Chamber and committees

I refer the member to answer to question S5W-20134 on 4 December 2018. 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 .

Corporate insolvency is largely reserved – although the Agency records numbers of receiverships and liquidations, the Agency does not deal with such cases itself.

Details of the returns to creditors from the statutory debt management and relief products overseen by the Agency are set out in the Agency’s Annual Report available on its website at www.aib.gov.uk . These cases generally relate to individuals, but include certain trading entities including unincorporated bodies, partnerships and sole traders. Comparable data is not available before 2015-16.

The amounts are set out in the following table.

Over 1.6 million vaccines have been procured for this year’s seasonal flu programme – 200,000 additional flu vaccines more than last year. This is enough vaccine for 80% of all eligible age groups.

The seasonal and childhood flu vaccination programmes run from October to March with free flu vaccination being offered to over 2 million people.

The number of (a) female and (b) male retail apprenticeships over each of the last five years are detailed in the following table:

In order to meet increased early demand for quadrivalent vaccine, recommended for patients in the 18-64 age group an additional 101,500 doses were ordered which have already been made available to GPs.

The most recent Scottish data available on uptake of flu vaccination is available at https://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/resp/influenzareports.aspx  

Information on delays within the Scottish Breast Screening programme are recorded by six regional Breast Screening centres.

As of September 2018, the delays range from 1 to 2 weeks ahead of schedule to 23 weeks over. Delays can vary from centre to centre and across the mobile units managed by each screening centre. Delay is monitored locally and reported monthly to National Services division who commission and manage the programme. The screening centres are required to submit a robust action plan detailing the initiatives and timescales to reduce delays.

The reasons for delays are multi factorial and may include increases in the eligible population to be invited, changes at GP practice level, staffing or equipment issues and adverse weather events.

This Government has always prioritised tackling fuel poverty and is committed to ensuring that everyone in Scotland lives in a warm home that is affordable to heat, no matter where they live.

We are on track to deliver our 2016 Programme for Government commitment to make half a billion pounds available over the 4 years to 2021 to tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency.