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Following completion of an innovative co-creative process with the community, work to assess four route options, including the community’s preferred route option, is ongoing. A preferred route is expected to be announced later this year. Once a preferred route option is announced a timetable for the statutory processes will be set. It is necessary that the correct statutory process is followed to ensure a fair and transparent assessment of options and impacts on local communities and road users.

Work is ongoing to determine the most suitable procurement options, when the statutory process is complete, for the remaining sections of the A9 dualling. This is a complex exercise which looks at a number of factors including how the project can be delivered most efficiently by the industry, whilst minimising disruption to road users and helping to support economic recovery post-COVID. An update on the outcomes of this complex piece of work will be provided when the work is completed.

As part of the Cladding Remediation Programme we will create a Building Safety Register. This register will include blocks of flats, of any height, assessed as 'low risk' or remediated as an outcome of the Single Building Assessment process.

The Scottish Government is aiming to introduce a Housing Bill to the Scottish Parliament in 2023.

Single Building Assessment applicants are supported through the process to complete the application form and commission professional services ahead of receiving the final survey report. 10 pilot blocks are within the Application Phase and 15 pilot blocks are within the Delivery Phase. The Single Building Assessment provides an individualised process therefore timescales vary on a building by building basis.

A series of meetings to explore the issues and options available were held between officials on 30 June, 13 July and 1 August.

Following these meetings, the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government and myself met with a delegation of COSLA’s political leadership on 3 August and held a further meeting with their Resources Spokesperson on 8 August.

Those discussions resulted in the Scottish Government committing an extra £140m on a recurring basis to support councils and COSLA with the local government pay negotiations.

We again met with representatives of COSLA’s political leadership on 17 August.

Contractor spend prior to July 2021 was £0. b) The contractor spend for July 2022 is £16,422 and August 2022 projected spend is £18,829.

All Ukrainian refugees living in Scotland are entitled to access free NHS dental care. The Scottish Government has issued guidance to Health Boards explaining this policy, a copy of which can be found at: https://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/publications/nhs-scotland-services-ukraine.pdf .

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has a statutory obligation under section 13 of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005 to secure that provision is made for assessing and enhancing the quality of higher education provided by fundable bodies in Scotland.

On our behalf, to meet this obligation the SFC, supported by the Quality Assurance Agency, works with institutions so that they meet an agreed set of expectations for academic standards and quality, as measured against agreed sector reference points such as the UK Quality Code, to ensure that best practice is followed regarding moderation and marking of assessments, including the use of external expertise and examiners.

The Scottish Government have not awarded a contract to Bain & Co to undertake any work in the last five years. Any decision to prohibit Bain & Co from tendering for a Scottish Government Contract will be considered on a case by case basis under the provisions of ‘Discretionary Grounds’, Regulation 58 (Exclusion Grounds) of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.

We will publish the consultation responses at the same time as the publication of the independent consultation analysis report. A firm date for publication has not been set at this time.