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The project partners have not started the public consultation and engagement stage of the project yet and are working to secure resource to do this for the local pilot projects. They will engage with communities as soon as resource is in place for the engagement activities in order to shape the pilots and identify how best to deliver community benefits. The project team are currently working to design the engagement process.

The R100 programme is one of the most ambitious public investment programmes anywhere in the UK – with the Scottish Government investing over £600 million targeted at homes and businesses with the slowest broadband speeds.

As of 8 June 2023, £122.4 million has been paid to Openreach for delivery of the R100 contracts. Payments are made in arrears upon completion of build.

A further £5.4 million has been paid to a range of suppliers in the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme.

The ethical framework will be used to deliver investment which meets the aims of the Scottish Government’s Interim Principles for Responsible Investment in Natural Capital. Adherence to these principles is set out in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the project partners and the framework will be secured through the terms of the MoU. If the principles are not adhered to, NatureScot and the Project Board will work to address this and, if necessary, NatureScot will withdraw from the partnership if the investment does not deliver against the principles in the way intended.

Our investment through the R100 programme will be transformational for many of Scotland’s most rural communities and is providing a full fibre backbone that will enable reliable connectivity services to be delivered.

An individual’s ability to access digital healthcare can be impacted by a number of factors, not just their rurality and the availability of digital infrastructure in their area.

That is why, while recognising the importance of access to digital healthcare, it should be promoted as one choice for patients but not the only available option. Digital healthcare programmes are subject to Equality Impact Assessments (EQIAs) to assess the impact of accessibility.

Of the 26 new buses that have space for transporting bikes there are 13 planned to operate on routes in Aberdeenshire.

The Scottish Government welcomes the publication of the abortion statistics for 2022. The Scottish Government will continue to work closely with NHS Boards to help improve access to abortion services for those who wish to have a termination.

‎In particular, the Scottish Government is working to deliver actions in the Women’s Health Plan, which includes a range of measures to ensure all women have access to timely abortion care should they require it, and to increase choice for women accessing this care.

We are also committed to ensuring that women across Scotland have timely access to contraception, and to information which allows them to make informed decisions about their own sexual and reproductive health.

The Scottish Government has not provided financial support to local authorities to undertake inspections of buildings for reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete. It is the responsibility of building owners to undertake such inspections. The Health & Safety Executive is the UK-wide regulator for health and safety in workplaces. This legislation is not devolved to the Scottish Government. The HSE, instructed by the UK Government, are developing a research methodology to assist with identification, assessment and remediation of RAAC and we will consider any recommendations appropriately.

NHS Health Boards and local authorities are responsible for the provision of, and funding for, services for deaf children. This includes the provision of specific therapeutic approaches.

The Scottish Government also funds the Scottish Sensory Centre and CALL Scotland to provide advice and training to school staff on support, including the use of assistive technology, for children and young people with specific communication and sensory needs.

In Scotland, a formal identification of dyslexia or a learning difficulty is not required before appropriate support is provided, although I recognise that a diagnosis can be helpful for children and young people and their families.

We want all children and young people, to receive the support they need to reach their full potential. Under the Additional Support for Learning Act 2004, education authorities have duties to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their pupils, including those with dyslexia and other learning difficulties. We are committed to supporting teachers and school staff to meet these needs.

Our national approach recognises that children and young people with dyslexia benefit from early identification. We are working with local government partners to continue to improve the consistency of early identification through the adoption of the Scottish working definition of dyslexia and use of the Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit’s Dyslexia Identification Pathway.

The Scottish Government does not currently fund adult assessments for dyslexia and has therefore made no economic assessment of the cost. We are not presently considering a pilot scheme.

Free support and assessment for dyslexia is provided to children and young people in educational settings.

Additional support is available to adults with dyslexia regardless of the availability of diagnosis. This includes access to work support to obtain and maintain employment.

The Scottish Government works closely with and funds Dyslexia Scotland who provide information, advice and support to people with dyslexia and those who support them.