Chamber and committees

We are working with operators to monitor the impact on service levels and changes in vacancy levels. My officials are also in regular contact with the Department for Transport regarding issues about delays to licence applications and driver testing, which have affected recruitment and training.

In addition, officials across the Scottish Government are working with the bus sector to facilitate solutions to workforce issues through the Labour and Skills Shortages Action Plan, and connecting Local Employability Partnerships (LEPs) who are aware of opportunities in their areas with bus service operators (through the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT)).

Examples of good practice are being shared across the network of both LEPs and members of CPT to encourage more local level collaboration that matches the needs in each area. For example, all LEPs have been made aware of the successful recruitment fairs run for McGills/Xplore Dundee by Dundee LEP.

The Heat in Buildings Strategy confirms our intention to introduce – subject to consultation – regulations requiring Scotland’s homes and other buildings to meet EPC Band C equivalent, where that is technically feasible and cost effective. We also plan to regulate to ensure that buildings use zero emissions heating and cooling systems by 2045.

While the Strategy is clear that these regulations will apply to traditional and heritage buildings, we recognise that regulating and improving these buildings will present specific challenges and may require a bespoke approach. We will work with stakeholders including Historic Environment Scotland to consider what specific support and measures may be needed with respect to such buildings.

We plan to consult during 2022 on our proposals for regulating energy efficiency and zero emissions heating.

HIAL’s Air Traffic Management 2030 Strategy (ATMS) is a long-term programme consisting of numerous different individual projects. Some of these projects include one or more procurement exercises. Across the programme as a whole some procurement exercises have concluded, some are ongoing and some have not started yet.

Following the announcement of the joint agreement between HIAL and Prospect to establish a new way forward, HIAL contacted those companies involved in the Remote Tower procurement to confirm that the tender exercise had been cancelled. HIAL felt it would be inappropriate and unfair to expect tenderers to remain engaged in the procurement process in circumstances where the timescale for, and scope and extent of possible future remote air traffic provision is unclear.

Whilst currently closed to new applications, Places for Everyone continues to fund over 250 projects as they progress through stages of development. Officials have met regularly with Sustrans to ensure these existing projects maintain momentum, and also plan for new projects. Sustrans has confirmed that they will re-open for new applications by Summer 2022.

Our Single Building Assessment initial phase is ongoing with 25 buildings across Scotland. We do not expect any remediation will be required for the vast majority of high-rise or other buildings in Scotland.

The draft Budget for 2022-23 provides £40 million in support for bus services as patronage recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. This is in addition to the continuation of pre COVID bus service support funding of £53.5 million. Where coach operators run registered local bus services they may also be eligible for this support.

As we set out in our 2021 Programme for Government we will: ‘ deliver the recommendations of the Grouse Moor Management Review Group as a matter of urgency, including the licensing of grouse moors. Licensing or further regulation will cover the key areas identified in the review, including muirburn, wildlife control, the use of medicated grit and wildlife crime .’

The Grouse Moor Management Group chaired by Professor Werritty did not make any recommendations for a system to quantify and publish the number of gamebirds and other quarry species that are shot in Scotland each year and we have no plans to introduce such a system at present.

We are working with NatureScot to develop proposals for a licensing scheme for grouse moor businesses and it is conceivable that such a system might require records of quarry species shot on grouse moors. We will engage closely with relevant stakeholders as those proposals are developed.

The Scottish Government recognises that Complementary and Alternative Medicines Services (CAMS), may offer relief to some people suffering from a wide variety of conditions.

It is for individual NHS Boards to decide what complementary and alternative medicines/therapies they make available based on the needs of their resident populations and in line with national guidance.

The NHS Centre for Integrative Care (CIC) is a facility owned, operated and funded by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC). It offers people with long term conditions a range of services, including complementary, holistic and homeopathic treatments. Most patients referred to the centre are experiencing chronic pain, chronic low energy, and/or chronic low mood or anxiety.

There is a range of projects being undertaken in Scotland to explore the use of AI in further high-demand medical areas, ranging from robotic surgery to the use of virtual reality in supporting mental wellbeing is currently being researched, evaluated, and implemented in Scotland.

The Industrial Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research in Digital Diagnostics (iCAIRD) website provides more information:

iCAIRD – Industrial Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research in Digital Diagnostics .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04983 on 23 December 2021. 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 .