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We are pressing ahead to put in place arrangements to mobilise a wholly owned company of the Scottish Government to provide ScotRail services within the public sector under Scottish Government control. The revised arrangements will start when the current franchise expires as expected on 31 March 2022.

For bus services, the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 provides viable options for partnership working, franchising and wider powers for local transport authorities to run their own buses (and which sit alongside their existing ability to subsidise services). We have allocated £1 million in the draft Scottish Budget for development of the Community Bus Fund in 2022-23. This will support local transport authorities to improve local bus services and to explore the full range of options set out in the 2019 Act. In administering the fund, we and local transport authorities will need to observe competition, procurement and subsidy control rules.

The development of an integrated transport network is being guided by our National Transport Strategy, and the Strategic Transport Projects Review process is identifying investment priorities which will support this and help to deliver our commitment to create an inclusive and net zero emissions economy.

As the amount of renewable energy being produced in Scotland increases, so does the amount available to the public transport system. Already 75% of rail journeys are being undertaken via electrical traction, and we have given significant funding to zero emission buses, introducing diesel-electric hybrid vehicle carrying ferries, and promoting electric vehicles. We believe Scotland’s approach to transport decarbonisation – which focuses not only the transition to clean technology but also on reducing demand and encouraging behaviour shift – is an example of world-leading best practice and is central to our green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Transport Scotland has produced extensive guidance on travelling safely for all forms of transport since the start of the pandemic and this is available via the following web links (for operators and passengers respectively).

https://www.transport.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/guidance-for-transport-operators/

https://www.transport.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/advice-on-how-to-travel-safely/

Transport Scotland has also worked closely with operators across all modes to help reinforce the messaging to transport users and staff.

Enforcement of the law remains the responsibility of Police Scotland and the British Transport Police. Officers can issue a fixed penalty notice to anyone 18 or over if they have reason to believe an offence has been committed. Throughout the pandemic, Police Scotland officers have continued to use the “4Es” approach (to engage, explain, encourage and only enforce as a last resort to protect public health).

Following a successful three year pilot, in 2013 the four nations agreed to a 10 year grant to support those affected by the thalidomide drug. Over the last nine years the Scottish Government has issued a total of £11.512 million to the Thalidomide Trust, for distribution to Scottish survivors. A further £1.636 Million is projected for the final year (2022-23), bringing total funding to £13.15 million.

The Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) is working collaboratively with the Dermatology AI Consortium championing Community Local Image Centres (CLICs) to improving the capture of images as part of the dermatology pathway. The idea is relatively new and the CLIC model is still in development. The consortium will be developing the operating model and evidence base to show their benefit. CfSD awaits the outcome of this with interest.

It should be noted that the Consortium is also considering other approaches to image acquisition to support dermatology referral – most notably increasing the ease and quality of image acquisition in Primary Care. It is unlikely that a one-size-fits all will suit the varied geography of NHS Boards and therefore CfSD is working to understand the current pathway arrangements in all Boards to support image acquisition prior to Secondary Care.

The Scottish Government does not hold average data for ongoing waits, however the latest distribution of waiting times data with regards to ongoing waits for orthopaedic inpatient/day-case and new outpatient appointments is published on the Public Health Scotland website: Stage of treatment waiting times - Inpatients, day cases and new outpatients 30 November 2021 - NHS waiting times - stage of treatment - Publications - Public Health Scotland .

Our NHS workforce, across all specialties and care settings, have been remarkable throughout the pandemic. We are deeply grateful for their continued courage, commitment and professionalism.

This year we have made £12 million available to support the wellbeing of our workforce including across primary and social care services.

We are continuing to develop the National Wellbeing Hub, a 24/7 National Wellbeing Helpline, confidential mental health treatment through the Workforce Specialist Service and funding for additional local psychological support. We are also providing further support for practical measures to aid rest and recuperation alongside additional resources including Coaching for Wellbeing and grief and bereavement support.

The Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) is working with a number of Health Boards to implement the Digital Dermatology app, which allows patients to interact with a clinician at a time convenient to them, without having to attend hospital. This will support dermatology teams in conducting more virtual appointments.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04983 on 23 December 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

The Scottish Government does not provide direct funding for the NHS Centre for Integrative Care (CIC). The CIC is a facility owned, operated and funded by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC).

The information requested regarding whether the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has carried out any investigation into deaths due to hospital-acquired infection at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital is not centrally held by the Scottish Government.

Health and safety at work is a reserved matter. HSE has confirmed that their published policy is generally not to investigate hospital acquired infections Who regulates health care (hse.gov.uk) . They have not investigated deaths at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital that may have been caused by a hospital associated infection.

HSE did however carry out an investigation into concerns raised with them in December 2019 about the ventilation within two wards at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and the control of legionella in water systems across the hospital.

HSE was satisfied with the control of legionella but wrote to the Chief Executive of Greater Glasgow Health Board/NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde requesting improvements to the ventilation systems. An Improvement Notice was served in relation to the ventilation system within Ward 4C.

Further information is available on the NHS GGC webpage: https://www.nhsggc.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/news/2019/12/hse-improvement-notice/ . The Improvement Notice is being appealed by the Health Board. However, HSE is satisfied that appropriate remedial action has been taken.

The information requested regarding whether the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has invoked a Divisional Major Incident Response Plan, in relation to deaths due to hospital associated infection at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, is not centrally held by the Scottish Government.

Health and safety at work is a reserved matter. HSE has confirmed that the issues raised with them did not meet the criteria for a ‘Divisional Major Incident’ as outlined in their published response plans og-00076-appendix-4.pdf (hse.gov.uk) .