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The option to take part in the pilot scheme was open to all Scotland’s universities. Discussions are continuing with all universities in Scotland about ways to increase the available supply of suitable quarantine accommodation for international students from Red List countries.

We have no plans to gauge public support for this Order. Any environmental impact will be managed under the prior notification procedure.

Permitted development rights do not allow for increases in biomass, that process is regulated by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). Increases in fish farm biomass require an application to be submitted by the operator to vary the Controlled Activities Regulations (CAR) licence. As part of the determination undertaken by SEPA the application would be advertised for consultation.

The Scottish Government is committed to introducing new and innovative treatment practices to address problem substance use, based on strong and sufficient evidence.

We have had discussions with a number of external stakeholders as well as internal policy and analytical teams to help inform our position on NET. As a result of these discussions we were advised that before Neuro-Electric Therapy (NET) could be made available as a treatment option through the NHS, it must be researched according to current guidelines and NHS ethics and be registered, as a licensed medical device, with Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency ( MHRA). Until this happens the device can only be used in experiments or medical trials.

These discussions also concluded that as Scottish Government does not directly fund clinical trials or literature reviews into the efficacy of specific treatment interventions, we should recommend that NET RECOVERY Corporation- the company that manufactures NET device - should explore funding streams available through a number of open and competitive funding channels including Medical Research Council and the CMOs Chief Scientist Office.

It is for local authorities to process an application to withdraw a child from school, and the home education guidance advises local authorities to note that home education is a key aspect of parental choice, and that consent to withdraw a child from school should not be unreasonably withheld.

The review of the home education guidance will emphasise the importance of all parties working together to develop mutual trust and respect, and a positive relationship that functions in the best interest of the child. This is inclusive of the process around requests to withdraw a child from school.

Following agreement with the Improvement Service, the National Entitlement Card Programme Office and Young Scot, who are responsible for handling applications for and issuing the National Entitlement Cards on which the national concessionary travel schemes depend, we plan that young people should be able to travel under the new Young Persons Free Bus Scheme from 31 January 2022.

We have previously announced our intention to extend the scope of the scheme to include 19-21 year olds and committed to making as much progress on this as possible this financial year. Subject to Parliamentary approval of the legislation required to amend the age eligibility for the scheme, when the new scheme goes live it will do so for young people up to and including the age of 21.

We are committed to expanding the maximum total support package available to students over the next three years to reach the equivalent of the living wage.

The provision of speech and language therapy services is the responsibility of NHS Boards for children and adults with communication and swallowing difficulties and also Education Departments in Local Authorities for Children and Young people.

The Allied Health Professional (AHP) National Lead for Children and Young People at Scottish Government is working with NHS Boards across Scotland and speech and language therapy leads to support a joined up approach to service design and delivery.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Speech and Language Therapists (SLT) have continued to offer digital support, advice and interventions for adults, young people and children, their families and carers where possible through the use of NHS Near Me. SLTs have also prioritised promotion of resources and tools to support wellness and self-management where appropriate.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and SLT services have adapted their service delivery methods to ensure compliance with local and national restrictions while continuing to establish and maintain contact with those who need support, including children and adults. Digital services have been key to enabling person centred care and continuity of care in current circumstances. Where it has been safe to do so, face to face contact has remained in place guided by stringent risk assessment.

The safety of fans attending the fan zone is paramount, that is why we have worked closely with Glasgow City Council and a range of partners to deploy a range of interventions to reduce the risk of transmission at the fan zone.

Whilst we have seen an increase in test positivity of younger males, Public Health Scotland’s analysis of the Test & Protect Case Management System data reveal that between 11 to 28 June 2021, only 55 of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Scotland reported attending the Glasgow Green Fan Zone, This amounts to 2.8% of the overall 1,991 confirmed cases associated with EURO 2020-related events. This low number is testament to the approach and effort of partners to deliver such a large scale event during these challenging times.

This report can be found at: .

We are currently working with Public Health Scotland and Health Boards to plan for the 2021-22 Seasonal Flu Vaccination Programme for the autumn. We welcome the interim advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation who have indicated that where possible, a COVID-19 vaccination booster programme could run in parallel with the flu vaccination programme. We are working closely with partners to plan for the coming season, and will align both programmes with these recommendations, and any future JCVI advice.

Changes to travel restrictions affecting Manchester City Council and Salford City Council were notified to Parliament by answer to question
S6W-00856 on 17 June 2021, and announced to businesses and the public through a media briefing by the First Minister, a news release, and updated guidance on the Scottish Government website. 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