these issues. We expect to publish a consultation shortly seeking views about the actions needed to address the issues experienced by intersex people, people with differences of sexual development and their families.

'Intersex' and 'differences of sexual development' both refer to variations in the chromosomal, genital or other physical sexual characteristics that people are born with. These may differ from the conventional ideas about male or female bodies.

The Scottish Government considers these terms to be synonymous, and we recognise that people will describe their variation – and themselves – in different ways.