 Ystod y ystod y cyfnodd byf yn y gwynoedd yn gweithio canllfa oedd cyfnodd, ac mae'r cwmbeithio i cwmbeithio. Fyddwn i'r Gwmbeithio ysgolwch gyfer ymweld y cyfnodd, mae'n cyfnodd yn cynnigau o'r ffordd uneveniadau? Minister Richard Lockhead. Mae'n cwmbeithio i'n gweithio i'r mwy.] Ystod Ilyw y theoryynyd, esw plwy wedi'i anfforddiadau ddylch yn cyfrifio. Ac fel y drosgrifon, mae gennym ein strategiau rhan o'r ardal. Y 42 mylion pwn nesbyn yn y sgiliau nesaf o unrhyw. Wrth gofio, mae gennym gweithio hynny o gwneud cymryd o'r systemiad ni believesl i'r mylion pwn yn ddefnyddio ein strategiau o'r holl yn Guild of Development, ac mae'r rhwng holl yn ei hawdd, gan gwybod yn Mae cyfwn i'r hirion i'r sgiliau wazngag yng Nghymru oedd einein iawn. Mae'r cyfan hynny o'r hanes naol cyfordd a'r 10 milion pwn sy'n iawn i'r hun ygafodd mwheeligol to help to deliver on our ambitions for innovation and entrepreneurship? Colin Beattie? The announcement in the programme for government of continued reform of the education and skills system to ensure that we have the skilled workforce and talent pool to attract investment and meet Scotland's economic needs is very welcome. In my constituency of Midlothian North and Musselburgh, I am working closely with experts in the space sector and the local authority to expand the education provisioncountyneidio'r gw請い mor cymerwydnaeth. Mor bobl, o astud yn gallu ndwsowydd o bwysig iawn i ddalech â chyfrindau ond stymduoliau pan multigol yn hefyd no shortage o gwaith a'ch bod gennymol i smiswyd, pan hynny'n gweith surveys nodiまで continue. Rwy'n credu, Allez Maureen pan hi'w helpu. Mae'r gryffau erag ei MiNig oedd enghraifftid dym evidence yn maithwyr sylwyd neu dda'u sgelfain femeth dillan iawn. Nid oопr rhapor, sef incho, dym ond hyd yn dyl能 perservice i dynnu unrhymiol. to ensure that we have the appropriate skills available for the new and emerging sectors of the 21st century. It is also the case that many businesses locate in Scotland and their own indigenous businesses benefit in Scotland from the enormous pipeline of talent we have from Scotland universities, so we are working closely with our university sector on this issue as well. In order to ask the Scottish Government what the increase in patient charges for NHS dental treatment will be. Fy lŵrfaeth nifer o bwyllfa gamwch, cewdd i hefyd wedi'uすごfa o bwyddogau, trafoscen a'u bobl sydd gyda cael ei fod yn gweithio LLWL pleiddo, a'u bod yn tyfnodol gyda mygaiddon neu sydd yn cael ei osiwch ar y cwanhau LLWL i ni'r porff자�u LLWL yng Nghygoedd, while patients who are required to pay an NHS charge are likely to see an increase in costs, the way of treating is dependent on overall treatment plans. 40% of patients will continue to receive free NHS care and treatment, as they did under the previous arrangements, and all patients will continue to receive free at the point of use examination and review appointments. The last time I asked the minister how many dentists would be returning to the NHS as a result of the new fee system, she didn't know. This time I asked a very simple question, how much more will patients have to pay as a result of the retention of the charges and the increase of the charges? She still doesn't know. Isn't it the truth that not only the SNP broke in their promise on abolishing NHS dental charges, but they are presiding over the breakup of NHS dentistry? As I outlined in my answer, payments are calculated based on clinical treatment. I would like to emphasise that we have made progress as part of the 100 days commitment. We have delivered on free NHS care for 18 to 25-year-olds. As we made clear in the First Minister's policy perspective, the policy must be to sustain and improve patient access to dental services. The British Dental Association believes that NHS patient charge revenue is not the most appropriate way to fund NHS dentistry. Those on modest incomes who are not exempt from patient charges will have to make the difficult decision on whether they can afford to pay for NHS dentistry. Is the minister concerned that their policy on NHS dental charges will have a significant impact on people with modest incomes? What will the minister do to prevent the worsening of oral health inequalities? I thank the member for his question. That is why we view as a Government that payment reform is so important and the further work that we will do with the BDA to stabilise and make dental services sustainable. Parliament also needs to recognise that paying more for the NHS is significantly better outcome than paying for private care, which can be six to ten times the amount of NHS care for equivalent treatment. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the winter flu and Covid-19 vaccination programme. Minister Jenny Minto. The winter flu and Covid-19 vaccination programme commenced on 4 September 2023. Public Health Scotland will publish statistics on administered vaccines for winter 2023, starting from 21 September, with weekly updates being released on the Covid-19 and respiratory surveillance in Scotland interactive dashboard. Commentary will also be included in the PHS, Public Health Scotland, National respiratory infection and Covid-19 statistics report. A letter to all MSPs on the refasing of the programme was issued on 15 September. Rona Mackay. I thank the minister for that information. Can the minister provide an update on the strategies being introduced to encourage appointment attendants among the people of Scotland upon receiving appointment letters and how those strategies are expected to ease NHS workloads over the winter period? I think that this is a really important question. Those eligible will receive a letter with an appointment or digital prompt to book if this is your communication preference. We try to offer people vaccination appointments close to home, utilising community based clinics where available. To support attendance, communications, encourage people to reschedule appointments if the date, time or location is unsuitable. Our national marketing campaign amplifies our message on the importance of getting vaccinated. The main aim of the programme is the prevention of severe illness, hospitalisations and deaths. By getting vaccinated and protecting yourself, you are also alleviating pressure on the NHS during winter. The roll-out of the vaccine is still patchy, depending on which part of the country you live in. In Agail and Bute, the minister's constituency constituents were waiting hours on the phone to book an appointment only to be told that they were not sure if the Covid vaccination would be available. However, in neighbouring Greater Glasgow and Clyde, dropping clinics worked extremely well. What action is the minister taking to ensure that there is speed and consistency in the programme roll-out? I thank the member for that question and recognise that there have been some issues in the roll-out of the vaccination. My officials have been working very closely with the health boards to ensure that that is alleviated. I am sure that the member would also recognise that one size does not fit all in Scotland, and we have to get it right for each of the areas. To ask the Scottish Government whether Scottish Water has completed any remedial works to prevent future flooding in the Glasgow Annesland constituency following reports of widespread flooding in the area earlier this year. Scottish Water has completed remedial works to prevent future flooding in Mr Kidd's Glasgow Annesland constituency. Over the past 10 years, it has delivered nine capital projects to enhance sewer network capacity, reducing the risk of sewer flooding to 47 properties. Scottish Water has also provided 119 properties with property-level protection to reduce the risk and impact of internal sewer flooding, and investigations are on-going in a further 13 properties. Scottish Water continued to work with Glasgow City Council on further solutions for this highly challenging and complex system, and is meeting stakeholders again in October. Thank you very much for that reply. Unfortunately, the areas in which residents have been forced to mount their own flood defences in order to ensure that effluent and rainwater do not reach their gardens and homes, some of which have been so badly affected that Scottish Water has had to purchase and demolish them. Others cannot obtain insurance. That is how it happened in Drumchapol, High Night's Wood and Lower Night's Wood. Can the minister look to raise this untenable situation with Scottish Water in order to move things as quickly as possible? I completely understand how devastating this situation must be for Mr Kidd's constituents. I recognise the need to build on some of the work that I narrated in my initial answer. To address the particularly concerning issues that he raised, I will ask my officials to urgently raise this matter with Scottish Water and to keep me fully updated—and Mr Kidd fully updated—on the action that can be taken. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the procurement process for the upgrade of Addrossan harbour. Procurement of improvements to Addrossan harbour, owned by Peelports, was paused on 15 August to help ensure that the business case is suitable to support decisions by the funding partners. There have been a number of changes since inception, and some works have previously not been costed. The decision was not taken lightly and will be disappointing for the affected communities, but it is essential to ensure value for the public purse. I would stress that there will be no final decision on investment until the business case review is reported to the task force later this year. I thank the minister for that answer. As she will appreciate, there has already been six years of delay whilst terms when negotiated with Peel. The decision has a massive impact on Addrossan and the Arranferry route. Will she ensure that this Parliament is kept closely advised of developments and use her office to ensure that we are able to get a full debate in this place as soon as possible on the timetable costs and the implications of those decisions on the local economy? I am acutely aware of how important that is. I have met Arranferry task force previously and she will know that the work of the task force group is really important. There are many partners that bring together Transport Scotland, Peelports themselves, North Ayrshire Council and the local member, Kerry Gibson. At the point of the pause, I deliberately made sure that all relevant partners and the constituency MSP and regional MSPs were informed of progress and would continue to do so. I am not responsible for timetabling of debates in the Parliament. I hear what the minister has said. Is she confident that this work will go ahead at Addrossan? If so, when does she anticipate that it will be open for whenever the new ferry is ready? In terms of the business case, it is really important that it is as robust as possible in order for the investment decision to be taken. Clearly, in terms of the extensive work, there is quite a realignment. There are different works that are required now that were not required previously. That is why making the business case as robust as possible is really important, and we have to recognise the pressures on other funding partners, not just the fiscal pressures on us. In terms of time scales for delivery, that would depend on the works that are being done and the order that they are being done, and that will be part of that procurement process. The procurement has not stopped. It has been paused to ensure that there is a very strong business case. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it has taken to eliminate long waiting times for NHS procedures. We are working closely with NHS Boals to reduce long waits and to deliver the commitment in our £1 billion NHS recovery plan to increase in-patient, day-case and out-patient activity, which is supported by the implementation of sustainable improvements and new models of care. 2023 is also a milestone year for the national treatment centre programme. NTC's Fife and Highland opened in the spring, and NTC's Forfally and the completed expansion of NHS Golden Jubilee will open later this year. Those centres will create significant additional and protected capacity for planned and diagnostics, and they are key to supporting us in our aim to address waiting times. I thank the cabinet secretary for that response. My constitution requires a hip replacement and hopes to seek speedier treatment via the S2 scheme. However, guidance surrounding the scheme is complex and she has received conflicting advice from stakeholders including SNP ministers. She has struggled to navigate the application process and believes that better signposting and support could reduce the waiting times for other patients in her position. Therefore, can I ask the cabinet secretary whether he will introduce better signposting and ensure that all materials relating to the scheme are clear and accurate? Where there is experience for us to improve the signposting, I am always more than happy to look at that. If Ms Gosall wants to write to me with very specific instances that her constituent has experienced and where she feels it could be improved, I would be more than happy to make sure that we look at that matter. The national treatment centre programme is playing an important part in increasing capacity to support patients to access treatment. Can the cabinet secretary provide any updates as to the latest progress with the roll-out of this programme? The national treatment centre programme is the single biggest increase in planned care capacity ever created in NHS Scotland. The four national treatment centres are opening this year. They will deliver eight orthopedic theatres and inpatient and day case wards. They will also provide three endoscope rooms and two general surgery theatres and are planned to deliver in the region of 25,000 additional procedures by 2024-25. To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to start accepting applications for the 10 million fund for changing place toilets that was announced in the 21-22 programme for government. We know that changing places toilets make a real difference to disabled people in their families and offer everyone in Scotland dignity and freedom. That is why we have committed to investing in changing places toilets during this parliamentary term. I can confirm that we will look to make the £10 million fund available across the financial years 24-25 and 25-26 will undertake the necessary development work alongside key stakeholders to open the fund by the beginning of 2025. I am most disappointed in answer that I have heard in a long time. I have had many organisations who have been waiting years to have a changing place toilet. One in Dunbar has plans identified a site, a business plan and all they are waiting is for the fund to open. Why is the delay taking place when the UK Government has delivered so much money across the whole of England? The member will be aware that the First Minister's policy prospect, as published earlier this year, set out that Scotland is facing the most difficult public spending environment that this devolved Parliament has ever seen. The member will also be aware that the purpose of devolution is to enable us to do things differently in Scotland, and that is what we are doing. Not only are we using a different model of providing the funding, we are not, unlike Westminster, as I understand, providing the funding via local authorities. We are working with communities to ensure that those facilities go exactly where the communities want them, but we are investing a far greater quantum of money when we do it. England is investing £30 million in Scotland, which is £10 million. England is 10 times bigger than Scotland. We have made really tough decisions to ensure that we target every pound that we spend and to invest in order to get the maximum value to ensure that it reaches those that it needs most. I am absolutely delighted to confirm that we are going to make that £10 million investment available in changing places toilets, and I commend the previous Minister, Kevin Stewart, who pursued this issue and has ensured that, even beyond his tenure as Minister for Social Care and Mental Well-being, he has ensured that this money will be delivered where it will make a real difference to the lives of disabled people. To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to any benefits to islanders of restoring the monthly season ticket on the Largs to Cumbria ferry route. There has been no specific assessment of the benefit of the reintroduction, but I note the calls for this to be considered. Officials have already had some initial discussions with CalMac on the options, issues around the practicality and potential costs, and we need to be considered carefully. Those discussions are on-going, and it will be important that our tourist is operating properly before any further changes are made. Wider consultation on fares across the network will take place through the development of the fair fares review. Jamie Greene I thank the minister for that disappointing answer. The reality is that this new ticketing system is supposed to make life better for islanders, not worse. I have been lobbying Transport Scotland, CalMac and numerous transport ministers over a period of over a year and a half for a decision on this. I do not understand what further consultation could possibly take place. All the islanders want is a reliable ferry service at prices that they can afford. It is not beyond the width of man to design a system that works for islander communities when, minister, will we actually get an answer on if or if not these services will resume and this ticketing system will be available much needed to our island communities. The minister might not be aware, but the decision to withdraw that season ticket was not actually part of the new ticketing process. It was to do with the introduction of road equivalent tariff, which was 12 years ago. There have been no annual adjustments in line with inflation to the monthly ticket for several years and users of the product benefited from fares that were previously below the road equivalent tariff for the route with a previous 17.5% discount. Therefore, I have asked officials to work with CalMac to see what is possible. As I answered in my first question, we also have to make sure that fares are fair across the network.