A) Armed forces personnel receive dental care through the Defence Dental Service – a tri-service dental services to the UK Armed Forces - and is therefore not within the locus of the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-29165 on 5 September 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

The Scottish Government is having to make very difficult decisions to deliver balanced and sustainable spending plans for the 2024-25 financial year. It is therefore unaffordable to progress piloting free bus travel for all people seeking asylum in Scotland.

It was considered appropriate in the first instance to inform members of the Working Group established to help develop the pilot. Accordingly, the group, consisting of representatives from third sector organisations supporting people seeking asylum and those with lived experience of the asylum system, was informed at a scheduled meeting on 16 August. Formal confirmation was provided by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government Shona Robison during a Ministerial Statement on the Pre-budget Fiscal Update in Parliament on 3 September 2024.

This decision sits within the wider context of extremely challenging financial constraints across the whole of the public sector in Scotland. I can confirm however, that people seeking asylum in Scotland who are currently eligible for free bus travel through the National Concessionary Travel Schemes, including those under 22, those aged 60 and over and those with qualifying disabilities, will continue to be able to make use of their entitlement.

Following the decision by the Court of Session the appeal has been returned to DPEA to be re-determined by another reporter. As the appeal is still live it would not be appropriate to comment on the merits of the case at this stage.

Designation is devolved to Historic Environment Scotland as our lead public body for the historic environment. Historic Environment Scotland will shortly be reviewing the principles and priorities of the designations policy, including the approach to listed buildings. There will be an opportunity for the public to submit their views on these matters to ensure our built heritage can continue to be protected for current and future generations.

National Planning Framework (NPF4) aims to protect and enhance historic environment assets and places and enables positive change as a catalyst for the regeneration of places. It provides that historic buildings are brought back into use, and recognises the social, environmental and economic value of the historic environment to our economy and cultural identity.

The Scottish Government has always recognised the importance of Scotland’s international connectivity and we are committed to working with all Scotland’s airports to help grow international connectivity, a commitment recently reaffirmed in our Aviation Statement published in July. The statement also makes clear that the decision on where an airline flies to in Scotland rests entirely with the airline and we do not seek to influence that process. Of the four routes currently being supported, three started at Edinburgh while one operated both to Glasgow and Edinburgh before switching all capacity to Edinburgh. This was a decision by the airline and we are not sighted on what Glasgow Airport did to retain the route, or what Edinburgh Airport did to encourage consolidation.

The Scottish Government take a national approach to route development and our route development work with airlines is carried out strictly on an “airport-neutral” basis, leaving airlines to decide which Scottish airport to use. The role of the Scottish Government is a complementary one with each airport competing on their own merits for new routes and capacity.

We have committed to consider the justification for and practical operation of Compulsory Sales Orders and to reform the existing compulsory purchase process. We need to properly and fully consider the justification and benefits of introducing Compulsory Sales Orders, against a complex practical and legal background, and to make sure they would be compatible with Convention rights.

Local authorities already have broad compulsory purchase powers, which can and are used for a range of purposes including to bring vacant and derelict property back into productive use. As part of our work to reform and modernise compulsory purchase, a Practitioner Advisory Group was set up in February 2024, and we are engaging with it and wider stakeholders to help us develop our reform proposals, with the aim of a public consultation in autumn 2025. Further information on the reform programme is available at https://blogs.gov.scot/planning-architecture/2024/07/09/compulsory-purchase-reform/

As an independent charity, any curatorial decision regarding the Paisley Art institute’s collection is a matter for them and their Board of Trustees. They are free to manage and dispose of the collection as they choose, in line with their charitable objectives.

Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government recognises certain groups of patients for whom the use of dental amalgam has been specifically contra-indicated in the European Union’s 2018 Minimata Convention on Mercury. As a result, resin composite fillings are available for the restoration of molar teeth in patients under 15 years of age, pregnant or breast-feeding women and those who have specific medical conditions that contraindicate the use of dental amalgam.

For all other patient groups, where there are no contra-indications, dental amalgam remains the first line treatment material for fillings in molar teeth. As the primary focus of NHS General Dental Services in Scotland is to provide care to maintain the oral health of patients, it is essential that the service is able to provide an evidence-based package of care which meets clinical requirements while also providing value for money, and the continued use of dental amalgam remains an essential element to meeting these goals.

The UK Government is responsible for national security and energy-related critical national infrastructure.Like the UK Government, we consider that China’s global impact means it is important to maintain pragmatic economic relationships with the potential to create jobs and growth. The Scottish and UK governments, relevant agencies and delivery partners work closely with experts and investing businesses on these issues.

We welcome the involvement of international companies in supporting the domestic offshore wind sector and supply chain. When attracting inward investment strict due diligence is applied on a case-by-case basis by the lead enterprise agency and supported by guidance from Scottish Government. Due diligence will factor in a range of political, economic and social issues, including sanctions, human rights and national security.

The civil service that supports Scottish Ministers is structured into eight Director-General areas, each containing a number of directorates and related public bodes which are responsible for proposing legislation and putting Scottish Government policy into practice.

Directors General are referred to within our governance processes as the accountable officers (AOs). They are accountable to Parliament for the duties given to them by the Permanent Secretary as the Principal Accountable Officer, and participate across the corporate governance system.

Each Director General and their accountabilities align to Cabinet Secretary and Ministerial portfolios to enable oversight and leadership for their respective Ministerial responsibilities.

These Directors General and their Directorates are all part of the Scottish Government organisation, referred to as core Scottish Government, that operates as a single employer. This structuring allows for the more flexible deployment of resources across portfolios to respond quickly and efficiently to Ministerial priorities and external events. It also supports the wider approach set out within the National Performance Framework, to focus the organisation on working and leading collectively to improve the National Outcomes for the people of Scotland.

Further details of the government structures can be found on the Scottish Government website Government structure - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).