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CFL will open up all routes for the whole summer timetable period by Friday 20 January – with the exception of Mallaig-Armadale, Mallaig-Small Isles and Mallaig-Lochboisdale (which will open by 31 January).

For the Mallaig routes, CFL are still working through tidal amendments for the whole summer timetables and that work will not be complete by 20 January. CFL will engage with those communities directly. However, each community are already aware of their core timetables.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) allocate Modern Apprenticeship (MA) starts every financial year in line with Ministerial priorities and industry demand. SDS were asked in their Letter of Guidance to deliver at least 25,000 new apprenticeship starts this financial year as part of our commitment to build back up to 30,000 starts.

SDS made an initial allocation to providers prior to the start of the year. They have kept employer demand under review during the year and in December allocated several hundred additional MA starts to providers who requested them and met eligibility criteria.

It is standard practice for SDS to review changing demand for apprenticeship starts in-year, and adjust the number of starts allocated to respond to demand as appropriate within their budget. SDS will continue to follow this process and keep under review whether any additional starts can be allocated to providers within this financial year.

An ICIA was not carried out on the delay. The delay was not a policy choice but was due to the necessary detailed consideration and discussions required at all levels of Government in order to find a way to mitigate the impact on fares of an unprecedented level of CPI of 9.1%.

CalMac Ferries Ltd (CFL) issued communications to stakeholders on 17 January confirming it will open up all routes for the whole summer timetable period by Friday 20 January – with the exception of Mallaig-Armadale, Mallaig-Small Isles and Mallaig-Lochboisdale (which will open by 31 January).

For the Mallaig routes, CFL are still working through tidal amendments for the whole summer timetables and that work will not be complete by 20 January. CFL will engage with those communities directly and explain the reasons for the delay. However, each community are already aware of their core timetables.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) is a neurological condition as classified by the World Health Organisation’s International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10). The ICD code for ME/CFS is G93.32, categorising it within disorders of the nervous system. As such this condition is covered by the Scottish Government’s Neurological care and support - framework for action 2020-2025 .

The safe treatment, health, and wellbeing of all those in custody is a key priority for this Government and it is vital that people who live in our prisons are supported. It is imperative that when problems do occur, individuals receive the necessary treatment, care and respect, in a timely manner.

When anyone arrives in custody, they will have a healthcare consultation with an NHS healthcare professional within 24 hours of arrival, to identify healthcare conditions, other vulnerabilities and medication requirements. Early assessment of health needs is vital and a range of related work is being progressed with partners to improve healthcare in custody and in relation to deaths in custody.

Preventing suicide and supporting people who self-harm are key areas of focus for the Scottish Prison Service in developing its Health and Wellbeing Strategy. We continue to work closely with NHS Boards, SPS and the National Prison Care Network to implement the healthcare recommendations from the Independent Review of Deaths in Custody, as well as the Suicide Prevention Strategy and Mental Health Transition and Recovery Plan.

The Scottish Government engaged with a range of industry stakeholders as part of the development of the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, including through the Scottish Energy Advisory Board and its Strategic Leadership Groups, as well as engagement with research organisations and independent experts. Officials regularly engage with stakeholders including OEUK, Scottish Renewables, Energy UK and Solar Energy Scotland, and that engagement has informed the development of the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan. We will continue to engage with industry experts and wider stakeholders, and encourage the broadest possible range of responses to the consultation on the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan.

Information on the number of public access defibrillators in Scotland is available here: Scotland’s Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Report 2019-2022

The Scottish Government engaged with a range of industry stakeholders as part of the development of the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, including through the Scottish Energy Advisory Board and its Strategic Leadership Groups, as well as engagement with research organisations and independent experts. Officials regularly draw on the expertise of organisations, such Wood Mackenzie. We will continue to engage with industry experts and wider stakeholders, and encourage the broadest possible range of responses to the consultation on the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan.

Early intervention in psychosis (EIP) and improving services and support for people experiencing a first instance of psychosis in Scotland, are key priority areas for the Scottish Government, as set out in the Early Intervention In Psychosis Action Plan 2019, Mental Health Strategy 2017 to 2027 and the Coronavirus (COVID-19): Mental Health - Transition and Recovery Plan 2020.

To deliver this improvement we commissioned Healthcare Improvement Scotland to undertake a national needs assessment for EIP services across all 14 health boards which was published in March 2021. This assessment outlines the specific needs of communities across Scotland when considering the delivery of improved EIP services. The assessment report and recommendations from this work can be accessed here: https://ihub.scot/media/8111/20210316-eip-report-v21.pdf

In April 2021 we began work with Healthcare Improvement Scotland to deliver a second phase of EIP improvement, which is ongoing. This work builds on the national needs assessment and is focused on piloting models of service delivery which take account of the needs of different communities across Scotland.