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Since the Foundation Apprenticeship Programme started in 2016, 227 pupils have started the Civil Engineering Foundation Apprenticeship framework.

Skills Development Scotland does not report which schools offered the Civil Engineering framework but rather how many pupils commenced the framework at the beginning of the academic year.

Scottish Government has noted with interest the recent trial looking at whether testing for levels of placenta growth factor (PlGF) reduces the risk of women developing severe pre-eclampsia and we will consider its place in the care of pregnant women in Scotland in discussion with other relevant organisations.

There are strict maximum permitted levels of nitrites that can be used by the manufacturers of cured meat products. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reviewed nitrites as food additives in April 2017 and concluded that it was not necessary to change previously set statutory safe levels. Food Standards Scotland advice remains that the use of nitrates and nitrites in food remains safe when used in accordance with regulatory limits prescribed in food additives legislation.

All hospital food must meet national Food, Fluid and Nutrition standards. This takes into account the latest scientific advice on the amount of red and processed meat that can be consumed for a healthy, balanced diet. Health Boards are responsible for ensuring that food provided meets these and all other relevant standards and under the NHS Scotland procurement framework all suppliers must adhere to all relevant requirements including those under the Food Safety Act (as amended) 1990 and Scottish/UK/EU food safety related regulations.

Officials have been working with partners to establish the appropriate funding model for distribution of the resource to education authorities. It is anticipated that this will be agreed and the resource distributed in Spring 2019. It will be for local authorities to make decisions on how best to deliver the service in their local area, building on effective arrangements that may already be in place. We remain on course for delivering the commitment set out in the Programme for Government by September 2020.

These services are intended to be linked into the local service delivery model to enable appropriate links to be made to family services, social work and health services including CAMHS, where appropriate.

Initial investment of £26.7 million was allocated to NHS Boards, including the Golden Jubilee National Hospital, in 2018/19 – see table for breakdown of funding awarded to individual Health Boards.

This funding was used to support a range of actions and put in place additional capacity aimed at reducing waiting lists.

Funding decisions for 2019/20 are currently under consideration.

Breakdown of funding awarded to NHS Boards

Between July 2018 and February 2019, 344 women from the Moray area gave birth at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and 23 women gave birth at Raigmore Hospital, compared to 215 births at Dr Grays Hospital.

Between July 2018 and January 2019, 98 pregnant women were transferred by ambulance to Aberdeen Maternity Hospital and 21 to Raigmore, this includes pregnant women who were transferred for other complications (not intrapartum).

The Scottish Government has no current plans to introduce a sunshine act.

Following the Scottish Parliament’s closure of Petition PE01493 in March 2016, the Scottish Government scoped out a range of options to consider what appropriate actions may be possible, whilst ensuring that any realistic options would require to be proportionate and respectful of NHS resources.

On 19 March 2018 a joint letter was issued by Scottish Government senior health professionals (Chief Medical Officer, Chief Pharmaceutical officer, Chief Nursing Officer, Chief Dental Officer and Chief Health Professions Officer) to all appropriate Scottish healthcare professionals to support and encourage the adoption of the principles within a UK-wide joint statement published by the Chief Executives of statutory regulators of health and care professionals. This action was taken to raise awareness of the way in which our health professionals should be managing competing interests, as well as promoting the existing emphasis on openness and avoiding inappropriate influence.

Around 10,000 people under the age of 65 received personal care prior to April 2019. Around a third already received personal care free due to their incomes falling below the thresholds at which local authorities begin to charge. Now everyone under 65 who needs personal care will receive it free.

We estimate up to 3,000 people under 65 who currently do not receive personal care could come forward following the extension.

The impact that free personal care may make to a person’s social care charges will depend on each individual’s care package, means and local authority charging policy. If personal care is part of that package, the individual will receive this element free.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-22428 on 15 April 2019 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/ormain.aspx

While information on backlog maintenance is collected and published in the NHS Scotland Assets and Facilities Report, it is not collected in this level of detail. As such, the information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government and would require to be obtained from each Health Board.

Information on level and category of backlog maintenance is published in the NHS Scotland Assets and Facilities Report. The latest report is available online: https://www.gov.scot/publications/annual-state-nhsscotland-assets-facilities-report-2017/pages/2/