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The aim of the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021 is to ensure that everyone in Scotland who menstruates can have reasonably convenient access to period products, free of charge, as and when they are required. The definition of period products in the Act does not include incontinence products and there are no plans at present to change this. The Act does not limit the number of products that can be accessed so those experiencing such symptoms are entitled to access as many period products as they need.

To help support people experiencing menopausal or perimenopausal symptoms our Women’s Health Platform, on NHS Inform, includes a resource on menopause and work is underway to refine and create resources on pelvic health. This will include urinary incontinence, looking at prevention, treatment options and reducing stigma.

The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) are invited as a member of the delivery group for the Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Strategy 2021 – 2026, as are Scottish Government. This work is overseen by Save a Life for Scotland and is focused on delivery of the aims included within the Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Strategy 2021 – 2026.

Scottish Government is a key partner in the Save a Life for Scotland partnership which delivers the Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Strategy 2021 – 2026. A key aim of this strategy is to increase the percentage of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest incidents which have a defibrillator applied before the ambulance service arrives from 8% to 20%.

This is not only about increasing the number of defibrillators in public places but also about building the evidence base to support defibrillator guardians to make strategic decisions about the placement of their defibrillators, to encourage their registration with Scottish Ambulance Service and to increase public confidence and knowledge around defibrillation. We are working as part of the Save a Life Scotland partnership to deliver on these aims.

Scotland’s Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Report 2019-2022 highlights that the number of Public Access Defibrillators (PAD) in communities across Scotland that are registered with “The Circuit” has more than doubled since 2019 and is now at almost 5,000. The full report can be found here:

Funding for Local Authorities is provided through the annual block grant settlement from the Scottish Government. Local authorities should use funding resources allocated to them in the manner which they believe will best meet local needs and circumstances within their respective areas.

Therefore, decisions on the installation and maintenance of defibrillators in schools is a matter for Local Authorities to consider at the local level.

A number of organisations provide advice and support for the purchasing and maintenance of defibrillators. This includes

The British Heart Foundation:

St Johns Scotland

Transport Scotland currently has no plans to abolish return fares on ScotRail passenger services.

The National Rail Conversation will be formally launched in April to mark the one year anniversary of ScotRail coming in to public ownership. Through the National Rail Conversation, we will listen to feedback from passengers, staff and stakeholders to shape a vision for ScotRail which best meets the needs of the people of Scotland. I will announce the timetable for the conversation at the launch.

The Scottish Government can encourage investment in areas aligned with our climate priorities but the decision on which sectors or projects to invest in is for each individual private company to make.

However, in line with our commitments in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET), the Scottish Government is working to attract and deploy significant domestic and international private investment in Scotland, including net zero sectors. The recently established Investor Panel chaired by the First Minister will bring investor intelligence into policy and regulatory development early in the process and will primarily focus on how we attract capital investment in the physical infrastructure to support our transition to net zero.

Our Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment helps eligible low-income families with expenses associated with pregnancy or with having a new child. Families can use this payment to best meet their needs which could include buying reusable nappies and meeting the costs associated with laundry care. Information on benefits and one-off payments that are available to parents can be found on our website.

To further support the affordability and accessibility of reusable nappies, Scotland's Baby Box includes a voucher that offers a free reusable nappy kit, which comprises of a waterproof wrap and five pads. A further discounted package is available should the family wish to continue with reusable nappies.

The Nappy Voucher contained within the Baby Box also signposts families to our website which highlights the benefits of using reusable nappies as well as signposting families on where to seek advice and support with using them. , which is given out at antenatal appointments, also highlights the benefits of reusable nappies.

We are clear that ScotWind promises to be transformational in delivering wider economic supply chain benefits to help power Scotland’s green recovery in communities across Scotland. The Supply Chain Development Statements set out ScotWind developers’ initial commitments to the Scottish supply chain, with more than £28bn across the 20 ScotWind offshore wind projects. Government and its agencies continue to work closely with developers and those at the top of the supply chain to ensure that local suppliers in Scotland have a realistic opportunity to compete for key manufacturing contracts.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14939 on 1 March 2023. 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