To date there have been two call-off contracts under the Multiple Supplier Framework Agreement for Maritime Consultancy Services. They have a combined total value of £82,170.

The Scottish Government’s position is that lifeline ferry services are classed as Services of Public Economic Interest under the UK Subsidy Control Act.

There are currently seven members of staff in the Scottish Government subsidy control team.

The Scottish Government’s position has been, and remains, focussed on the ‘whole cancer pathway’ which is why the 62-day standard is in place. This covers the period from an urgent suspicion of cancer (USC) referral from a primary care clinician to the start of treatment for Scotland’s most common cancers, including ovarian cancer.

The latest published statistics (July-September 2023) show the median time for an ovarian cancer patient from USC referral to first treatment is 51 days. Once a decision to treat is made, the median wait for treatment is 12 days for ovarian cancer patients.

Scottish Government officials meet with Boards’ Cancer Management Teams fortnightly (monthly for Island Boards) to ensure patients are moving timeously through these pathways and are treated as quickly as possible. Where cancer pathway challenges are identified, innovative solutions are explored and best practice shared from other areas.

We are investing £40 million over five years to support cancer services, with £10 million provided to Boards in 2023-24 alone.

The Scottish Government has fully funded Network Rail Scotland to meet the assessment of its requirements as carried out by the independent rail regulator for the next five year rail investment Control Period (2024-29).

The total funding for the rail sector in Scotland for financial year 2023-2024 alone is circa £1.4 billion. This is compared to pre-pandemic levels of around £1 billion, demonstrating a significant increase in investment by the Scottish Government.

Scottish Ministers’ priorities remain focussed on a high-performing, efficient and safe rail network. These objectives are fully aligned with ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper so that best value is secured for Scotland’s rail passengers, communities and businesses.

Where the ORR has determined increases in spend, such as operations to adapt to climate change, the Scottish Government has accepted and fully funded these recommendations, in order to strike the right balance in this Control Period among operations, maintenance and renewals.

We are currently working to establish the existing levels of awareness of stroke symptoms and FAST through polling research. More detailed research exploring awareness of stroke symptoms and FAST is planned following the conclusion of this work and this will help inform future public awareness campaign content.

The 2023 edition of The National Clinical Guideline for Stroke states that more research into improving public awareness, and the appropriate action upon suspecting a stroke, is needed. Regarding pre-hospital identification of stroke, the Guideline also states that further evidence is required before a recommendation regarding the use of other screening tools that screen for non-FAST stroke symptoms could be made.

We will regularly review this position based on the best available evidence. The National Advisory Committee for Stroke will be asked to review any emerging evidence regarding public awareness and stroke screening tools and provide advice to the Scottish Government regarding the most appropriate action.

This is a matter for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. The information requested is not held centrally.

This is a matter for each territorial NHS Board. The information requested is not held centrally.

Care and support for people with long COVID is being provided across the full range of services delivered by our NHS. This includes assessment in a setting close to home by local primary care teams, and referral to community-based rehabilitation services or secondary care settings for further investigation of specific complications where clinically appropriate.

In support of a range of priority commitments within Scotland’s population strategy , Scottish Government is developing a Talent Attraction and Migration Service, expected to launch in 2024. The service will help address Scotland's demographic challenges, attract and welcome more workers from outside Scotland with the skills that our economy will need and support those who have chosen to make Scotland their home.

The certification of a person’s death is a matter that falls solely within the clinical responsibility of medical practitioners, who require to be satisfied to the best of their knowledge and belief as to the cause of death.

Following a post mortem examination, the pathologist will ordinarily certify the cause of death. In some cases, an ‘interim’ death certificate is issued by the pathologist indicating that the cause of death is unascertained until the results of further analysis - including but not limited to histopathology, toxicology and neuropathology - are obtained. This certificate allows the death to be registered and the body to be released to the family to allow funeral arrangements to be made. Once all analysis has concluded and the final cause of death is confirmed, the interim death certificate is then amended. However, in a small percentage of cases the pathologist is unable to determine a cause of death even after all such analysis is done.

In relation to post mortem examinations instructed by COPFS from 1 January 2023 to 31 August 2023, the pathologist was unable to determine a cause of death after full analysis in 134 cases. It is not presently possible to confirm the number of examinations where a cause of death was able to be determined as, in some cases, the final post mortem report confirming the cause of death has not yet been finalised and only interim causes of death have been issued.

Where a pathologist is unable to determine a cause of death, they will include in their report as much information as possible about their findings to assist nearest relatives with possible explanations for the death having occurred. COPFS will provide that information to relatives when advising them of the final cause of death.