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Yes. This was considered for weddings, but is not supported, on the basis that ensuring that dancing is socially distanced would be very hard to control in practice and risks non-compliance with the current physical distancing requirements.

Feedback from the wedding sector themselves indicated that they did not believe it would be possible for them to ensure dancing only takes place between members of the same household or within the permitted numbers who are allowed to mix.

With the relaxation of physical distancing to 0 metres outdoors from 19 July, (indicative) dancing, mingling, standing drinks/canapés receptions, receiving lines etc. can resume at weddings from that date. With the removal of physical distancing from 9 August (indicative) indoors, the same will apply in indoor settings.

Our Suicide Prevention Action Plan ‘Every Life Matters’ was launched in August 2018 with £3 million funding available to support implementation over the last Parliamentary term. For 2021-22, £1.4 million is available to support suicide prevention. We have committed to doubling suicide prevention spending by the end of this Parliamentary term.

The Scottish Government has made a commitment to phase out the need for new petrol or diesel light commercial vehicles in public bodies by 2025; the need for any new petrol or diesel vehicles in public sector fleets by 2030; and the need for new petrol or diesel cars or vans by 2030.

The Scottish Government is aware of the issue of microplastic and other forms of pollution from road vehicles of all kinds. A 2019 report, “Non-Exhaust Emissions from Road Traffic” concluded the most effective mitigation strategies for reducing wear-generated fine particulate matter are: to reduce overall volumes of traffic; reduce speed limits; and promote good driving behaviour, all of which are part of our plans to reduce casualties and improve air quality.

Reducing the number and use of vehicles is central to reducing all types of pollution that they generate. The National Transport Strategy promotes walking, cycling, public transport and bike, car and ride sharing in preference to single occupancy car use. In the Climate Change Plan update published in December 2020, the Scottish Government committed to reducing car kilometres by 20% by 2030.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-00649 on 5 July 2021. 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/votes-and-motions/votes-and-motions-search.

While the Scottish Government continues to monitor research into issues relating to zero emission vehicles, we have not conducted specific analysis in the potential increase in microplastic waste from electric vehicles.

To date the Scottish Government has had no discussions with either the UK Government or tyre manufacturers on setting tyre abrasion standards.

The draft remit for the work of the advisor on education reform was published on 17 June. The remit supports the recommendation made by the OECD for the need to simplify and better align the institutional structures that support our education system. We will shortly write to stakeholders seeking views on the remit in advance of Professor Muir taking up post in August. While I am happy to take views on the work of Professor Muir and his advisory panel I do want to see this work move on with pace and do not anticipate the final version diverging greatly from the key elements of the draft as it stands.

We have been providing additional funding to maintain bus services during the pandemic. As the pandemic and associated public health measures ease, we are working with bus operators, local transport authorities and other transport stakeholders to understand the longer term impacts and how best to support a recovery in bus services. As part of this work, we shall consider how present funding arrangements should evolve, including in particular how funding might be used to help support the provision of services in local communities and enable local authorities to look at delivering different bus services in their area.

The Scottish Government has provided a total of £2,563,599.48 to community transport groups in Scotland during Covid-19 to date. This includes National Concessionary Travel Scheme operator reimbursement , Covid Support Grant, Covid 19 Public Transport Retrofit grant, Community and Third Sector Recovery Programme funding and a grant to the Community Transport Association Scotland.

We are working with the Community Transport Association Scotland (CTA), community groups and other stakeholders to develop the sector and improve connectivity for community transport and other public transport users. Transport Scotland already has regular discussions with CTA about their ongoing work to promote and develop the sector in Scotland and issues affecting community transport groups.

Transport Scotland also provides annual grant funding to CTA to support this work. We have increased the grant for 2021-22 to enable CTA to undertake a mapping exercise looking at the extent and geographic spread of community transport groups and forums in Scotland. This work is part of CTA's proposals, submitted recently to Transport Scotland, for a Community Transport Investment Fund to make community transport more sustainable and better able to withstand the effects of the pandemic.

These proposals and mapping work will provide valuable information as we continue to work closely with CTA, the bus sector, local authorities and other transport stakeholders to understand the longer term impacts of the pandemic on demand for bus and community transport and how to support local bus service provision.