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Transport Scotland publishes information on changes in transport emissions in the Carbon Account for Transport. The most recent version of the Carbon Account for Transport, which covers emissions up until 2018 is available at the following link: Carbon Account for Transport - No. 12: 2020 Edition

The Scottish Government greatly values the work of those working on the national helpline. The national helpline is available 7 days a week between 8am and 8pm as an alternative channel for those patients who are not able to access content or services digitally. On average the helpline answers 23,000 calls on a weekday and around 14,000 calls are answered on each day over the weekend. There are between 200 to 400 people who staff the national helpline, dependent on demand patterns.

The average time taken to answer a call to the helpline, was less than a minute. There has been an increase in calls since 17 May 2021 which has meant people have been place in a queue on weekdays.

Having identified the increase in demand over the last two weeks, additional resources are being mobilised from the week, starting 31 May 2021 to reduce call wait times.

The Low Emission Zone Support Fund has made grant funding to bus companies through the Bus Emissions Abatement Retrofit Programme as set out in the following table:

Dog and puppy training businesses have been permitted to be open for normal operation of training classes since the easing of restrictions on‎ 26 April 2021. Those participating in any dog or puppy training should practice physical distancing and preventative hygiene to protect themselves and the persons with whom they are working.

The Scottish Government granted local authorities the autonomy to introduce local reliefs schemes through the Community Empowerment Act 2015. The Scottish Government continues to encourage local authorities to use these powers where they may deem it appropriate. Local Authorities are independent bodies, democratically elected and accountable to their local electorate, and the administering of all reliefs under these powers is a matter for them.

The following table sets out spend on local reliefs from 2016-17 to 2019-20:

We recognise Scotland’s part in historic injustices like the transatlantic slave trade and Empire. We are determined to acknowledge and learn from our past and the role Scotland played. We must also focus on making sure we deliver positive outcomes for the minority ethnic people of Scotland now. A number of our Programme for Government 2020 – 21 commitments focus on recognising Scotland’s role, how we educate ourselves about our past and raise awareness of these events to the wider public.

Scottish Ministers are not aware of any powers that they have which would allow them to direct a charity such as the Dick Bequest Trust to require any return of money in the way that is being suggested. Scottish Ministers are actively considering the associated issues raised in a recent Press and Journal article as well as a letter addressed to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills and will respond in due course.

Alongside the most generous relief package, the Scottish Government has delivered the lowest poundage in the UK for the third year in a row, and over 95% of properties pay a lower rate of tax than anywhere in the UK. The Scottish Budget 2021-22 took the unprecedented step of reducing the poundage mid-revaluation, saving ratepayers £120 million compared to what an inflationary increase would have delivered.

We have already demonstrated our commitment to the recommendation to bring the Large Business Supplement into line with the aggregate rate set in England when we reduced the rates liabilities for around 9,500 medium-sized properties by introducing the Intermediate Property Rate for properties with a rateable value between £51,001 and £95,000.

Decisions on taxation are taken as part of the Scottish Budget process.

We are hugely grateful to the efforts of health and social care staff across Scotland who have risen to the challenge of responding to the pandemic. This thank you payment recognised the particular debt we all owe to NHS and social care staff who have been on the front line of this crisis, helping to save lives and to protect us all.

For people working for private employers such as an Agency, it would be for their employer to determine their remuneration and any additions to existing pay which may be appropriate for these staff.

Agency staff are free to apply for and take up a post in the NHS or Social Care if they wish to enjoy the same benefits as the NHS or Social Care workforce. There are many flexible options available including working via the NHS Staff Bank, part-time and term-time working, all of which allow individuals to balance work and other commitments.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6T-00019 on‎ 26 May 2021. The answer is available on the Parliament's website at: Official Report - Parliamentary Business : Scottish Parliament

The Business Rates Incentivisation Scheme (BRIS) was introduced in in 2012-13 in recognition of the fact that the Scottish Government guarantees the combined General Revenue Grant (GRG) and distributable Non-Domestic Rates Income (NDRI) funding thereby reducing the incentive for local authorities to try and maximise their NDRI. The BRIS is focussed on incentivising local authorities to maximise their existing NDRI and also to grow their local business tax base. This is achieved by the Scottish Government setting annual locally based targets. All local authorities that exceed their annual target retain half the extra income achieved from growth in their tax base until the next NDR revaluation assuming they maintain the extra income in the subsequent years. The amounts to be retained are calculated from local authorities’ audited annual non domestic rates returns. The information requested is set out in the following table.