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The National Records of Scotland published the latest life expectancy statistics on 22 September 2022. The report shows that COVID-19 deaths accounted for the vast majority of the fall in life expectancy in 2020 and 2021, in both men and women. However, there were also some increases in other causes of death, including drug related deaths and deaths due to circulatory problems in men.

The Scottish Government expresses its deepest sympathies to everyone who has lost a loved one as a result of the pandemic.

The Women’s Health Plan recognises that it is important all women know about the menopause, including perimenopause, and have access to consistent information and care when they seek help with menopause symptoms.

The Scottish Government launched a menopause resource on the NHS Inform Women’s Health Platform in October 2021 to ensure women have access to information on menopause, including the signs and symptoms of perimenopause. The resource includes 11 videos including common myths around the menopause, and personal stories. The resource is accessible in five language translations and an Easy Read version of the content. A British Sign Language translation will be available very shortly.

In addition, a series of webinars on menopause have been taking place in partnership with the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland. Webinars aimed at women and people who experience menopause have been held on menopause myth busting and menopause and the workplace with a third planned for October on menopause and sexual wellbeing. In August 2022, a webinar on menopause and the workplace aimed at employers was also held by Close the Gap, an organisation which seeks to address the causes of women's inequality at work.

One of the key aims in the Women’s Health Plan is to ensure that all women will have access to a healthcare professional with an interest in menopause through primary care, and that in the longer term, we build a basic understanding of menopause, including perimenopause, amongst all healthcare professionals.

The Scottish Government has recently commissioned NHS Education for Scotland to create a bespoke training package and framework focussed on menopause, including perimenopause, and menstrual health for GPs and others working in Primary Care.

The Scottish Government operates 3 Marine Protection Vessels (MPVs) and 2 inshore protection craft. These are tasked on a risk basis within Scottish waters, and monitor compliance with relevant marine legislation including Marine Protected Areas.

Engaging effectively with people and stakeholder organisations is a key part of our public engagement and we always seek to follow Public Guidance for Consultation.

The consultation process for the National Islands Plan and Islands Communities Impact Assessments was led by the Scottish Government’s Islands Team and was designed to encourage island communities to help shape the polices that were published on 27 December 2019 in the National Islands Plan.

The member will know that Angus Campbell, Chair of the Ferries Community Board, has agreed to lead the work on stakeholder engagement for Project Neptune. I look forward to meeting Mr Campbell next week to discuss a timescale for the engagement required.

The Rural Entrepreneur Fund was a 2021-22 Programme for Government (PfG) commitment to invest £20 million over the lifetime of the current parliament.

In light of the challenging financial environment, we need to prioritise our investments to ensure that they are deliverable, impactful and affordable. Consequently, there has been no money made available for Rural Entrepreneur Fund to date.

Our PfG 2022-23 prioritises support for households, businesses and public services. Following the UK Government’s Emergency Budget we will carry out a budget review to assess opportunities to redirect additional resources to those most in need.

Ministers’ charging policies and Objectives for the water industry are clearly set out in the key framework documents that can be found on the Scottish Government’s website. Current circumstances facing the industry, indeed the country at large, are undoubtedly challenging and the Scottish Government will maintain regular dialogue with Scottish Water to support the continued delivery of all of Ministers’ Objectives over the current regulatory period. The affordability of charges is a matter for Scottish Water’s Board to consider alongside the requirement to meet its other statutory obligations. WICS has no powers to require a particular outcome in the charge setting process beyond setting the charge caps which are established to protect customers.

SEPA, as required by the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009, prepared Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMPs) for the period 2022-2028. These were approved by Scottish Ministers and published in January 2022. The FRMPs have been developed to ensure all efforts to reduce flood risk are coordinated. The Plans outline the long term ambition by setting objectives and identifying actions for areas most at flood risk. The Local Flood Risk Management Plans, which are complementary to the FRMPS and prepared by local authorities, are due to be published by December 2022. They will provide more detail on how the actions set out in the flood risk management plans for 2022-2028 will be delivered.

There are multiple organisations responsible for flood risk management and the Plans focus their efforts to where the risk of flooding and benefits of actions are greatest. SEPA do not undertake or fund flood risk management works themselves. Funding is provided either by the organisation undertaking the work, such as the local authority, or by the Scottish Government. In recognition of the importance of reducing flood risk the Scottish Government has provided, since 2008, a total of £42 million a year through the General Capital Grant to local authorities to allow them to invest in flood protection schemes. In addition the 2020 Programme for Government committed an additional £150 million over the course of this Parliament for flood risk management actions.

In line with the Scottish Government’s evidence based approach to policy development, we have committed to undertaking a programme of work and analysis to better understand Scotland’s energy requirements as we transition to net zero and how this aligns with our climate change targets. We continue to engage with BOGA and as part of a wider programme of analysis and engagement with a range of organisations and stakeholders.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-11011 on 4 October 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

I am pleased to confirm that the Scottish Government's rolling programme of electrification continues to make good progress.

Delivery has already commenced on electrification of the lines from Glasgow to Barrhead and East Kilbride.

Likewise, construction began earlier this year between Haymarket and Dalmeny, the first phase of electrification between Edinburgh and Fife.

Development work for decarbonisation of the Borders Railway is also progressing well.