The mental health support for police officers and police staff is a matter for the Chief Constable.

In line with Police Scotland’s ‘People Strategy 2024–27’, a ‘Health and Wellbeing Action Plan’ was developed by Police Scotland to provide officers and staff with a range of tools and services that will enable them to take positive action in relation to their health and wellbeing.

In relation to pay for officers and staff, claims are currently being taken through the appropriate negotiating mechanisms, those being, the Police Negotiating Board for Scotland (PNBS) for Police Officers and the Joint Negotiating and Consultative Committee (JNCC) for Police Staff. The PNBS is undertaking a period of conciliation and if agreement can still not be reached, the two Sides of the PNBS would enter into an arbitration process through ACAS. Police Staff pay is also going through a process of negotiation and conciliation; this is a matter for Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority.

Scottish Government regularly reviews the Scottish Ambulance Service - Special Operations Response Team (SORT) arrangements as part of an agreed Service Level Agreement. This ensures delivery of SORT capabilities are maintained across Scotland.

The deployment of vessels is a matter for the Operator. CalMac Ferries Limited, could only allow 48 hours to ensure they were able to inform communities what changes were planned, and could be implemented in the short timeframe available.

Decisions on deployment of vessels and service provision are for the operator to manage. There are real challenges currently for CalMac in deploying the fleet as a result of vessels being out of service due to technical issues and the impact of annual overhauls.

I understand CalMac have been able re-instate some of the cancelled Monday sailings to Colonsay throughout the Winter Timetable.

We continue to impress upon CalMac the importance of finding the best available solution for the ferry network as a whole.

Under the current Clyde and Hebrides ferry contract there is no requirement for CalMac to report this detail. Therefore, the Scottish Government does not hold this information. The booking system, its management and operation is a matter for CalMac.

The Scottish Government notes the report commissioned by ASLEF and its findings. Every worker should be able to work with dignity and this includes having an access to toilet facilities. The report findings are for train operating companies, as employers to consider.

We welcome CALL Scotland’s 2023/24 annual report and value the ongoing work they do to provide specialist expertise in support of children and young people with additional support needs who need Inclusive Digital Technology and/or Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

The Scottish Government grant fund CALL Scotland £367,177 per year to have a positive and enabling impact on the provision of support to children and young people with these specific learning needs.

CALL Scotland are represented on the ASL Network and the National Strategic Commissioning Group, and we value their input and expertise in this important area of support for children and young people.

This is an operational matter for train operating companies and those managing railway stations in Scotland.

The Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 established the discretionary power for local authorities to implement road user charging schemes, including congestion charging and they are best placed to determine whether a local road user charging scheme supports the objectives set out in their local transport strategy.

Any approach should support our shared ambition to a Just Transition to Net Zero, taking into account the needs of those who may be less able to reduce car use, such as carers and those living with a disability, or in rural locations.

As outlined in our draft route map to reduce car use, the scale of the challenge means that we need to take forward a broad combination of interventions, including infrastructure, incentives and regulatory actions. We continue to work closely with local and regional partners to update the route map and will be published on completion of this engagement. We work with all local authorities to support equitable measures which encourage active travel and accompany greater investment in public transport for a fairer and greener transport system in order to ensure a just transition to net zero.

The Scottish Government highly values the vital support independent hospices provide to people and their families, as well as supporting other health and social care services and teams delivering palliative care and care around dying.

We know Scottish Hospices have been facing financial pressures due to rising costs including costs associated with providing Agenda for Change (AfC) pay parity. We have listened to these concerns, and that is why in the Scottish Budget published on 4 December we set out a commitment to provide £4 million for the hospice sector in 2025-26. From 2025-26 we will align the support we provide for pay uplifts in the Hospice sector to the outcomes of the NHS Agenda for Change negotiations. This will ensure that hospices will get the additional funding needed to see their healthcare staff match pay increases with NHS staff.