Found: The committee asked for a confirmed publication date for a piece of research conducted by VisitBritain

Found: Our research shows that a temporary reduction of VAT on ticket sales would have saved most of

Found: ●AIP urges the committee to take action to preserve and to allow for a future for our vital research

Found: concern to our residents - from food poverty to the perception of being used by academics for their research

Found: continue s to support policy objectives and is informed by their and the Department’s consumer research

Found: Letter from Dame Jessica Corner FMedSci, MAE, RN, Executive Chair for Research England, part of UK Research

Found: ARIA is a separate organisation to UKRI ; it has a different role in the ecosystem and will fund research

Found: UKR0004 Written evidence submitted by Dr Saphia Fleury (Research Fellow at University of Hull) 1.

Found:  As flagged in a Westminster Hall debate briefing from the LGA,10 research into the 7 Ukraine Family

Found: permanently accommodating those left in limbo under the IMA 2023 is likely to be significantly higher. 24.Research

Found: Available at: https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/research-subject-groups/centre-criminology/centreborder- criminologies

Found: University); Dr Robin Finlay (University of Sunderland) Background to submission - this submission is from a research

Found: to have a deterrence rate of 37% to financially ‘break-even’.37 The Institute for Public Policy Research

Found: Fellow of the Centre on Constitutional Change, and has been involved in many Economic and Social Research

Found: A published guide, created by the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) research project

Found: The EFI brings together and provides context for cutting edge research and scientific knowledge, enabling

Found: executive director (unpaid) of New City Agenda; a not -for-profit think tank aiming to develop ideas and research

Found: sensitive projects engaging expenditure such as training and support (including with partner nations), research

Found: Grant Hill-Cawthorne, House of Commons Librarian and Managing Director of Research and Information,

Found: Grant Hill-Cawthorne, House of Commons Librarian and Managing Director of Research and Information,

Found: This follows previous research (McGlynn and Westmarland, 2019, Brooks-Hay, 2019).

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when the last meeting was of the inter-ministerial group on tackling digital exclusion; and who was in attendance.

Answered by Saqib Bhatti - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government has been clear that ensuring that no one is left behind in the digital age is a key priority and continues to take steps to offer the support needed.

Digital inclusion is a cross-cutting issue that spans social engagement, education, employment, access to services and many more elements of everyday life. Responsibility for relevant policies, activities and budgets sit across government. For example, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is exploring options for funding research to improve the Government’s evidence base on digital exclusion.

The Government established a cross-Whitehall ministerial group in response to a recommendation from the House of Lords Communication and Digital Committee’s report on ‘Digital Exclusion’. The ministerial group aims to drive progress and accountability on digital inclusion priorities across Government.

The most recent ministerial group meeting took place in March 2024, chaired by the Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy. The Department for Culture, Media & Sport, Cabinet Office, Department for Work and Pensions, and His Majesty's Treasury were also in attendance.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the annual budget is of the inter-ministerial group on tackling digital exclusion.

Answered by Saqib Bhatti - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government has been clear that ensuring that no one is left behind in the digital age is a key priority and continues to take steps to offer the support needed.

Digital inclusion is a cross-cutting issue that spans social engagement, education, employment, access to services and many more elements of everyday life. Responsibility for relevant policies, activities and budgets sit across government. For example, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is exploring options for funding research to improve the Government’s evidence base on digital exclusion.

The Government established a cross-Whitehall ministerial group in response to a recommendation from the House of Lords Communication and Digital Committee’s report on ‘Digital Exclusion’. The ministerial group aims to drive progress and accountability on digital inclusion priorities across Government.

The most recent ministerial group meeting took place in March 2024, chaired by the Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy. The Department for Culture, Media & Sport, Cabinet Office, Department for Work and Pensions, and His Majesty's Treasury were also in attendance.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how many foreign officials have been granted special mission status to visit the UK in each year since 2011; and if he will list the (a) names and (b) country of origin of those officials.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As set out in 2013 by the former Foreign Secretary William Hague, a special mission is a 'temporary mission, representing a state, which is sent by one state to another with the consent of the latter, in order to carry out official engagements on behalf of the sending state'. Since starting to issue special mission status (SMS) certificates in 2013, the FCDO has given consent for 57 special mission status visits to the UK for the following officials and their delegations:

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent steps his Department has taken with the United Nations to help tackle (a) drug-resistant tuberculosis and (b) antimicrobial resistance.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The department actively contributed to the High Level Meeting on Tuberculosis held at the UN General Assembly last September, at which Lord Ahmad represented the UK. The UK's current £1billion commitment to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria will support treatment for 41,800 people with Multi-Drug Resistant TB.

The UK funds major programmes and research to tackle Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), and strengthen health, water, sanitation, and hygiene systems. The High-Level Meeting on AMR is an excellent opportunity to catalyse global progress, set high ambitions across the One Health spectrum, and promote equitable access to and stewardship of antimicrobials.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has made an assessment of the (a) short and (b) long term impact of (i) extreme weather and (ii) storms on the economy.

Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3) was published in July 2023. It set out policies and actions to respond to the 61 climate risks and opportunities identified in the independent Third Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA3), including risks arising from changing climatic conditions and extreme weather events. As part of CCRA3, the Climate Change Committee produced an analysis of the monetary valuation of risks and opportunities, as well as an analysis of the indicative costs and benefits of adaptation.

The Treasury continues to work to determine what additional research and analysis, including economic analysis, is required to ensure robust adaptation.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing further funding for Researchers at Risk Fellowships to be made available to Palestinian researchers.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The current Researchers at Risk Fellowship Programme aims to respond to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has exposed Ukraine-based researchers and their dependents to direct threats. My Department is keeping the programme, which is delivered by the British Academy, under close review.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent microplastics entering waterways from washing machines.

Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Government recently funded an external rapid evidence assessment to better understand the costs, benefits, and efficiencies of installing filters in washing machines. The filters aim to trap textile microplastic fibres during the laundry cycle and before discharge to sewer networks and wastewater treatment works. The assessment concluded further evidence was needed to determine how to avert additional costs incurred by consumers of new washing machines with filters, and the consumer’s sustainable disposal of used filters. Industry are currently conducting research and developing proposals to develop filters that meet this criteria, and Government are happy to review any research in this area.

A water industry investigation of the levels and types of microplastics entering a range of UK wastewater treatment works reported that conventional treatment can remove 99% of microplastics by number and 99.5% by mass.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the cost to the public purse was of Government investment into kidney disease research in 2022-23; and which public bodies provided this investment.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Over the period of 2022/23, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has invested more than £3.9 million in funding and support for kidney disease research. Research into kidney disease has included, but is not limited to, projects exploring the multimorbidity of kidney disease and other conditions, predicting the risk of kidney failure for patients with chronic kidney disease in the United Kingdom, and assessing new diagnostic techniques.

The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including kidney disease. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has undertaken any (a) research and (b) planning for a potential compensation scheme following the publication of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's provisional views on injustice and remedy experienced due to maladministration in communication about the 1995 Pensions Act in November 2023.

Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Ombudsman did not publish his provisional views in November 2023 or at any other time. The Ombudsman published his final views on 21st March 2024.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of regulations on the use of snares.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

An industry-owned code of practice for the use of snares to control foxes in England sets out clear principles for the legal use of snares, using evidence from snare-use research to improve snare deployment and design.

Anyone using snares has a responsibility under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to ensure their activities do not harm protected species or cause any unnecessary suffering. Anyone committing an offence can face prosecution, an unlimited fine or even a custodial sentence.

We are looking at how snares are regulated as part of our continued drive to maintain the highest animal welfare standards in the world, and working to ensure the regulated use of the most appropriate trap and cull method which causes the least suffering whilst providing the greatest protection to crops, game birds or endangered species.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of the brightness of LED headlights on local communities.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

All types of road vehicle headlamps are designed, tested and approved to internationally recognised standards to help prevent undue glare on a broad range of roads and environments. However, the Government is aware of concerns raised by members of the public and we intend to commission independent research shortly.

While there are clear safety, security and economic benefits associated with the use of LED lighting, the scientific evidence base on its adverse effects is less advanced. The government is committed to improving the evidence base to ensure we understand the effects more fully before making further policy interventions.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government why a grant of £8 million was recently paid to Vertical Aerospace to develop a flying taxi company at a time when the firm faced material uncertainty.

Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

A research consortium led by Vertical Aerospace, including four universities, was awarded an Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) Programme grant to develop propeller technology.

The ATI Programme co-funds UK research and development activity with industry to develop zero-carbon and ultra-efficient aircraft technology. Grants are awarded after a competitive process, with only the best projects recommended - those that offer real innovation, emissions reduction and tangible economic benefits to the UK.

Due diligence checks are completed ahead of all awards, with grants paid in arrears based on activity delivered against an agreed plan. Safeguards are in place in the event of business failure.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the level of microplastic pollution in biosolids; and whether his Department is taking steps to help tackle this issue.

Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government continues to review the regulatory framework for biosolids spread to land to protect human health and the environment.

The Government has taken a range of steps to stop sources of plastics and microplastics entering sewers and moving into biosolids, including:

• We have already banned microbeads in rinse-off personal care products and the Government has been working at pace with devolved administrations to deliver a ban on wet wipes containing plastic. We recently ran a consultation on this and a government response setting out more information will be published in the spring.

• We have funded research to examine wider sources of microplastics, including tyres and textiles. Defra has also contributed to the design and development of the UK Water Industry Research funded and led Chemicals Investigation Programme (CIP) to improve our understanding of quantity and source of contaminants, including microplastics, in biosolids. This research will help to inform future policy.

• In Defra’s Plan for Water, there is a commitment for industry and businesses to develop low cost, effective microfibre filters in washing machines as a measure to reduce a primary source of microplastic fibres to wastewater treatment and the wider environment and encourage their use. Defra commissioned an evidence assessment to understand the efficiencies, costs and benefits of installing filters in washing machines to trap microplastic fibres shredded from clothing during washing cycles. The report showed that filters demonstrated a range of efficiencies and costs associated with them. We recommended that filter manufacturers collaborate with the washing machine industry to develop and implement standardised tests to provide unequivocal performance data for the relevant government departments to consider. We await industry’s proposals.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what subscriptions to (a) newspapers, (b) magazines and (c) online journals his Department has paid for in each of the last three financial years.

Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The following is a combined list of subscriptions that the Defra Library and Communications have paid for over the last three financial years. Some are in print and some are online. Not everything on the list was purchased in all three years – subscriptions change on demand and to reflect usage. Information on any subscriptions from other team budgets is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.

Defra Library purchases magazines and journals for Defra, Animal and Plant Health Agency and Natural England staff to support them in their role. The Communications team purchases newspapers for monitoring the media coverage of issues in Defra’s remit.

House of Hope

Bushido 100 Club

Found: higher education provider in England, as defined by section 3(10) of the Higher Education and Research

Found: affecting individuals with protected characteristics in each of these categories; (c) commission research

Found: Plumpton College is the UK’s only wine centre of excellence in education, training and research, and

Found: New research just published by ASH shows that the majority of tobacco retailers and the public, including

Found: Leeds Castle Foundation and of the Corpus Vitrearum, a British Academy-funded project dedicated to the research

Found: and a non-executive director on the Boards of a number of organisations spanning the manufacturing, research

Found: independently led by Turing Prize winner Yoshua Bengio and brings together the best existing scientific research

Found: standards and interoperability of emerging technologies, with a view to encouraging further science, research

Found: In addition, a prominent public opinion research group ceased releasing survey results on politically

Found: Research and development services 48.

Found: “Research Programme” means research programmes and fe llowships under a Government Authorised Exchange

Found: “Research Programme” means research programmes and fellowships under a Government Authorised Exchange

Found: specified in Article 7 of the Convention; (c) The Parties, within their capabilities, to promote research

Found: Publishing non-technical summaries helps put the debate on the use of animals in research and testing

Found: from outputs of this research.

Found: Project - Existing Supplier 22 - Main Contact project_10601 PD - GIRLS EDUCATION, GENDER, SCIENCE & RESEARCH

Found: provide funding for 2 projects delivered with local partners in the next year  carry out cross-border research

Found: Defra and APHA (2016) Research and analysis: Avian influenza (bird flu) in Europe, Russia and the UK

Found: and the length of time they have held a licence. 28 Driving test changes in 2017: impact evaluation research

Found: A comparison of two international defence spending data sources, the Stockholm International Peace Research

Found: Research and analysis International defence expenditure: 2023 Information on

Found: Research and analysis 2020 Valuation - Northern Ireland Teachers' Pension Scheme

Found: Research and analysis Exploring approaches to forecasting IP demand A review

Found: Research and analysis Commercial vehicle fleet compliance checks, 2020 to 2022

Found: From: Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency Published 16 April 2024 Get emails

Found: Research and analysis 2020 Valuation - Armed Forces Pension Scheme The Government

Found: Research and analysis 2020 Valuation - Scottish Teachers’ Pension Schemes The

Found: Mechanisms such as consultancy, contract research or sabbaticals are useful to allow an innovator to

Found: From: Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency Published 16 April 2024 Get emails

Found: Research and analysis 2020 Valuation - NHS Pension Schemes (Scotland) The Government

Found: From: Department for Infrastructure (Northern Ireland) and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research

Found: Registered in Northern Ireland - Week ending 5 April 2024 From: Northern Ireland Statistics and Research

Found: open-government-licence/version/3 You may re-use this document/publication free of charge in any format for research

Found: open-government-licence/version/3 You may re-use this document/publication free of charge in any format for research

Found: open-government-licence/version/3 You may re-use this document/publication free of charge in any format for research

Found: open-government-licence/version/3 You may re-use this document/publication free of charge in any format for research

Found: open-government-licence/version/3 You may re-use this document/publication free of charge in any format for research

Found: open-government-licence/version/3 You may re-use this document/publication free of charge in any format for research

Found: open-government-licence/version/3 You may re-use this document/publication free of charge in any format for research

Found: open-government-licence/version/3 You may re-use this document/publication free of charge in any format for research

Found: open-government-licence/version/3 You may re-use this document/publication free of charge in any format for research

Found: open-government-licence/version/3 You may re-use this document/publication free of charge in any format for research

Found: open-government-licence/version/3 You may re-use this document/publication free of charge in any format for research

Found: open-government-licence/version/3 You may re-use this document/publication free of charge in any format for research

Found: open-government-licence/version/3 You may re-use this document/publication free of charge in any format for research

Found: open-government-licence/version/3 You may re-use this document/publication free of charge in any format for research

Found: open-government-licence/version/3 You may re-use this document/publication free of charge in any format for research

Found: Research and analysis 2020 Valuation - Local Government Pension Scheme (England & Wales

Found: Research and analysis AI Foundation Models: Update paper Update paper as part

Found: developments across the FM ecosystem, and we have deepened our und erstanding of the sector through our own research

Found: Tests and research During this investigation five other SM150D19 contactors in use in the 95PA and 96PA

Found: Monthly Civil Partnerships (Northern Ireland): March 2024 From: Northern Ireland Statistics and Research

Found: Monthly Marriages (Northern Ireland): March 2024 From: Northern Ireland Statistics and Research

Found: Monthly Stillbirths (Northern Ireland): March 2024 From: Northern Ireland Statistics and Research

Found: From: Department for Infrastructure (Northern Ireland) and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research

Found: 2024 Monthly Births (Northern Ireland): March 2024 From: Northern Ireland Statistics and Research

Found: Limited SMRU Sea Mammal Research Unit SNH Scottish National Heritage (now NatureScot) SO 2

Found: Sergi Pardos-Prado is a Professor of Comparative Politics and Research Director of the Politics and International

Found: Dr Armes is a research scientist by background.

Found: Leeds Castle Foundation and of the Corpus Vitrearum, a British Academy-funded project dedicated to the research

Found: Dr Armes is a research scientist by background.

Found: and a non-executive director on the Boards of a number of organisations spanning the manufacturing, research

Found: independently led by Turing Prize winner Yoshua Bengio and brings together the best existing scientific research

Found: Public attitudes to animal research: letter to Andrew Griffith

Found: Public attitudes to animal research: letter to Andrew Griffith

Found: Griffith Letter from the Chair of the Animals in Science Committee to the Minister for Science, Research

Found: We were also pleased to learn of the reintroduction of the Public Attitudes to Animal Research survey

Found: Unimed supplies governments, NGOs, research institutions and hospitals with medical equipment, pharmaceuticals

Found: Fees and Expenses IP10 0ET 2,961.80 DLUHC PINS 12/03/2024 Rent Change Portfolio Workstreams Science Research

Found: Fees and ExpensesIP10 0ET2961.8DLUHCPINS2024-03-12 00:00:00RentChange Portfolio WorkstreamsScience Research

Found: -01 00:00:00Business Development64110Market Research_64110Q4664316P5096755To pay THINKS £80,000 for research

Found: 00Specialist services54360Other Outsourced Services_54360SOL020012523P5094170User Centred Qualitative Research

Found: 2,900.00 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy The Coal Authority 29/02/2024 Research

Found: Malcolm Joyce reported three new research grants funded by EPSRC concerning ‘water in spent fuel’, in

Found: local and national clinical audits, benchmarking, (approved) accreditation sc hemes, peer review, research

Found: “Research Programme” means research programmes and fe llowships under a Government Authorised Exchange

Found: ................................ ................................ .............. 41 Social media research

Found: E(g)(i) Offices - Except where not suitable in a residential area 60 60 E(g)(ii) Research

Found: Management Organisation (MMO) evidence base which is a resource developed through a large range of research

Found: Research and analysis Process evaluation for the development of Lyme Bay fisheries

Found: Research comprised a document and data review, qualitative interviews with the wider delivery team and

Found: Catherine Gee, Deputy Chief Executive, Keep Scotland Beautiful Craig Dalzell, Head of Policy and Research

Found: The implica�ons of derisking private finance using public funds The Sco�sh Government have published research

Found: We also carried out user research with people who have lived experience of the current UK Government

Found: While I appreciate there has been little research in Scotland, or the UK, on Commissioners which evaluates

Found: Police Scotland dip sampling exercise This exercise was commissioned by the data and research subgroup

Found: To ensure fit for purpose data is readily accessible through secure and safe means for planning, research

Found: This is the first step in enabling easier access to data, at pace, allowing research to be undertaken

Found: Melbourne, Australia in relation to the Legislative Drafting, Amending and Publishing Programme and to research

Found: to access background or source data The data collected for this research

Found: fèisean a’ ceangal roinn chruthachail na h-Alba ri 1 British Council (2022) Arts and Cultural Assets Research

Found: If so, what was the outcome of this consideration/research and the reasons the CA125 blood test is currently

Found: Drawing on extensive research and practice the Framework will set out how we will take forward the NSET

Found: Drawing on extensive research and practic e the Framework will set out how we will take forward the

Found: The findings of a 2018 research study suggest that up to 135 people are affected to some degree by a

Found: .................................................. 47 4 Executive summary The findings of a 2018 research

Found: learning from the experiences of members of the National Suicide Lived Experience Panel and existing research

Found: LtdAG SurveysHigh Life HighlandHobs ReprographicsNature Metrics LtdGround Sure LtdNatural Environment Research

Found: Through the support provided by the Can Do Innovation Fund, the SFRS undertook a Small Business Research

Found: Dr Fossey is an independent researcher appointed by the Scottish Government to carry out research on

Found: Brain Tumour Research Funding: FOI release

Found: Brain Tumour Research Funding: FOI release

Found: Brain Tumour Research Funding: FOI release

Found: Brain Tumour Research Funding: FOI release

Found: Science and research A new science board brings together experts that advise on monitoring, integrated

Found: Research in England has suggested that the challenging contexts faced by trainee teachers during the

Found: [redacted] will present our recent research with YWCA Scotland – The Young Women’s Movement and Women

Found: Rural Economy AI Developer Security SNYK COMMUNICATIONS AND MINISTERIAL SUPPORT: Brand Scotland Research

Found: How much was spent on research into Parkinson's by the Scottish Government compared with the cost to

Found: Marine Scotland Science (formerly Fisheries Research Services) provides expert scientific and technical

Found: User Research: As Is Mapping with Partner organisaƟons 3b.

Found: realised £m £m £m NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care 72.3 0 72.3 0 0 Chief Scientist Office - Research

Found: role in maintaining a rural focus on workforce recruitment and retention, education and training, research

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made towards introducing self-sampling as part of the cervical screening programme.

Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health

Any decision to introduce changes to a national screening programme in Scotland is guided by the recommendations of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent expert advisory group which advises all four UK nations on screening policy. The UK National Screening Committee is expected to make a recommendation on the use of cervical self-sampling in the screening programme later this year.

The Scottish Government recognises the potential of cervical self-sampling to improve uptake of cervical screening. In Scotland, a working group has been established to consider potential models to understand any changes that would be required to the screening programme to support an initial roll-out. This work will be influenced by the on-going work of the UK NSC and emerging global research.

Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the plans for an online postal self-sampling service outlined in the Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Action Plan 2023-2026 will include testing for hepatitis C.

Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health

Public Health Scotland is currently leading the national roll-out of online postal self-sampling to test for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) with funding from Scottish Government. The service will initially offer testing for the most common STIs which are chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and HIV. The scope of the service will be kept under review, with potential to add further tests if evidence suggests this would be an effective and cost-effective approach.

Testing for hepatitis C is currently available through a range of routes, with a particular focus on settings which are most likely to be accessed by people at highest risk of infection, such as drugs services and prison healthcare. The Scottish Government has also funded research and pilot projects – including opt-out testing in three Emergency Departments – to help identify optimal approaches to testing for hepatitis C and other blood borne viruses in order to achieve our elimination goals.

Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on funding commitments for the research priorities identified in the report of the James Lind Alliance's Priority Setting Partnership for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), which was published in May 2022.

Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health

The Scottish Government has no plans to create specific funding commitments for the research priorities identified in the report of the JLA PSP on ME/CFS

Within the Scottish Government, funding of Health and Care Research comes under the remit of the Chief Scientist Office (CSO).

The CSO's Translational Clinical Studies (TCS) Committee and Health Improvement, Protection and Services Research (HIPS) Committee each meet twice per year to consider funding applications. Details of the application process are published on the CSO website.

https://www.cso.sc ot.nhs.uk/grant-funding/response-mode-funding-schemes/

Applications on the underlying causes, diagnosis, treatment and management of ME/CFS are welcomed. Any such applications would go through CSO's standard independent expert review process to allow funding decisions to be made.

Through UK-wide funding agreements, researchers based in Scotland are able to access research funding programmes administered by the National Institute for Health & Care Research (NIHR). Within their individual remits, these programmes can consider applications for research in ME/CFS. CSO is working with the health research community in Scotland to ensure awareness of these opportunities and to maximise the number of high quality applications from Scotland to the NIHR research funding programmes going forward.

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to any implications of recent flooding events for wild salmon populations.

Answered by Gougeon, Mairi - Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands

The Scottish Government has not given specific consideration to the implications of recent flooding on wild salmon populations. High river flows potentially wash out salmon eggs from nests on the riverbed and displace juvenile fish downstream. However, research suggests that salmon are well adapted to natural flow variability, including floods in natural river systems. Current evidence suggests a periodic trend towards more extreme flows in some Scottish rivers. With climate change scenarios, there is potential for further increases in high flows which may impact on salmon.

Heavily modified rivers are likely to be less resilient to potential disturbance. Restoration of natural morphological processes and channel characteristics could improve resilience. The Wild Salmon Strategy covers five priority areas, including ‘improving the condition of rivers and giving salmon free access to cold, clean water.’ The Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) specifically encourages projects to restore wildlife and habitats.

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what evidence it has gathered to assess the public's understanding of the self-referral routes to various primary care services.

Answered by Gray, Neil - Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care

In January 2022, the Scottish Government commissioned research to understand the outcome of primary care reforms for Scottish people. It commissioned a survey to assess public understanding, perceptions and experiences of primary care in the context of recent reforms and the COVID-19 pandemic. The report can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/public-understanding-perceptions-primary-care-scotland-survey-analysis-report/pages/3/

To strengthen the evidence base on the national context for implementation of primary care multidisciplinary teams, including on patient experience and awareness, we have established a Phased Investment Programme. Through this programme, we will work with a small number of areas using an improvement science approach to demonstrate what a model multidisciplinary team can look like in practice and collect evidence on the impact of Multi-Disciplinary Team working which will then inform and support future long term investment.

Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on cancer research in each year since 2011-12 in (a) cash terms and (b) real terms, broken down by spending through (i) NHS Research Scotland and (ii) other routes.

Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health

Within the Scottish Government, funding for Health and Care Research comes under the policy remit of the Chief Scientist Office (CSO)

(A) The following table provides the amount in cash terms of CSO cancer research funding per year from 2011-12

Column 1 - NHS Research Scotland (NRS) - includes funding for the NRS Cancer Research Network; the CSO component of funding for the Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow (co-funded 50:50 with Cancer Research UK); NRS Career Research Fellowships in cancer

Column 2 - Direct Funding - includes cancer projects funded through the CSO grant funding committees; Academic Fellowships in cancer funded through the CSO capacity building programmes; the CSO component of collaborative research project and fellowship funding with cancer research charities

Column 3 - total CSO cancer research funding by year

To note - for multi-year projects and fellowships, the funding figure is allocated to the year corresponding to the start date (in the case of cancer charity collaborations the funding is allocated to the year of the collaboration agreement)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether consideration is being given, as part of the review of the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer, to risk factors such as family history and ethnicity in improving the early detection of prostate cancer.

Answered by Gray, Neil - Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care

A wealth of evidence is being collated and analysed as part of the 2024 Clinical Review of the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer, including from key partners Cancer Research UK and Healthcare Improvement Scotland. All factors that are relevant in the context of symptoms suspicious of cancer based on available evidence, that could support primary care decision-making, will be considered in the Guideline review. The prostate peer review session (PRS), as part of the Review, is scheduled for May 2024.

Found: between price and consumption of alcohol, with (b) research on the link between consumption and harm