I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15497 on 16 March 2023. 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

There were 2,014 people in receipt of an Independent Living Fund award at the end of February 2023.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving the awareness of cervical cancer. In doing so we will continue to encourage those eligible to take the HPV vaccination and engage with the national cervical screening programme. We are continuing to take steps towards the World Health Organisation’s targets to eliminate cervical cancer.

The HPV vaccine continues to be offered to all pupils across Scotland via routine immunisation in early secondary school, from S1, through the school-based programme. From 1st January 2023, a one dose schedule was introduced for all those eligible in the programme up to their 25th birthday.

The screening programme in Scotland is routinely offered to anyone with a cervix, between the ages of 25 and 64, every five years.

Treatment for cancer, including cervical cancer, continues to be prioritised within NHS Scotland. We are developing a new 10 year cancer strategy which will launch in Spring 2023, and take a comprehensive approach to improving patient pathways from prevention and diagnosis through to treatment and post-treatment care.

This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

ILF Scotland’s projected available reserves at the end of March 2023 are £2.7 million, however there is a £0.9 million commitment included in this figure. Final figures for 2022/23 will be published in ILF Scotland’s Annual Report, later in the calendar year.

(a) In 2014, the Deputy First Minister committed to re-opening the Fund and provided £5.5 million per annum to enable ILF to re-open to new applicants for the first time since 2010.Through an extensive process of co-production, the ILF Scotland Transition Fund was developed as an alternative to re-opening the 2015 Fund. The Transition Fund was designed to support young disabled people with the transition to adult life. This entirely new fund opened to applications in December 2017.

(b) The Cabinet Secretary wrote to the ILF Scotland Board on 16 December 2022, 26 January 2023 and 27 February 2023 stating his support for ILF Scotland but indicating that re-opening the 2015 Fund could only progress when affordability and sustainability could be assured.

The Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care wrote to the Chair of ILF Scotland’s Advisory Group on 23 January 2023 stating that he remains committed to re-opening the 2015 Fund but is unable to do so due to financial constraints.

As the inherited Independent Living Fund (2015 Fund) is a closed scheme, no new applications have been made since 2015. The following provides information on the number of applications to ILF Scotland’s Transition Fund since launch in December 2017.

Following the 22-23 Emergency Budget Review genomics was allocated a revised budget of £5 million; this provided a £2.6 million increase on 22-21 funding. Therefore, the £5million budget allocation for genomics in 2023-24 represents a sustained investment in genomics.

The Scottish Government continues to monitor the overseas recruitment and considers this to be on track. As announced in October 2022 up to 750 overseas nurses, midwives and allied health professionals are to be recruited by the end of March 2023 and it is our aim to publish the results of that exercise shortly after.

Scottish Government Officials have had contact with representatives of the University of Glasgow and met with representatives of UNITE on 10 January to discuss recent developments in respect of the Glasgow Lighthouse Lab which is contracted by the UK Government until March 2023 to undertake processing of PCR tests as part of the COVID-19 Infection Survey (CIS). The CIS is outwith the control of the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government has provided support to affected University of Glasgow staff through its Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) initiative and will continue to provide such support to any impacted staff as may be required.