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The Scottish Government does not hold all the data requested. However for 2020-21 (and 2021-2022 for modern apprenticeships), the number of students studying towards a dental nursing qualification was:

Modern Apprenticeships;

• In 2020-21, there were 312 starts on the dental nursing framework.
• In 2021-22, there were 343 starts on the dental nursing framework.

Colleges;

• In 2020-21, there were 420 enrolments on dental services courses at Scottish colleges.

Universities;

• In 2020-21, there were 25 enrolments on dental nursing courses at Scottish universities.

2021-2022 figures for colleges and universities will not be available until January 2023.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10380 on 20 September 2022. 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 recently consulted on proposals for our new National Litter and Flytipping Strategy, including measures to strengthen enforcement measures.

We will publish the final National Litter and Flytipping Strategy later this year, which will set out effective system-wide action to prevent and address flytipping.

Enforcement is one of the Strategy’s key themes.

As DRS Scheme Administrator, it is for Circularity Scotland Ltd to determine when to publish such information.

Scotland already has the UK’s second highest number of public charge points outside of London, and the most rapid charge points anywhere in the UK. The figure of 30,000 charge points has been inferred from a Climate Change Committee report published in December 2020. It is difficult to determine with certainty how many public charge points will be required as this will be influenced by factors such as developments in battery range or charging speeds. Scotland's network of charge points must also reflect Scotland's unique geography and policies, which include our focus on public transport, active travel and reducing our dependence on cars.

The vision for public charge points in Scotland, published on 26 January 2022, also recognises the importance of private sector investment. Our charging Infrastructure Fund will bring together £60m of public and private investment so that no part of Scotland is left behind as we move to an electric future.

The Scottish Government is providing over £30 million this financial year to accelerate the shift to zero emission transport. This includes support for zero emission community transport and car clubs in addition to funding interest free loans for electric vehicles. Electric vehicle chargepoint grants are also available to homeowners and businesses in rural and island areas, where installation costs are often higher. This approach is designed to target those who need the most financial help to make the switch to zero emission transport.

Later this year, we will be introducing legislation to ensure all new buildings with parking, whether that be a new home or local community centre, are EV enabled, future-proofing Scotland's buildings as we transition to a net zero transport system.

In December 2020 the Scottish Government and Skills Development Scotland published the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan (CESAP) setting out the actions required to ensure Scotland’s workforce are equipped with the skills to support the transition to net zero.

The Scottish Government and its skills agencies will continue to work with the manufacturing sector, including traditional textile manufacturing, to ensure that employers and workers have the skills needed to address the challenges and benefit from the opportunities of a low carbon and circular economy.

In June 2022 we launched our £2m Circular Textiles Fund to improve the circularity of textiles in Scotland through innovation, and implementation, to help tackle the environmental impacts that textiles have.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10341 on 20 September 2022. 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

Scotland’s wool industry is covered by the British Wool Board which is a Public Non-Financial Corporation who have regional offices in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, it is a cross-border public authority with ministers in all 4 administrations having limited sponsorship functions. British Wool is a farmers’ co-operative who presently represent the interests of around 40,000 producer members, they collect, grade and sell wool on behalf of registered producers aiming to maximise income for producers from the sale of wool.

In addition its established shearers training programme is successfully tackling skills shortages in the UK and reducing reliance on shearers from abroad.

A review of the British Wool Board is presently being undertaken.

Scotland is one of the few countries to publish annual reports setting out consumption-based emissions, including those associated with imported textiles, in the “Scotland’s Carbon Footprint” official statistics release [available at: www.gov.scot/publications/scotlands-carbon-footprint-1998-2018/ ]. We recognise the inherently global nature of climate change and the necessity of co-ordinated international action and our transition to a circular economy.

Embodied emissions in imported textiles peaked in 2007 at an estimated 2.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO 2 e). In the latest year (2018) these emissions were estimated to have fallen to a level of 1.0 MtCO 2 e. Textile production in the Middle-East and China were the largest contributors.

In June 2022 we launched our £2m Circular Textiles Fund, to support businesses working in this sector to address issues associated with textile waste and throwaway culture.