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The process of gathering cull returns is ongoing and NatureScot continues to gather returns for the last three years. The most up to date figures are captured in the table below and will be available on the NatureScot website later this month. These figures will be regularly updated as additional information is received.

At present returns from approximately 950 properties for the 21/22 are still to be received.

Our Just Transition to net-zero will necessitate the creation of new businesses and jobs, in addition to managing the transition of existing jobs and skills to the renewables sectors and their supply chains. The pace of change will differ between these sectors (offshore and onshore wind, hydrogen, carbon capture and storage) and we expect jobs to be created throughout Scotland by 2030.

The next meeting of the First Minister's Environmental Council is due to take place on the 12 and 13 September.

The Scottish House Condition Survey is the source of National Statistics on fuel poverty in Scotland. The key findings from the 2019 Scottish House Condition Survey were published in December 2020 and estimated that 613,000 households were in fuel poverty in 2019. Furthermore, it was estimated that 619,000 and 583,000 households were in fuel poverty in 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Due to Covid-19, the fieldwork for the 2020 Scottish House Condition Survey was suspended in March 2020 and did not resume. The 2021 Scottish House Condition Survey was undertaken using a non-contact external plus approach and the results, including key statistics on fuel poverty, energy efficiency and external repairs, are expected to be published in February 2023. Therefore, at present there are no National Statistics estimating the number of households in fuel poverty in 2020 and 2021.

At its heart, Scotland’s Baby Box strongly signals our determination that every child, regardless of their circumstances, should get the best start in life by ensuring that every family with a new-born has access to essential items needed in the first six months of a child’s life.

NHS Inform advice is to keep children aged under six months out of direct strong sunlight and promotes staying safe and healthy in the summer Summer health | NHS inform .

We do not propose including sunscreen products in the Baby Box at this time, however, we will continue to evaluate how Scotland’s Baby Box is helping families and continue to monitor how it can be improved.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10057 on 18 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

We are considering carefully the Joint Committee on Human Rights report along with the responses to our recent questionnaire on the issue of historical adoption.

This will help to determine the next steps and will also provide more understanding of what support is needed to help the people affected by historical adoption practices.

The Scottish Government is aware of the importance of rural bus services for villages across the country and are committed, in partnership with operators and local authorities, to looking at ways of ensuring that those living in or visiting Patna, as well as all other towns and villages across Scotland, are provided with effective and accessible public transport.

Since the end of January children and young people under the age of 22 in Scotland have been able to travel for free by bus. Around half of Scotland’s population are now eligible for free bus travel including those aged over 60, under 22 and eligible disabled persons. The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 provides an enhanced suite of options for local transport authorities to improve bus services according to their local needs.

The Scottish Government’s Community Bus Fund will support local transport authorities to explore the options in the Act, and to improve public transport in their areas – £1 million is allocated in the 2022-23 Scottish Budget for development of the Community Bus Fund. The Scottish Government have provided up to £210 million in funding to support bus services during the pandemic and are providing £100 million in to support bus services this year including additional recovery funding.

Additionally, the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), which sets the priorities for transport spending over the next 20 years and has been developed in conjunction with stakeholders across the country, includes several recommendations which are relevant to rural areas and will have a positive impact on improving public transport connectivity to nearby towns and major cities. The draft report was published on 20 January this year for a three month consultation period. Feedback is now being considered and the final report is due later this year.

The responses are still currently being analysed and considered carefully. This will help to determine the next steps and will also provide more understanding of what support is needed to help the people affected by historical adoption practices.

In the meantime, we have started the process of establishing specialist support and peer support groups for those affected. We have also introduced a working group to assist with the implementation of peer support groups where we are working with partners to scope and develop the support service.

In line with our published workforce statistics up to March 2022, which includes our directly employed staff and contingent workers staff, our staffing headcount has increased from 1777 in September 2021 to 2611 up to and including March 2022. This is an increase of 834 staff.

Our next workforce figures will be published in September 2022 and will include staffing levels up to June 2022.