As referred to in the answer to S5W-21944, my officials will continue to work with industry stakeholders to determine how the Scottish Government can continue to keep customer charges as low as practicable and provide support for those members of society that are least able to afford those payments. The final Principles of Charging and Ministerial Objectives will be published no later than June 2020, the date set out in the industry timetable.

Replacing axle counters at Craigendoran is a matter for Network Rail to whom this question should be addressed.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-21791 on 13 March 2019. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

The funding for Network Rail is planned and regulated by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) and projects included in the ORR’s final determination for CP5 can be accessed via the following links:-

Scottish projects can be found on page 343 of the Control Period 5 Determination:https://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/452/pr13-final-determination.pdf .

In addition details on Scottish projects can be found in Network Rail’s Enhancement Delivery plan: https://cdn.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/EDP-December-2018.pdf .

The Scottish Government does not hold operational data in this detail. Axle counter reliability is the responsibility of Network Rail to whom this question should be addressed.

The ScotRail Alliance enables Abellio ScotRail and Network Rail to work together to deliver against their respective remits.

Abellio ScotRail, through their contract with Scottish Ministers have been allocated £1.5 billion in Control Period 5 (2014-2019).

Network Rail is regulated by the Office of Rail and Road and Scottish Ministers have invested £2.1bn via direct grant paid to Network Rail. They also have access to £3.3bn of public borrowing.

Towards the end of Control Period 5 an underspend was identified by Network Rail. This has largely been re-invested in a number of projects across Scotland for the benefit of passengers, freight users and communities. Examples of expenditure in the last six months include:

• accessible lifts and footbridges on the Shotts line, value circa £9m
• South facing connection to the proposed Blackford freight facility, value circa £8.5m
• car park resurfacing at various sites across the network, value circa £3.5m.
• Boundary fencing renewals at high risk locations across the network, value circa £2m.

The full level of the underspend will not be known until the end of this financial year, which coincides with the end of Control Period 5. It will be dealt with through normal Government processes.

The Scottish Government is not aware of whether or not any member of the implementation group has a learning disability.

Our work to address social isolation and loneliness will consider the needs of a range of groups including people with learning disabilities. The recently published national strategy for tackling social isolation and loneliness A Connected Scotland links to the updated Keys to Life strategy for people with learning disabilities, which is driving forward work to ensure that they live healthier lives, have choice and control over the services they use, and are supported to be independent and active citizens.

Our implementation group includes a range of third sector and public bodies as well as COSLA who will be looking closely at the issues and seeking to drive forward progress in an inclusive fashion. We are committed to engaging with a wide range of stakeholders – including learning disability organisations such as LDAS - who have an interest in this work, and we will work closely with the implementation group to develop our plans in this area.

NHS Scotland Boards provide the Scottish Government with PACS Tier Two data on a quarterly basis. Next month we expect to receive the requested Orkambi figures, covering January-March 2019. My officials will provide the member with those details as soon as they become available.

Part 2 of the original iteration of the National Health & Social Care Workforce Plan included a recommendation that a national recruitment campaign for the social care sector should be undertaken, promoting the sector as a positive career destination. Preparatory work for the campaign is underway at the moment, with a view to launching in the autumn of this year.

Negotiations are ongoing. The Scottish Government are not at the negotiating table.

Both sides will meet again on 7 March 2019.