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The INTOG Initial Plan Framework has set out a series of geographic areas where no projects will be considered. This primarily affects the Innovation category of projects as Targeted Oil and Gas projects would naturally be located further offshore. These exclusions will help by ensuring projects are not located in areas that are more likely to negatively interact with other projects and on already sensitive receptors and thus delay adoption of the plan. Additionally, the planning and leasing processes have been designed to overlap to allow projects to progress as quickly as possible.

More specifically, all Innovation projects will also be required to deliver Supply Chain Development Statements setting out and committing to investment in supply chain for the project. Like ScotWind, these commitments will be subject to penalties if not met. Applications to Marine Scotland Directorate for relevant consents and licences for INTOG will also benefit from the streamlining work currently underway .

Housing to 2040 sets out the Scottish Government’s strategy to ensure that housing in 2040 will support people to live in affordable homes that meet their accessibility needs as well as net zero targets. This is a long term strategy for new and existing homes, underpinned by the new tenure-neutral Housing Standard for Scotland which is currently under development and which will include elements relating to retrofit. There will be extensive consultation and engagement with stakeholders to ensure that accessibility needs are appropriately considered and that the new standard aligns with Heat in Buildings ambitions for meeting net zero targets.

The information requested is not yet publically available.

Scotland’s first three Early Cancer Diagnostic Centres (ECDC) are pilots to help inform wider roll-out of an optimal model for patients with non-specific symptoms suspicious of cancer.

All three Centres are using a nationally agreed minimum data-set, capturing patient identifiable data locally. A sub-section of this data will be published by the three Boards later this Summer to mark one-year since the early adopter sites were established.

Meanwhile, work is underway with Public Health Scotland to scope and progress the national data collection of ECDCs as more sites are expected to come on-stream.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all people living in Scotland with epilepsy are able to access the best possible care and support, and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care.

That is why in 2019 we published a Neurological Care and Support – National Framework for Action 2020-25, which sets out a vision that everyone with a neurological condition, including epilepsy, can access the care and support they need to live well, on their own terms. Since October 2020, we have invested £324,500 in funding via the Framework to projects that specifically improve the health and wellbeing of people with epilepsy in Scotland.

The Scottish Government and COSLA published a National Workforce Strategy on 11 March 2022. The Strategy commits to publishing new workforce projections in the autumn, once we have had the opportunity to consider Health Board and Health and Social Care Partnerships' three year workforce plans. The staffing needs for services and professional specialities across NHS Scotland such as epilepsy care will be, in partnership with stakeholders, factored into the development of these projections. As part of this work, we are actively listening to colleagues to understand where the current pressures are, and what actions can be taken to mitigate their impact on staff. Decisions on local staffing requirements are, however, the responsibility of individual NHS Boards.

Scottish Government support schemes available to farmers, crofters and land managers to support nature-rich farming and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions are:

Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS)

AECS provides important funding to the sector to help achieve our commitment to support farmers, crofters, and land managers to support and deliver nature restoration. To date a total of £242 million has been committed to 2,970 businesses of which a total of 495 organics contracts have been approved, with £28.8m committed.

Sustainable Agriculture Capital Grant Scheme (SACGS)

The scheme opened on 26 April 2022 to Scottish farmers, crofters and agricultural contractors who store and/or spread livestock slurry or digestate. 3,148 businesses have been supported over the life span of the scheme with a total of £12.80m invested. As of the 12 July 2022 we have issued a further 572 SACGS 2022 offers of grant worth £4.74m.

Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme (CAGS)

A part of crofting activity revolves around livestock production associated with low-intensity systems of high nature value with a natural balance between food production and the environment. From 2016 to 2022 over £16m in CAGS funding has been approved, helping over 3,000 crofters with their businesses – 85% of all eligible applications being approved.

Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund (KTIF)

The Fund periodically opens to support knowledge transfer and innovation based projects contributing to improving biodiversity or emission reductions. Since 2015, Scottish Government has supported 45 projects under the KTIF to a tune of approximately £7.5 million. The Fund has supported just under 20 different organisations and in 2021 the knowledge transfer based projects alone ran training events which had a total attendance of roughly 1,500.

Scotland’s Farm Advisory Service (FAS)

FAS provides a range of low and no cost ideas to help farmers identify, support and improve biodiversity on their land, raising awareness of woodland planting and the benefits for businesses, carbon sequestration and habitat and ideas to help farmers manage carbon on their farm and adapt to a changing climate, making their business more resilient to future changes. Since 2016 Scottish Government has supported the FAS to a tune of just under £21 million as of May 2022, delivering over 4,300 bespoke advice products. In 2021 FAS delivered 167 events to approximately 5,000 farmers, crofters and land managers.

Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS)

In the life of FGS, we have approved £312m worth of projects, providing financial support for the creation of new woodland and the sustainable management of existing woodland, to 3,816 projects (completed) from a total number of 5,204 projects with approved funding. Payments to date amount to circa £235m.

To meet our increasing ambitions to deliver greater woodland creation hectares year on year until 2024/25, we have a proposed budget of £71m for the financial year (22/23) and a further £76m and £80m proposed for the following two financial years.

Scottish Government has not undertaken a recent assessment of mixed sex wards in NHS hospitals.

Since 2005 the Scottish Government has expected Boards to ensure that all of their facilities comply with the guidelines and recommendations on the elimination of mixed sex accommodation produced in 1999 and 2000 following a review of mixed sex accommodation, as well as relevant legislation including the Equality Act 2010.

This Government supports the appropriate use of the separate and single-sex exceptions contained in paragraphs 26, 27 and 28 of Schedule 3 of the Equality Act 2010 by service providers, where it is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. When taking decisions on where a person should be accommodated in the NHS, account should be taken of the rights of all.

Responsibility for complying with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 rests with individual organisations. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has produced guidance to support separate and single sex service providers.

The Scottish Government expects everyone to be treated fairly and equally and with respect when seeking healthcare. NHS staff will make every effort to ensure that the privacy and dignity of all patients are maintained in Scottish hospitals.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-09064 on 21 June 2022 which includes a link to the Affordable Housing Supply Housing Programme annual out-turn reports.

Incremental equity changes are not recorded and Scottish Government systems show properties where Ministers have an equity stake at what that equity stake is at the current time.

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

Thirteen Health Boards submitted proposals to the Strategic Network on managing the long term effects of COVID-19 for how they intend to utilise long COVID Support Funding across 2022-23.

Following review by the Network’s Strategic Oversight Board, funding allocations were confirmed to all 13 Health Boards on 19 May to support the delivery of activities identified within their proposals.

Rent Service Scotland does not hold official data on Landlords leaving the Private Rented sector.

No one should have to rely on charitable food provision which is why we have committed to publishing a plan on ending the need for food banks this Autumn.

We consulted on a draft plan earlier this year, which reaffirms our human rights approach – we prioritise action to prevent poverty and promote cash-first responses to hardship so that people have sufficient income to meet their needs and preferences.

Both the Trussell Trust and the Independent Food Aid Network have endorsed the cash-first approach, including through our Scottish Welfare Fund and low income pandemic supports.

Through the budget for 2022-23 the Scottish Government has allocated almost £3 billion to a range of supports that will contribute to mitigating the impact of the increased cost of living on households. This includes work to tackle child poverty, reduce inequalities and support financial wellbeing, alongside social security payments not available anywhere else in the UK.