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Any form of human trafficking is completely unacceptable.

Action Area 2 of the Trafficking and Exploitation Strategy is led by Police Scotland’s National Human Trafficking Unit and membership includes a range of law enforcement partners, including the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. The group is focused on the identification of human trafficking and exploitation perpetrators with the intention of disrupting their criminal activity. Key areas of focus include the development of local, national and international intelligence sharing and utilising all available powers at the disposal of prosecuting authorities to bring offenders to justice.

This includes the National Human Trafficking Unit within Police Scotland enhancing its investigative capability and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service maintaining its internal structure of local lead human trafficking prosecutors as well as reviewing and updating training for prosecutors and case preparers.

Decisions in relation to prosecution are taken independent of Government by the Lord Advocate and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, in line with the published Prosecution Code. The guilt of accused persons is determined by a Sheriff or Jury having heard and considered all of the evidence in each case. Sentencing in any given case is a matter for the independent court.

The Scottish Government welcomes the recommendations made in Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland’s (HMICS) Assurance Review of Police Scotland Strategic Workforce Planning. I look forward to discussing the recommendations with both Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority.

The recruitment and deployment of police officers and staff in Scotland is a matter for the Chief Constable, who along with the Scottish Police Authority, will continue to ensure the capability and capacity of Police Scotland to improve and maintain the safety and wellbeing of people, places and communities in Scotland.

From 29 August 2022, eligible groups of women over the age of 71 will be able to register for self-referral appointments by contacting their local breast screening service.

Invitations will begin issuing to the eligible groups from 26 September, with appointments commencing from 24 October.

At this stage, the eligible groups being prioritised for self-referrals are women aged 71 to 74 (+364 days), and women over 75 with a history of breast cancer who have completed their hospital follow up. This phased approach allows self-referrals to restart in a way we hope will not unduly impact on waiting times for women aged 50-70 for whom screening is recommended.

The impact of the restart on programme capacity and wait times will be monitored closely. At the same time, the programme will continue to look for opportunities to increase the number of available appointments.

The Scottish Government currently has no plans to ban disposable barbeques.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are clear to encourage anyone using one to act responsibly both when using and disposing of the barbeques in line with their #safersummer campaign.

The Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act 2015, passed unanimously by the Scottish Parliament, gives police and prosecutors greater powers to detect and bring to justice those responsible for trafficking as well as strengthening protections for survivors.

Scotland’s first Trafficking and Exploitation Strategy was published in 2017, focusing on the identification of and support for victims; disruption of perpetrators and addressing the underlying conditions which foster human trafficking and exploitation.

Working in partnership, significant action has taken place and continues to be delivered across each of these strands and this is set out in more detail in the published annual progress reports, with the most recent published in January 2022 - Trafficking and Exploitation Strategy – Fourth Annual Progress Report (www.gov.scot) .

The Scottish Government does not hold the information you request regarding defibrillators in schools. Decisions on whether to install defibrillators in schools are a matter for local authorities, in light of local circumstances and priorities.

The Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Strategy 2021- 2026 sets a clear aim of increasing the number of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests which have a defibrillator applied before the ambulance service arrive from 8% to 20%. Work is ongoing to build the evidence base on the location of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Scotland, and the existing locations of defibrillators. This will support the strategic placement of defibrillators across Scotland.

All toxicology results relating to drugs-related deaths recorded in 2021 were reported within 9 months of receipt of the sample, with 2 cases being reported within one month; 1,313 cases within 1 to 3 months; 9 cases within 3 to 6 months; and one case within 6 to 9 months. There were no results outstanding after 9 months. Cases are recorded by Procurator Fiscal Area. The incidence of the cases have been mapped on to NHS Boards and Alcohol & Drugs Partnerships areas as set out in the following table.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10233 on‎ 29 August 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 information that has been requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

Official statistical reports relating to the Scottish Ambulance Service can be found on the following link.

Public Health Scotland

The Scottish Government meets regularly with stakeholders who are responsible for the provision of community pharmaceutical care including Health Boards, Community Pharmacy Scotland (the recognised representative body of pharmacy owners) as set out in Regulations. Scottish Government officials have also met with representatives of the Guild of Healthcare Professionals and The Pharmacists Defence Association to discuss a number of topics including workforce related pressures.