Chamber and committees

Based on the latest forecasts, our block grant for capital is expected to reduce in real terms by 8.7 per cent by 2027-28 – a cumulative loss of over £1.3 billion. This is why the Scottish Government is currently undertaking a cross government review of all capital projects and anticipate the revised infrastructure investment pipeline will be published alongside the Medium-Term Financial Strategy in the Spring.

Please find attached a breakdown of (a) percentage and (b) number of primary schools that are signed up to The Daily Mile Initiative, broken down by local authority area.

Scotland Primary School Sign Up Percentages

Aberdeen City - 88%

Aberdeenshire - 45%

Angus - 53%

Argyll and Bute - 48%

Clackmannanshire - 89%

Dumfries and Galloway - 63%

Dundee City - 97%

East Ayrshire - 43%

East Dunbartonshire - 47%

East Lothian - 42%

East Renfrewshire - 79%

City of Edinburgh - 63%

Na h-Eileanan Sar - 90%

Falkirk - 46%

Fife - 27%

Glasgow City - 52%

Highland - 55%

Inverclyde - 45%

Midlothian - 63%

Moray - 27%

North Ayrshire - 31%

North Lanarkshire - 61%

Orkney Islands - 29%

Perth and Kinross - 47%

Renfrewshire - 38%

Scottish Borders - 27%

Shetland Islands - 52%

South Ayrshire - 68%

South Lanarkshire - 29%

Stirling - 50%

West Dunbartonshire - 72%

West Lothian - 63%

Scottish Primary Schools Sign Up Numbers

Aberdeen City - 42

Aberdeenshire - 65

Angus - 27

Argyll and Bute - 37

Clackmannanshire - 16

Dumfries and Galloway - 61

Dundee City - 32

East Ayrshire - 17

East Dunbartonshire - 16

East Lothian - 15

East Renfrewshire - 19

City of Edinburgh - 57

Na h-Eileanan Sar - 19

Falkirk - 22

Fife - 36

Glasgow City - 74

Highland - 93

Inverclyde - 9

Mid Lothian - 19

Moray - 12

North Ayrshire - 15

North Lanarkshire - 72

Orkney Islands - 6

Perth and Kinross - 33

Renfrewshire - 19

Scottish Borders - 16

Shetland Islands - 14

South Ayrshire - 28

South Lanarkshire - 36

Stirling - 19

West Dunbartonshire - 23

West Lothian - 43

The grant funding provided by the Scottish Government to Glasgow East Woman’s Aid (GEWA) is aligned with key project milestones and delivery activities. As GEWA was unable to demonstrate that grant conditions were being met, due to the organisation’s inability to restore support services, it was unable to draw down from the allocated grant. Subsequently, the GEWA Board’s decision to wind-up the organisation led to the Grant being withdrawn.

We are continuing to work with partners to ensure that Scottish Government grant funding, that had been allocated to GEWA, will be redistributed to similar local services to ensure that survivors have the support they need.

Further to the response in S6W-26724 which noted that the Scottish Government is reviewing the Competition & Markets Authority’s ‘Housing Markets Study’ published on 28 February 2024, a full response to relevant recommendations and options put forward by the Authority will be issued when the review process is complete.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-26852 on 2 May 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’s role is to set the strategic policy for the NHS in Scotland, NHS Boards are responsible for service delivery and treatment. All Health Boards should consider patient transport needs when they plan and deliver services and must ensure Patients have access to all information on any relevant patient transport (including community transport) and travel reimbursement entitlement.

Individual Boards are responsible for developing and applying their own policies, including determining eligibility and reimbursement rates, whilst ensuring patient care and safety.

A requirement has been placed within the NHS Territorial Boards annual delivery guidance to bring attention to the requirement for the Boards to consider transport to health for patients and ensure patients have access to information.

The Scottish Government is aware of the current situation at GEWA. We are working with our fund managers, Inspiring Scotland, and other funders of GEWA to ensure support is available to survivors. Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership, a key funder, is working on refuge contingency plans for those affected.

It would not be appropriate to comment on any speculation surrounding the finances of the organisation or on matters relating to potential legal or employment disputes.

The information requested on what data we hold on any current physiotherapist vacancies across all NHS boards can be found on the TURAS NHS Education for Scotland workforce statistics site at: https://turasdata.nes.nhs.scot/data-and-reports/official-workforce-statistics/all-official-statistics-publications/05-march-2024-workforce/dashboards/nhs-scotland-workforce/?pageid=11224

Throughout the public consultation and in reaching the decision to close fishing for sandeel in all Scottish waters, the Scottish Government recognised the importance of potential wider environmental and ecosystem benefits, which included potential benefits to sandeel, seabirds, marine mammals, and other fish species.

There are currently no plans to conduct an assessment of the potential impact of the closure of fishing for sandeel in Scottish waters on seabird populations, including Atlantic puffin, as these measures only came into force on 26 March 2024. However, there are several monitoring and research programmes in place that can add to the evidence base in relation to potential impacts of closing fishing for sandeel in Scottish waters, and which can be drawn on should such an assessment be undertaken in the future.

The Scottish Government’s role is to set the strategic policy for the NHS in Scotland, NHS Boards are responsible for service delivery and treatment. All Health Boards should consider patient transport needs when they plan and deliver services and must ensure Patients have access to all information on any relevant patient transport (including community transport) and travel reimbursement entitlement.

Individual Boards are responsible for developing and applying their own policies, including determining eligibility and reimbursement rates, whilst ensuring patient care and safety.

A requirement has been placed within the NHS Territorial Boards annual delivery guidance to bring attention to the requirement for the Boards to consider transport to health for patients and ensure patients have access to information.