The use of products containing asbestos was banned in the UK in 1999. However, it is still found in buildings and there are strict guidelines about removing asbestos safely. Work with asbestos generally requires a license and the use of strict control measures, including using personal protective equipment. This restriction on asbestos exposure aims to reduce incidence and death from asbestos-related diseases. Between 2010 and 2019, the risk of dying from mesothelioma decreased for both men (30%) and women (29%).

The Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament has a strong record of supporting those who have been negligently exposed to asbestos and their relatives. Significant provision regarding the law on damages for personal injuries has been made, including introducing the Rights of Relatives to Damages (Mesothelioma) (Scotland) Act 2007, the Damages (Asbestos-related Conditions) (Scotland) Act 2009, and supporting the Damages (Scotland) Act 2011.

The RPW scheme is intended to provide police officers with a timely and proportionate means of dealing with offending which meet the criteria of being lower-level offending in terms of the Lord Advocate’s guidelines.

Those guidelines provide general principles which should be followed when an officer is considering whether to issue an RPW.

Officers have operational discretion to issue an RPW if they consider that appropriate in all the circumstances. An alternative would be for the officer to report the matter to the Procurator Fiscal.

Although the Lord Advocate’s guidelines are confidential, Police Scotland’s published guidance provides additional instruction to officers on when RPWs can be used.

The Scottish Government remains committed to implementing NHS dental payment reform on 1 November 2023 which will retain independent dental practices as the mainstay of NHS provision. Payment reform will also continue to comprise fee-per-item, capitation and allowance payments within a blended model.

In bringing forward payment reform, Scottish Government is seeking to address how best to maximise patient care and access to NHS dental services within a challenging financial position, and ensure value-for-money to the public sector. It is our view this can only be done by maintaining the blended system of payment, and our engagement with the sector during the development of reform has shown that dentists prefer being able to determine their own income and workload through the fee-per-item model.

The Scottish Government is currently responding to the committee’s letter in full, and this response will be published in due course.

We have been working closely with COSLA and other stakeholders over the summer and will publish the first Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan and accompanying Workforce Action Plan in Autumn 2023.

I refer the member the answer to question S6W-21021 on 19 September 2023. 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 .

Scottish Ministers agreed to HSE refusing the 2023 emergency authorisation application for the use of the herbicide Asulox, to control bracken, because of the risks it poses to the environment and human health.

There is no reason to suggest compensation for previous users would be necessary. Asulox has been withdrawn in the UK for over 15 years. For the last 10 years it has been approved annually as part of an emergency authorisation, for limited and controlled use each season. HSE consider each application on a case-by-case basis against the legislative requirements, and this year considered that it did not meet the regulatory requirements for authorisation. There is no obligation to grant an emergency authorisation and it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide all relevant information to justify the need for emergency use.

Support for bracken control through the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) has continued for 2023. Contracts for chemical and mechanical bracken control were issued from the 2022 round of AECS which commenced in 2023. Where contract holders had intended to undertake chemical control, we have offered flexibility to allow mechanical or manual activity.

The Scottish Government recognises the role that Asulox has played in recent years in the control of bracken in Scotland. We recently held a bracken roundtable to work with stakeholders to identify priority actions to allow for the safe control of bracken, where land managers deem it necessary.

The most recent CAMHS statistics show that the number of patients starting treatment within 18 weeks of referral did in fact increase in quarter ending June 2023, and in comparison with the same quarter the previous year.

3,760 children and young people (CYP) started treatment within 18 weeks of referral during the quarter ending June 2023, a 3.0% increase from the previous quarter (3,652) and a 5.7% increase from the same quarter in the previous year (3,557).

This is the second highest number of patients starting treatment within 18 weeks of referral for any quarter since 2019 . While the number of patients being seen is increasing, this is not yet reflected in performance against the standard as Boards also continue to work to treat those who have had longer waits.

All NHS Scotland Boards are providing support for children and young people with long COVID.

Assessment and initial investigation is being provided by local primary care teams, who can give advice and guidance about the management of symptoms and any potential treatment options for these in the first instance. Primary care clinicians can refer to occupational therapy and physiotherapy for further support where appropriate. In cases where referral to secondary care is required, children and young people may be referred to general paediatric services for investigation and management.

Free Personal and Nursing Care, Scotland, 2022-23, is a statistical publication which presents the latest client and expenditure figures for Free Personal and Nursing Care (FPNC). The data collection does not include information which would allow us to identify why those 25% were not in receipt of FNPC payments.

In Scotland, FPNC is available to all adults, regardless of their age, and is provided based on an assessment of need by the Local Authority.

Although Care at Home may include personal and nursing care, it may also take the form of other support services which sit outwith Free Personal Care legislation.

This information is not held centrally.

The Single Use Carrier Bags Charge (Scotland) Regulations 2014 (legislation.gov.uk) sets out the record-keeping requirements in respect of bags charged for. There is no requirement to report the data to a third party, only to produce the data, if required by the enforcement authority. The overall purpose of the charge is to reduce carrier bag usage rather than generate funds.