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Booster vaccinations in Scotland started as soon as possible once the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) provided their advice on boosters, which stated that the booster dose should be offered no earlier than six months after completion of the primary vaccine course.

858,626 people have received a booster or 3 rd dose to Thursday 4 November, with 604,256 people over the age of 65 having received their flu vaccine. We are working as quickly as we can, prioritising those most vulnerable.

Data on boosters by JCVI priority group is not yet published. We continue to work closely with Public Health Scotland to develop the vaccination data to provide robust statistics that enhance public understanding.

There are no current plans to lower the age limit in relation to COVID-19 certification scheme. We continue to keep the scheme under regular review.

As part of Programme for Government (PfG) commitments made in 2019 and reaffirmed in 2020 we are developing a programme to improve stroke pathways and services.

A progressive stroke pathway document, due by the end of this year, will clearly set out our vision of what we should expect of a progressive stroke service in Scotland in order that services fully meet the needs of people who experience a stroke. This will include consideration of the important role of stroke units.

The Scottish Stroke Care Audit monitors the quality of care provided by the hospitals in all NHS Boards. Access to a stroke unit is a standard measured by SSCA, alongside other standards associated with improved patient outcomes. Performance against the standards, and more detail on service models can be found here: Scottish stroke improvement programme 2021 national report - Scottish stroke improvement programme - Publications - Public Health Scotland .

Thrombolysis is already delivered nationwide in a number of hospitals across Scotland.

The rate of thrombolytic treatment and door to needle (DTN) times for thrombolysis are measured through the Scottish Stroke Care Audit (SSCA).

The SSCA 2021 report can be found here: Scottish stroke improvement programme 2021 national report - Scottish stroke improvement programme - Publications - Public Health Scotland . It concluded that variations in thrombolysis rates were a reflection of the different acute stroke pathways and variable access to stroke specialist assessment and management. It highlighted that improving access to early specialist assessment in emergency departments would increase the overall percentage of stroke patients treated and reduce the DTN times.

The Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme team work closely with services and NHS boards to use learning from SSCA to support improvement across the whole stroke pathway, including timely access to thrombolysis.

The Scottish Stroke Care Audit does not currently measure ongoing support for disability needs. As part of the Programme for Government (PfG) stroke commitments, the stroke improvement team Rehabilitation Sub-Group is currently considering future updates to measure rehabilitation service delivery, patient outcomes and experiences.

All patients who require stroke rehabilitation should be offered it. Rehabilitation may be delivered via a variety of inpatient, early supported discharge and community teams.

The Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow and the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh provide ICU care as a joint service. There are 20 beds in Glasgow and 10 beds in Edinburgh. Further information can be found at: https://www.nss.nhs.scot/specialist-healthcare/specialist-services/intensive-care-paediatric/

The preservation of a crime scene is for the purposes of protecting the integrity of forensic evidence. A decision to allow a priest to enter an area designated as a crime scene is therefore an operational matter for Police Scotland.

The publication of Cycling by Design was announced to the media and publicised on social media along with targeted distribution of the document via Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland (SCOTS) and Transport Scotland networks. In addition, the Steering Group, comprising SCOTS, Sustrans and Transport Scotland, who have overseen delivery of the document are currently progressing plans for awareness raising sessions for industry, including training sessions and presentations through professional institutions.

The organisation promoting the scheme is responsible for reviewing and approving designs. Cycling by Design advocates a high level of service whereby schemes will be suitable for most users, including new and less confident users. Where a high level of service cannot be achieved the reasons for this should be documented in the ‘Design Review’ process as recommended in the guidance.

The Steering Group, comprising Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland (SCOTS), Sustrans and Transport Scotland, who have overseen delivery of the document are currently progressing plans for the development and delivery of training material. Transport Scotland has committed to provide training for staff and designers working on trunk road schemes, and it is a matter for local authorities to consider what training they will require.