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The percentage of school leavers attaining at least one qualification at SCQF 6 (Higher and equivalents) or better from 1998-99 to 2014-15 is shown in the following table.

Percentage of school leavers with one or more qualification at SCQF level six or better

Police Scotland managed a highly successful surrender campaign for those people who wished to hand in unwanted air weapons prior to the new licensing regime coming into effect on 31 December 2016. Across Scotland, 18,935 air weapons had been handed to Police Scotland between May and the end of December.

These guns were not held illegally prior to 31 December. Since that date, however, anyone who wishes to use, possess, purchase or acquire an air weapon must have an air weapon certificate, unless they are exempt under the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015. The legislation will assist the continuing efforts of the police to prevent and detect gun crime and seek the removal of guns from people who should not possess them.

Prison officers in Scotland are members of the UK-wide Civil Service Pension Scheme. I wrote to the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 8 July 2015 to express my concerns that prison officers are expected to continue working to State Pension Age whilst carrying out frontline operational duties.

Officials from the Scottish Government's Justice Directorate have contacted Ministry of Justice officials to seek an update following the Prison Officers Association’s recent decision in England and Wales to reject the UK Government's offer to lower the retirement age for certain prison officer grades.

In the three years up to 2015-16 the number of amalgam fillings provided under NHS general dental services has decreased year on year from 932,254 in 2013-14 to 887,047 in 2014-15 and 838,296 in 2015-16.

Baby boxes will be rolled out nationally from Summer 2017.

We will continue to support Scottish Canals to work in partnership with the local council and voluntary groups to restore and revitalise the remaining parts of the Monkland canal.

The Scottish Government has provided more than £18m to support infrastructure projects across North Lanarkshire since 2013-14. These projects were aimed at supporting local communities to regenerate the area, create jobs and deliver support for business. This includes two projects in Coatbridge.

Although responsibility for the delivery of telecommunications networks is currently a reserved matter, the Scottish Government has taken steps to assist with rollout of broadband during housing construction.

From 1 January 2017, amendments to the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004 set a standard for in-building physical infrastructure for high-speed electronic communications networks. This enables easier installation of fibre at any time (on or after completion) and applies to new homes and other buildings.

We have also discussed this issue with BT Openreach, whom, we understand, now offer to provide fibre to the premises (FTTP) connectivity to developments of 30 properties or more, and have a tariff proposal for smaller housing developments.

Scottish Government consider it a priority to design and implement a national inclusive trauma network that will save lives, deliver improved outcomes for injured patients and fully support them to quickly return to normal life. In May last year, Ministers set out this clear commitment which was subsequently included as a key outcome in the Programme for Government in 2016.

A National Trauma Network Implementation Group, chaired by the Chief Medical Officer Catherine Calderwood, has now developed high level plans for a Scottish Trauma Network. The Chief Medical Officer also visited clinicians and other healthcare professionals as well as the Scottish Ambulance Service to help develop a unique model of care that will aim to deliver improved patient outcomes.

The Scottish Trauma Network’s vision is ‘Saving lives. Giving life back’ and aims to improve trauma patient care throughout the care pathway, from prevention through to rehabilitation. The Network will involve hospitals across Scotland, including four major trauma centres (MTC) in Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow and Edinburgh, working together across traditional geographic boundaries to realise this vision.

The 4 MTCs are vital components of the new Scottish Trauma Network. They will deal with our most severely injured patients and will be equipped to ensure patents have the best chance of a speedy recovery from their injuries. However this new network is not just about the four major trauma centres. It is about delivering a joined up network approach that will enhance trauma care across Scotland and improve patient outcomes. This will involve the Scottish Ambulance Service and existing trauma services in hospitals across Scotland working together with the 4 trauma MTCs to provide coordinated care and support to our most seriously injured patients.

Clear strategic direction and assurance will be provided by a new national STN Steering Group. The STN Steering Group will work collaboratively to prioritise investment in trauma services on a national basis, to implement a unique model of trauma care for NHS Scotland.

It is extremely important that we get implementation of the model right. The 4 MTCs and their trauma regions are expected to provide the new STN steering group with their plans on how they will meet the trauma Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) by October 2017. These plans will inform the development of a clear phased national implementation plan by December 2017. Given the scale and complexity of the changes required to deliver the network, we should recognise that it will take at least 3 years to fully implement it.

In the interim work will focus on delivering a series of key actions for 2017-18 and beyond as set out in the CMO’s report ‘Saving Lives. Giving Life Back’;

We are allocating an extra £5 million in 2017-18 to begin to accelerate these improvements, and we will be putting further, significant investment in as we continue to build and fully establish the network over the next few years. The level of investment required in future years will be guided by the STN Steering Group.

The STN Steering Group will be hosted by National Services Division (NSD). Scottish Government will provide NSD with £225,000 a year for at least the next
3 years to establish the Group and to recruit and retain dedicated network staff.

Implementation of the new Scottish Trauma Network should be viewed within the context Health and Social Care Delivery Plan, launched on 19 December. The proposed STN model and the CMO’s report are available on the STN website at: http://www.traumacare.scot/

I expect to be able to provide a further update on progress with the Scottish Trauma Network to Parliament in October.

We know that effective school leadership is key to ensuring successful outcomes for learners and will help achieve excellence and equity for all. The Standard for Headship awarded by the General Teaching Council for Scotland outlines the skills and knowledge headteachers must demonstrate if they are to successfully lead a school and accordingly the draft regulations, which are the subject of the current consultation, will require that all teachers appointed to their first headteacher post must hold the Standard for Headship. This is part of the overall strategy to strengthen the quality of the teaching profession and close the attainment gap.

We understand that the Scottish Health Council (SHC) has come to a view on the designation of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s recent service change proposals. The Scottish Government supports the SHC views.

The SHC views the proposals relating to Clyde birthing services and Lightburn Hospital as major service changes. It does not view the proposals relating to inpatient care at the Centre for Integrative Care as major service change. Full details are available via the SHC website at the following link: http://www.scottishhealthcouncil.org/publications/service_change_updates.aspx#.WE-rZlJDTcs

The board of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde will consider the next steps at its meeting on 20 December, as informed by the responses to its recent public engagement activity and the SHC views. On considering all the available information, Health Boards can, and frequently do, designate service change proposals as major themselves, without having to ask Ministers. This was the case with the same Board’s proposals relating to Royal Alexandra Hospital inpatient and day case paediatrics in October 2016.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has confirmed that the terms of any further process around the Clyde birthing services proposals will take full account of the recommendations of the National Review of Maternity and Neonatal Services, which we expect to be published in 2017.

The board has the opportunity to revisit and revise proposals, which could see the scope of change proposed reduced substantially, or maintained in line with their original proposal.

Any proposals that are designated as major must follow the established process of being subject to at least three months of formal public consultation, and are ultimately subject to Ministerial approval. In all such cases, Ministers take full account of all the available information and representations before coming to a final decision.