The full costs of the procurement for the seven vessels as part of the Small Vessels Replacement Programme are estimated to be around £175 million including the provision of harbour upgrades and shore power connections.

The split cannot be given at this time given the live procurement of the programme and will only be known following the successful completion of the procurement exercise, anticipated March 2025.

The Scottish Government is already engaged in work to educate communities and businesses to recognise and support people with learning disabilities, autism and neurodivergence.

The differentminds website (Different Minds | Autism Scotland) was launched in 2020 to provide clearer information on autism. It aims to deliver a better understanding of autism and dispel myths surrounding it, leading to greater acceptance and increased awareness. The site and its resources have been co-produced with autistic people.

The Scottish Government also funds an organisation called Into Work, through the Autistic Adult Support Fund. This helps various organisations throughout the country to educate employers and offer support on how to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people or those with a long term health condition. Autistic people and their support needs have been both highlighted and supported by Into Work.

We are taking forward the Review of Supported Employment within Scotland (2021). This recommended that work continues to support the professionalisation of the supported employment workforce, including ensuring it is well equipped to provide appropriate support to people with learning disabilities.

The Scottish Government is taking a range of actions to encourage the employment of people with learning disabilities, autism and neurodivergence in the public sector, including investment of up to £90 million in employability services in the 2024-25 financial year.

We are delivering all-age, person-centred, tailored employability services to those further from the labour market, including people with learning disabilities, autism and neurodivergence, and those with health conditions, through locally designed services such as No One Left Behind.

Under No One Left Behind, participants can access person-centred support to gain employment, which includes roles within the public sector. From summer 2025 all local employability partnerships will have an enhanced specialist employability offer which may be beneficial for those with learning disabilities, autism and neurodivergence.

We are also undertaking work internally to encourage the employment of people with learning disabilities, autism and neurodivergence within the Scottish Government as a public sector body.

The Scottish Government launched its Diversity and Inclusion Employer Strategy in April 2024. This sets out how the organisation will make further progress towards our employer equality outcomes. It is complemented by an action plan for 2024 - 2027 setting out what we will do to achieve this, and when we will do it. Improving the experience of disabled applicants and employees is an integral part of this plan, and employees who are neurodivergent, are autistic and/or have learning disabilities are a central focus of our activity.

The Scottish Government wants all children and young people to get the support that they need to reach their full learning potential and to do so it is important that pupils not only attend school but that they engage in their learning.

The Scottish Government is clear that parents and carers have a role to play in supporting young people to attend school. We recognise that parents have a legal duty to ensure that their child attends school. Included, Engaged and Involved Part 1, our national guidance on attendance, encourages education authorities and schools to engage with children, young people and families to support improved attendance and reduce absence. We know engagement with children, young people and families to understand and address barriers to regular attendance is the most effective way of addressing this issue.

The Scottish Government has been working intensely to address concerns about the impact of the pandemic on attendance. Education Scotland are working to deliver enhanced support for schools and local authorities in monitoring and tracking absence, to develop policy at school and local authority level to support improvements in attendance, and to provide practical support for local authorities who need it. The Scottish Government has also strengthened our understanding of the issue, through increased analysis of attendance data, such as the data on persistent absence published in March 2024. The Interim Chief Inspector has been tasked with ensuring persistent absence is addressed in every school inspection, and identifying successful approaches which can be shared more widely.

We are considering the findings on attendance within the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research and Education Scotland’s report ‘Improving Attendance: Understanding the Issues,” as part of the joint Scottish Government and COSLA action plan on relationships and behaviour, which published on 15 August.

The current estimate for the seven new vessels and related port works in SVRP Phase 1 is £175 million. CMAL are progressing the vessel procurement with a view to agreeing a contract around March in 2025. The project spend profile remains under review and will be subject to completion of appropriate procurement processes, agreement of delivery schedules with the successful shipyard and port works providers, and approvals from Ministers. Budget will be allocated annually as part of the normal budget process.

Scottish Government do not hold an estimate of the number of full-time equivalent nurses there will be in 2025-26.

Student number targets are set after extensive engagement with key stakeholders to provide stability across partners including higher education institutes.

Nursing Students graduate after 3 years, some take 4 or even 5 years, and as with all educational courses there is some attrition which makes it difficult to forecast the exact numbers of graduates.

The Scottish Government’s Education Analytical Services division conducts analysis on issues related to school attendance, including absence and attendance statistics. These statistics are collected and published annually. Additionally, our team regularly reviews both internal and external literature on school attendance, examining various types of attendance issues, the factors influencing attendance patterns, and interventions aimed at addressing these challenges.

While we continuously track attendance trends, we draw upon the latest academic studies and research to ensure our understanding of the consequences of long-term school absence remains current. This includes considering the immediate impact on academic performance as well as the broader social, emotional, and economic effects of school absence. Our work informs policies and strategies designed to mitigate these impacts and promote equitable outcomes for all learners.

The Scottish Government recognises the long-term impacts of persistent absence and is committed to improving school attendance. Following a comprehensive review by Education Scotland, five key recommendations were identified, including the need for tailored support in areas where attendance remains a challenge, and ensuring that children and young people's voices are central to solutions. An online support package has been developed for use by local authorities and schools. Education Scotland is also working with local authorities through the ‘Improving Attendance Quality Improvement Programme,’ launching in October. Additionally, the Chief Inspector for Education is focusing on persistent absence during inspections to identify and share successful strategies across Scotland.

The Scottish Government meets regularly with UK Government and UK Health Security Agency in response to Mpox.

The Scottish Government have not met with NHS Lanarkshire to discuss the prevention of Mpox. However, Public Health Scotland, who are leading on planning and preparedness in Scotland, are working closely with public health colleagues across the UK, as well as NHS Boards in Scotland, to monitor the situation and prepare for any cases that we might see.

Information of the number of teachers registered as supply teachers is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The member may wish to contact local authorities who directly employ our teachers.