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The Scottish Government has a contract for the provision of an electronic vote counting solution between the Scottish Ministers and Fujitsu Limited dated 16 October 2020. This contract delivered electronic vote counting services for the Scottish Local Government elections held on 5 May 2022. The software used for electronic vote counting is specialist elections software provided by a separate elections company, as a sub-contractor to Fujitsu. The electronic counting solution has already been tested rigorously, and independently assessed as secure and suitable, and successfully delivered the national Local Government elections in May 2022. The same elections specialist company provided the software that successfully counted votes and delivered the Local Government elections results in 2012 and 2017, as sub-contractors to a different prime contractor, CGI. The current contract also covers electronic vote counting services for Local Government by-elections held up to 31 January 2027. The solution remains in live operation for by-elections and there is no current intention to repeat the rigorous and independent testing that has already taken place.

The Scottish Government has always recognised the importance of our international links and we want to develop Scotland’s direct connectivity to China to help build strong links for business and exports, as well as make it easier for visitors and students to come and experience Scotland.

Transport Scotland’s Aviation Team, along with VisitScotland and Scottish Development International, met a number of airlines from China at the World Route Development Forum in October 2023, to discuss future opportunities. These discussions are, however, commercially sensitive and I cannot share specific details.

To help secure new connectivity between Scotland and China, the Scottish Government will continue to work with Scotland’s airports to consider what support and information we can provide to help build the case for future routes.

The application for a mixed use development consisting of residential and commercial units at a site bounded by Candleriggs, Ingram Street and Albion Street in Glasgow, is currently with a Reporter at the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) of the Scottish Government.

The application was called in by Scottish Ministers on 27 February 2023 in view of the proposal raising issues of importance requiring scrutiny at a national level.

The reporter is currently in the process of finalising their report and recommendations to Ministers and is aiming to submit this by the end of February 2024. It will then be for Scottish Ministers to consider the reporters recommendations and all other submissions made on the application before making their decision. Scottish Ministers will aim to make a decision on this application as quickly as possible following receipt of the report.

The expansion of Hospital at Home is already supporting Boards maximise capacity to meet demand and helping more people receive care at home or as close to home as possible, where clinically appropriate – which is relieving pressure on the front door of our A&Es. Early feedback from NHS Boards indicates good progress is being made in terms of increasing Hospital at Home capacity in key areas.

The Scottish Government has identified nine priority areas within our values-led Inward Investment Plan, including the decarbonisation of transport, and we would consider the Scottish aspect to an investment from Chery Automobile Co Ltd into the UK.

Engagement with individual companies is the remit of our economic development agencies collectively through Scottish Enterprise’s international arm, Scottish Development International (SDI), which has operational responsibility for attracting inward investment. The Scottish Government works with its enterprise agencies to ensure robust due diligence is undertaken on potential inward investments.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-23954 on 9 January 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

Scotland’s long term strategy for ending homelessness is delivered in partnership with local government, third sector organisations and the wider homelessness sector in Scotland. It requires commitment and investment by all partners on the actions each takes with the aim of ending homelessness.

Our £ 100 million Ending Homelessness Together Fund was established to transform the homelessness system between 2018 and the end of this parliamentary term. On top of funding provided through the local government settlement, we are investing £35 million in 2024-25 in specific action to end homelessness and reduce the number of households living in temporary accommodation. As local authorities are our key partner for delivering our homelessness strategy, the majority of this funding will be allocated to councils.

In addition to this, the Ending Homelessness Together Fund resources a range of other activity, including the opening of Rapid Rehousing Welcome Centres each winter, which provides people at risk of rough sleeping with a warm, safe space and access to trauma-informed services to help them move onto more settled accommodation. It also provides third sector organisations with resource for administration by frontline and street outreach workers to support the immediate needs of people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness and/or rough sleeping.

While delivery of investments in new vessels and port infrastructure is being progressed, this Government has authorised a six month extension to the current charter of MV Alfred. The primary focus of the vessel MV Alfred is for resilience purposes. However, this will help mitigate the impact of disruption or where certain islands are reduced to single vessel service.

Delivering six new major vessels to serve Scotland’s ferry network by end 2026, is a priority for this government of which four are for Islay and the Little Minch routes and two are for the Ardrossan-Brodick/Campbeltown route.

Transport Scotland is also working with CMAL and CalMac on further vessel projects and programmes including the Small Vessel Replacement Programme.

Additional funding has been committed for enhanced maintenance of vessels and CMAL and the operators continue to work to identify potential additional second hand tonnage to support the fleet.

As is the case at present and within the remit of the current contract, there are measures to which we hold the operator accountable for and apply performance measures where applicable.

As set out in the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and Workforce Action Plan, we recognise that counsellors and psychotherapists are part of the core mental health and wellbeing workforce and play a critical role in delivering the Strategy.

Throughout the development of the Strategy, associated Delivery Plan and Workforce Action Plan, we engaged with a wide range of stakeholders, including directly with representatives of the workforce.

The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland (COSCA) and the British Psychological Society participated in the consultation processes.

We will continue to engage with them and other representatives of the mental health and wellbeing workforce on the implementation of the Strategy’s Delivery and Workforce Action Plans.

We recognise in the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and the Workforce Action Plan that counsellors and psychotherapists are part of the core mental health and wellbeing workforce and that they have a critical role in delivering the Strategy.

The Strategy, Delivery Plan and Workforce Action Plan were developed in consultation with a large number of stakeholders including representatives of counselling and psychotherapy such as British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland (COSCA) and the British Psychological Society.

Throughout the implementation of the Strategy’s Delivery and Workforce Action Plans, officials will continue to liaise with key stakeholders and consider relevant frameworks to ensure best practices are shared.

Recruitment and training of registered mental health professionals is a matter for employers such as NHS boards and Local Authorities. These bodies make informed decisions about recruiting counsellors and psychotherapists or training new mental health practitioners, according to the needs of local service providers and working with relevant professional bodies. The Scottish Government expects employers to apply standards and frameworks which are appropriate to the specialism being recruited for.