Our aim to halve childhood obesity by 2030 and significantly reduce diet related health inequalities is deliberately ambitious.

A recent study completed by Nesta Counting the cost of obesity in Scotland | Nesta calculated that, on average across all children living with obesity within the 2-to-15-year age range, a sustained reduction of 65 kcal per day – the equivalent of one digestive biscuit – would achieve the desired reduction in obesity from 16.4% (2019 Scottish Health Survey figure) to 7% by 2030.

This represents a reduction of 3.0% in the daily calorie consumption of the average child living with obesity in Scotland.

However, it is important to note that 65 kcal per day is the weighted average of a range of estimates that vary by children’s age and sex, from 19 kcal per day to 142 kcal per day. In practice, a 65 kcal-per-day reduction in excess calories would be excessive for a two-year-old child, but insufficient for a 15-year-old living with obesity.

This suggests the ambition is feasible, even if challenging and we remain committed to achieving this aim.

Scottish Government officials last met Obesity Action Scotland on the 22 October 2024.

At the meeting childhood obesity was discussed as part of their on-going work to support the Diet and Healthy Weight Action Plan.

The Scottish Government currently has no plans to make any code of practice (COP) for children’s food menus mandatory.

The COP is one of 11 key principles set out in the Eating Out, Eating Well (publichealthscotland.scot), currently being developed by Public Health Scotland (PHS) and Food Standards Scotland. The development of the Framework meets a key commitment set out in the Scottish Government’s 2021. Diet and healthy weight: out of home action plan - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The COP currently contains 7 actions detailed in published pilot guidance Code of practice for children’s menus: principles, actions, and top tips (publichealthscotland.scot) .Taken together with the rest of the Framework, these are designed to guide and support food businesses in providing healthier options for families with young children when eating out.

PHS has just concluded a pilot of the new Framework, including the COP, so its details are still subject to change. We are expecting it to be published in 2025.

The Scottish Government only holds personal injury accident information. It does not hold information relating to damage only accidents (i.e. not involving an injury).

There has been the following number of personal injury accidents recorded on trunk roads in Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Angus Council in the last 5 years:

In the current 2024-25 financial year, there has been no design or construction spend at the A90 Toll of Birness junction.

Through Transport Scotlands 2023 annual assessment of the safety performance of the trunk road network, the A90 Toll of Birness junction was not identified as a priority site for further investigation. However it was identified that there have been some collisions in recent years on the section of the A90 to the north of the Toll of Birness junction, between the A90/A952 Toll of Birness Junction and the A975 Junction at Longhaven, which warrant further investigation. Aberdeenshire Council raised concerns around the Toll of Birness junction through stakeholder engagement undertaken as part of the annual road safety assessment process and it was agreed to include the A90 Toll of Birness junction within this investigation. Transport Scotland’s Operating Company, Amey, are currently undertaking this investigation. The cost of this investigation is £10,000.

On 30 October I chaired the Road Safety Strategic Partnership Board. This meeting involved a range of operational partners, including Police Scotland and local authorities, to discuss measures aimed at enhancing road safety and progressing towards achieving our vision for Scotland, including the north east, to have the best road safety performance in the world by 2030.

One of my Transport Scotland officials recently attended the Aberdeenshire Road Safety Seminar on 10 October, with Police Scotland, local authorities, elected members and key stakeholders in attendance. Road safety at a national level and issues pertaining to the local road network, with a particular focus on the A90 and A952, were discussed.

On 30 October I chaired the Road Safety Strategic Partnership Board. This meeting involved a range of operational partners, including Police Scotland and local authorities, to discuss measures aimed at enhancing road safety and progressing towards achieving our vision for Scotland, including the north east, to have the best road safety performance in the world by 2030.

The Scottish Government has not met with Police Scotland specifically to discuss road safety at the Toll of Birness.

Transport Scotland and Amey however had the opportunity to discuss road safety at the Toll of Birness with Police Scotland on 1 August 2023 following a separate meeting that had been arranged to discuss two locations on the A90 in the North East of Scotland.

The Scottish Government has reviewed the personal injury accident information provided by Police Scotland and can confirm that there has been one personal injury accident at the Toll of Birness junction between 1 January 2024 and 30 September 2024, the date for which data is currently available. As this road traffic collision is subject to ongoing Police enquiries no further information can be provided on its cause at the present time.

I have not met with Transport Scotland to discuss road improvements to the Toll of Birness junction specifically.

On 30 October I chaired the Road Safety Strategic Partnership Board. This meeting involved a range of operational partners, including Police Scotland and local authority representatives, to discuss measures aimed at enhancing road safety and progressing towards achieving our vision for Scotland, including the north east, to have the best road safety performance in the world by 2030.

Road safety remains of paramount importance to the Scottish Government. Transport Scotland assesses the safety performance of the trunk road network on an annual basis using a robust, evidence-based approach ensuing that funding can be prioritised to those locations that support effective delivery of the Scottish Government’s 2030 casualty reduction targets.