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Most recently services and ferry delivery structures in other countries have been reviewed include Norway, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. These examples will inform the development of ferries policy including in the consideration of relevant assessments and the decarbonisation of the Scottish Government ferry fleet.

The budget allocated to the Energy Investment Fund in 2021-22 was up to £13 million, no budget has been allocated for any future financial years. There are new investment mechanisms in place through the Scottish National Investment Bank which supports the Scottish Government's strategic priorities to achieving our net zero ambitions.

The Energy Investment Fund will close at the end of this financial year 2021-22. The Fund was established in 2013, (succeeding the Renewable Energy Investment Fund) with funding from the Fossil Fuel Levy, to address market failure in capital funding in specific renewable energy sectors. The Fund has been very successful over the years, however, the market for capital funding has changed since 2013. There are new investment mechanisms in place, through the Scottish National Investment Bank, which supports the Scottish Government's strategic priorities to achieving our net zero ambitions.

The community needs assessment process is focussed on identifying communities needs for travel.

However, the procurement process for the next CHFS contract will consider potential community benefits including employment and training opportunities .

Following consultation in late 2021 to inform the development of the necessary secondary legislation and guidance, we will today publish the consultation results and analysis which will be available via the following web link : https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/implementing-part-three-of-the-transport-scotland-act-2019-bus-services-analysis-of-consultation-responses/

A high level summary of the main aspects and consultation responses is provided as follows:

Section 34 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 Act (“the Act”) provides local transport authorities (LTAs) with the power to run their own services in any way they see fit within the wider context of their obligations. This power sits alongside their existing ability to subsidise services. On this, respondents indicated no desire for additional duties to be imposed on LTAs in how they run services. Instead, respondents made suggestions on supporting information to help implement this provision, including in relation to legislative requirements, competition impacts, the sharing and generation of data and information for planning public transport networks, examples of best practice and case studies, and funding for LTAs to implement the provisions.

Sections 35 to 37 of the Act provide for Bus Service Improvement Partnerships which are a new type of statutory partnership between LTAs and bus operators. As part of a partnership, a range of service standards can be set, including on the frequency or timing of services, the vehicles used, maximum fares charged for particular journeys, and the pricing of multi-operator travel cards. Respondents commented on a range of aspects relating to the operation of the model, including processes related to the preparation, variation and revocation of partnership plans and schemes, the partnership voting mechanism, accessibility provisions and the scrutiny of the partnership, among others.

Section 38 of the Act provides for local services franchising which allows LTAs to award exclusive rights for the operation of a service or services to the most competitive bidder for a set period under certain conditions. During this period, no other operator can run those services. On franchising, respondents commented on guidance required for LTAs on the making of a franchise assessment, guidance for auditors assessing the LTA’s business case for a franchising framework, relevant information required, and the composition of the independent panel considering the making of the framework.

In relation to the implementation timeline, we plan to commence section 34 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 (Provision of bus services etc. by local transport authorities) before the summer recess and lay the legislation necessary for commencement of section 39 (provision of service information when varying or cancelling a registration) before the end of this year. We aim to introduce the necessary secondary legislation for sections 35 to 38 (Bus Service Improvement Partnerships and local services franchises) before the end of 2023.

Today we have published Scotland’s first National Workforce Strategy for Health and Social Care: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781804350058

We have worked, in partnership with our co-producers COSLA and extensively engaged with Stakeholders from across Health and Social Care to develop the Strategy.

The Strategy outlines our shared vision for the workforce, a sustainable, skilled workforce with attractive career choices where all are respected and valued for the work they do.

This vision supports our tri-partite ambition of Recovery, Growth and Transformation of our Workforce. In the strategy we look at the whole workforce journey and how we can plan for, attract, train, employ and nurture our Health and Social Care Workforce. This is the first time we have articulated a workforce strategy for our Health and Social Care workforce in this way.

We acknowledge the challenges the pandemic has brought not only for our services but also for our workforce and that is why that is why through this strategy we seek to embed a new long-term approach. The strategy expressly commits to increasing our understanding of demographic change in demand for services and details actions we will take to further understand how we can use this information to achieve a more sustainable, skilled workforce and how we can make careers, at all levels, in health and social care more attractive.

The Strategy recognises that although we have seen continued growth in our workforce for the last 10 consecutive years, we know that growth in the workforce alone will not deliver the services the people of Scotland need now and will need into the future. Our tripartite aim supports our NHS Recovery Plan and recovery of our Social Care services and workforce.

The Strategy sets out the actions we will take in partnership with the workforce to achieve our vision.

One such action is to publish our indicative projections for the Health and Social Care Workforce growth later this year. This will allow us to expressly incorporate evidence from 3 year Workforce Plans (which will also be published in due course by Health Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships) and the forthcoming revised Medium-Term Financial Framework. We will review these projections annually and as more evidence becomes available.

We will review the strategy and progress on the actions therein, annually and in line with any further considerations and evidence which emerges.

I am delighted to advise Parliament that Dr Jacqueline Taylor, past President of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, will be the Independent Chair of the National Audiology Review Group. Dr Taylor brings a wealth of Scotland wide clinical and training experience to the role. She will provide strong leadership in the delivery of an independent and evidence led review.

While it will be for the Chair to determine how the review is best taken forward, I know we share the determination that the outcome of the review leads us to ensuring our hearing services are fit for purpose across Scotland. The National Audiology Review Group will be tasked with providing recommendations for a national plan for improvement. To achieve this we will also work closely with our partners and wider stakeholders.

A further update will be provided to Parliament detailing the remit of the review, its membership and timetable for reporting once it has been agreed with the Chair.

The Scottish Government is taking a range of immediate steps to help Ukrainian families fleeing conflict, through financial humanitarian aid and medical equipment. We have committed £4 million in humanitarian aid through aid agencies to help provide basic humanitarian assistance, including in health, water and sanitation, and shelter for those fleeing Ukraine; this includes £2 million to the DEC Appeal for Ukraine. We are also working with the Ukrainian Government to provide medical supplies from stocks we hold, worth around £2.9 million, and are coordinating with other UK nations to ensure that these supplies get to where they are needed as quickly as possible; a total of three donations of medical equipment, valued at approximately £1.6 million has shipped to date.

The UK Government’s current proposals are insufficient, and the Scottish Government continues to call on the UK Government to develop a comprehensive resettlement programme and to fully waive visa requirements for Ukrainian nationals so those who have been displaced can be offered immediate refuge.

Scotland has a proud history of welcoming refugees and people seeking asylum. The Scottish Government and Scotland’s local authorities stand ready to welcome and support people with the safety and security they need to rebuild their lives.

The UK Government has not confirmed what the design of the ECO4 scheme will be. Scottish Ministers anticipate that they will be consulted about the new regulations as part of Ministerial write round. The Scottish Government will then assess how effectively the new scheme tackles fuel poverty and supports delivery of our net zero ambitions in Scotland. This will inform our response to the UK Government and any changes that we may propose.

We will also consider the UK Government’s response to any issues raised by Scottish stakeholders about ECO4. For example, we have previously raised our concerns with the UK Government about their failure to respond to stakeholder feedback from remote rural and island communities in Scotland.

Fuel poverty is a devolved matter but relevant powers for these schemes are reserved to the Secretary of State. Nevertheless we remain keen to work in partnership with the UK Government to ensure that changes to the ECO scheme do not cause detriment to Scotland or the rest of the UK.

The capacity of any substation within Scotland’s Network distribution licence areas is directly available to the public for the higher voltages sections of the network and by enquiry for the low voltage domestic end.

Information on this can be found at – Long Term Development Statement - SP Energy Networks and Detailed Long term development statements - SSEN.

Further information on the capacity for primary substations is published in a distribution heat map at Distributed Generation Heat Maps for SP Energy Networks and at Network Maps for SSEN. Along with connection quotations that are available to all stakeholders.

All enquiries can be made at Getting Connected - SP Energy Networks and Our Services - SSEN .