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Mileage rates, that is the rate per hour that can be claimed back against tax, is set by the UK Government and allows employers to set a mileage rate of up to 45p per hour for the first 10,000 miles and 25p per mile thereafter. The actual allowance paid is a matter for individual employers. We are however aware of the pressures faced by social care staff and will continue to engage with partners to consider how providers can best support their staff.

With regards to this specific question, we do not currently hold this information, this would be a matter for individuals based on a range of factors about their own working lives. Employers are able to claim up to 45p per mile for the first 10,000 miles and 25p per mile thereafter, as per the current rates set by UK Government.

We are engaging with stakeholders to better understand the scope and nature of the pressures facing the social care workers, who provide an invaluable service to the people of Scotland.

The Scottish Government is not responsible for issuing any licences or registrations required by P&O Ferries to operate to or from Scottish ports.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-07687 on 19 April 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

Long waiting times for treatment are unacceptable and we remain committed to meet the standard that 90% of patients begin treatment within 18 weeks of referral. This is why we have allocated £40 million to NHS Boards to improve CAMHS in the last financial year. £4.25m of that allocation was directly focussed on offering treatment to those already on CAMHS waiting lists, with a view to clearing all backlogs by March 2023. Whilst Boards continue to respond creatively to treat significant numbers of children and young people, their priority is to ensure that emergency and urgent cases are seen, and this has regrettably meant longer waits for some.

Waiting lists are managed locally by individual Health Boards. However, the Scottish Government has issued key principles for Health Boards to shape their policies for managing waiting lists. These set out our expectation that patients on the waiting list, and where appropriate their families, are kept informed of their situation; that those waiting the longest should be contacted first; and that support and personalised, meaningful signposting should also be provided to the patient and their families, with informed consent, to access other services within the children and young people's service network, in cases where families' needs are best met elsewhere.

Additionally, to enhance the support that is available, in the last financial year we provided local authorities with an additional £15 million to fund over 230 new and enhanced community-based mental health supports and services for children and young people. This financial year, we will issue a further £15 million to councils to fund the continuation of these supports.

This funding gives local authorities the flexibility to implement supports on the basis of local priorities and to make services available to children and young people who are awaiting CAMHS treatment or for whom CAMHS is not suitable. Councils have advised us that the community-based supports have started receiving referrals from CAMHS.

The services include mental health support for LGBTQI+ children and young people in Glasgow; family mediation and counselling services in Dundee; online self-directed support and counselling in Aberdeenshire and Bereavement and Loss support in the Scottish Borders. Establishing these services is a significant step forward in supporting the mental health of our children and young people, making sure they receive the help they need when they need it.

Allowances for fuel that are paid to social care workers are a matter for individual employers and are not set by the Scottish Government. We are, however, actively engaged with our partners, including local government, to understand what impact the increase in fuel prices is having across Scotland, and how social care providers can support their staff to ensure they can continue to deliver the invaluable support they provide.

Scottish Government officials have travelled on P&O Ferries between Larne and Cairnryan four times since 2019. All four crossings were single journeys.

No single or return crossings were made by Ministers in 2019, 2020 or 2021. The global COVID-19 pandemic throughout 2020 and 2021 resulted in lockdowns that curtailed Ministerial and official travel.

The Scottish Government does not hold any contracts with P&O Ferries.

Table 1 – deaths from thrombosis-related conditions, 2008-2020

The Scottish Government does not hold data on the level and nature of financial investment from China in universities in Scotland as they are autonomous bodies.