Chamber and committees

In line with the Rail Enhancements & Capital Investment Strategy, published in March 2018, the Scottish Government generally makes rail infrastructure investment decisions.

Such decisions take account of comprehensive advice from the Scottish rail industry, including Network Rail Scotland and ScotRail.

The ScotRail Alliance is a collaborative working relationship between Abellio ScotRail and Network Rail Scotland. The Alliance was included in Abellio’s bid for the ScotRail Franchise, which commenced on 1 April 2015.

The purpose of the Alliance is to improve the railway in Scotland, being more responsive to customer’s needs. While remaining separate companies, both organisations work collaboratively to achieve common aims and objectives, led by a single managing director, Alex Hynes.

The Scottish Government continues to press for further devolution of Network Rail’s central functions to better align with Scottish strategies and priorities. That includes de-centralising system operator functions, such as strategic timetabling and the delivery of major enhancement works, where key decisions taken at a local level improves the likelihood of stronger performance and resilience on the Scottish network.

I refer the member to the answer to S5W-20125 on 6 December 2018. 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 number of (a) female and (b) male retail apprenticeships over each of the last five years are detailed in the following table:

Over 1.6 million vaccines have been procured for this year’s seasonal flu programme – 200,000 additional flu vaccines more than last year. This is enough vaccine for 80% of all eligible age groups.

The most recent Scottish data available on uptake of flu vaccination is available at https://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/resp/influenzareports.aspx  

In order to meet increased early demand for quadrivalent vaccine, recommended for patients in the 18-64 age group an additional 101,500 doses were ordered which have already been made available to GPs.

FTE Staff Numbers are provided in the annual reports published by Accountant in Bankruptcy on its web-site – www.aib.gov.uk

For ease of reference, the collated information is set out in the following table - the numbers quoted relate to the position as at 31 March.

I refer the member to answer to question S5W-20134 on 4 December 2018. 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 amounts are set out in the following table.