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A set of impact assessments including an Equalities Impact Assessment, Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment, Fairer Scotland Duty Assessment and Island Communities Impact Assessment were published alongside the original DRS Regulations in 2020. The financial assumptions contained within the related Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) showed the projected cost of compliance with Scotland’s DRS regulations which were passed by this Parliament. These have been updated to reflect previous amendments and we will shortly publish revisions to these in light of the amendments laid in May.

The CEO of Ferguson Marine will write to the NZET Committee later this month to provide an update on the results of the detailed costing exercise to deliver 801 and 802.

Ministers engage with Island Communities on a regular basis.

Details of all contracts relating to the provision of independent expertise to enable completion of due diligence upon the delivery of MV Glen Sannox and Hull 802 can be found via Public Contracts Scotland.

The assessment of the value for money case was one output from the overall due diligence work undertaken. We have not received the final invoices for the entirety of our due diligence work but estimate the total costs to be around £620,000.

Since its introduction in July 2020, over 3 million NHS Pharmacy First Scotland consultations have taken in place across Scotland.

In the annual Dispenser Payments and Prescription Cost Analysis publication, Public Health Scotland reported that in financial year 2021-22 alone, a total of 2,954,181 Pharmacy First consultations were undertaken with 95% providing advice on self-care or treatment at the point of contact, therefore removing the need for unnecessary visits to GP practices, Out of Hour services or Emergency Department for everyday self-limiting conditions.

Consultations using PGDs in 2021/22 accounted for 4% (119,728) with 84% (100,182) being treated by the community pharmacy instead of requiring a GP/Out of Hours appointment.

Public Health Scotland has also reported that in 2021/22, 23% of the Scottish population (1,242,801 people) accessed Pharmacy First services at least once.

This information will be included as part of the quarterly update to the NZET Committee by CEO of Ferguson Marine at the end of June.

Other than time spent on the initial scoping work, there has been no spend on the development of a National Pharmaceutical Agency.

Specific information of this nature would be regarded as commercially sensitive and therefore not appropriate for disclosure. However, it should be noted that the timetable associated with the delivery of an alternative vessel would include the time taken to undertake a procurement exercise as well as the time taken to build the vessel itself.

Ministers continue to have regular dialogue with Trade Unions. Trade Union Representatives have welcomed the Written Authority as they acknowledge the Port Glasgow yard’s importance to the local community.

The Scottish Government did not have any discussions with Cemre Marin Endustri in relation to the production of vessel 802. CMAL is the procuring authority and would therefore be responsible for any market engagement that might be required.