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The appraisal process within the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), not the National Transport Strategy (NTS2) Delivery Plan, is the appropriate mechanism to consider the impact of potential changes to movement of people and goods at a national level. Access to major ports across Scotland is within the scope of STPR2, therefore my officials will continue to engage with the Greenports bidding process to ensure that the potential impacts of this, such as potential further development of additional facilities at successful location(s), are appropriately considered within STPR2.

South Ayrshire Council are leading on the work to determine the most appropriate option for the former Ayr Station Hotel via a comprehensive feasibility study coordinated through the Ayr Station Strategic Governance Group.

The Scottish Government, through Transport Scotland and other key stakeholders including Network Rail, continue to press the Council in regard to the importance of the interface with the railway station and the need to reach a timely decision on the preferred option.

All legislative and regulatory responsibility for telecommunications rests with the UK Government and Ofcom respectively, and as such, the current consultation relates to a reserved matter. However, the Scottish Government is supportive of the Electronic Communications Code which aims to reduce barriers to deployment of digital infrastructure and promote infrastructure sharing between operators. It is important that UK legislation and regulations supports the Scottish Government’s ambition to be a truly digital nation.

The Scottish Government is in dialogue with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on a number of issues relating to barrier removal and shares the view that the 2017 reforms to the Electronic Communications Code have had a more limited impact than originally envisaged. Scottish Government officials have engaged with stakeholders to understand any issues that have been experienced in utilising the Electronic Communications Code, and in particular, any Scottish-specific impacts that have emerged. If appropriate, our consultation response will reflect this and we will continue to engage with DCMS to try and ensure that Scottish interests are represented and reflected in any revised Electronic Communications Code.

The following table sets out the information requested based on Passenger Locator Form data provided to Public Health Scotland:

Yes. I have been quite happy to discuss the Island Connectivity Plan with the unions during our regular quarterly meetings. I would anticipate that this dialogue will continue as the Islands Connectivity Plan is developed, given that the trade unions are important stakeholders in the delivery of Scotland's supported ferries.

I met with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in September 2020, January 2021 and most recently on 16 February to discuss the development of implementation of the Scottish Government’s tailored green port model for Scotland.

Scottish Government officials have also undertaken regular meetings with UK Government counterparts on this subject throughout 2020 and 2021, including weekly meetings since autumn 2020.

The Infrastructure Investment Plan for Scotland 2021-2022 to 2025-2026 includes major investment in natural infrastructure such as forestry and peatlands amounting to £283 million and £100 million respectively. It also includes a £50 million programme of investment in the reuse of vacant and derelict land in order to support nature-based solutions and to ensure that the land is utilised for maximum environmental and community benefit.

Many other programmes of infrastructure investment in areas such as transport, housing, regeneration, flood management and water and waste water all have nature-based solutions embedded within them. However, these are not identified separately within the major projects and programmes annex of the Infrastructure Investment Plan.

£35 million of capital funding has been allocated to bus priority infrastructure on local and trunk roads in the 2021-22 financial year. This is part of the Future Transport Fund. The allocation will be split between the Bus Partnership Fund (BPF) and reallocation of road space on the strategic transport network, but the proportions will not be known until applications to the BPF close and the scope of the next stage of motorway and trunk road work is defined.

Once the final Respiratory Action Plan has been published, we will develop a programme for its implementation. This implementation programme will give a clearer understanding of the funding required to deliver the commitments and priorities for asthma, bronchiectasis, COPD, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and obstructive sleep apnoea.

We recognise that supporting people to remain physically active and keep mobile can reduce the incidence of both venous thromboembolism and pulmonary embolism.

Being physically active is particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic as this not only has significant benefits for our physical health but also our mental health.

In April 2020, the Scottish Government launched the ‘Clear your Head’ campaign to help people look after their own mental health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. This included an emphasis on keeping active. Working with partner organisations, the campaign was shared via television, radio and digital mediums in order to provide practical advice and tips on coping with the restrictions and signpost people to further sources of information and support ( www.clearyourhead.scot ).