Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government generally considers cost-effectiveness as part of policy development and decision-making. These processes are in turn, informed, as appropriate, by a range of impact assessments. The Scottish framework of impact assessments includes socio-economic impact assessments, Business and Regulatory Impact Assessments and Strategic Environmental Assessments which can, in relevant circumstances, help to inform the Scottish Government of the cost-effectiveness of policies prior to their implementation.

The cost of chartering vessels to cover annual overhaul or disruption is listed in the following table. These are by Contract Year.

No such advice has been provided by the Scottish Government.

NHS Scotland has benefited by £93 million arising from measures undertaken by Counter Fraud Services over the financial years April 2000 to March 2026.

Counter Fraud Services was established on 1 July 2000 and therefore no figures are available for 1999. An annual breakdown of the total value of fraud identified by Counter Fraud Services for each individual NHS Board is not part of fraud reporting arrangements.

Yes.

The Scottish Government has provided funding to NHS Highland, NHS Orkney, NHS Shetland and NHS Western Isles to support the development of specialist support for people with long COVID, ME/CFS and other similar conditions.

We have encouraged NHS boards to consider opportunities for collaborative working to ensure appropriate population coverage and make best use of available expertise and resources. Discussions between boards have continued; however, service delivery and partnership arrangements are matters for individual NHS boards.

No formal partnership agreement has been reported to the Scottish Government between NHS Highland, NHS Orkney, NHS Shetland and NHS Western Isles for the delivery of these services. Each board has received its allocation of funding and continues to consider how best to develop support for its population, including through collaborative approaches where appropriate.

While decisions on future funding for the Islands Accelerator Model will be taken as part of future Scottish Budgets, any funding provided would be additional to the £23 million of funding for inter island connectivity in Shetland, that was confirmed as part of the 2026-27 Scottish Budget and Spending Review.

The Scottish Government continually works with Network Rail, ScotRail and other industry partners to monitor rail capacity and connectivity across Scotland, including in Fife.

We are investing in rolling stock and infrastructure to support future passenger demand and improve connectivity. This includes the replacement of Scotland's InterCity High Speed Train fleet, the ongoing ScotRail Suburban Fleet Replacement Programme and delivery of the £311.5 million Fife Electrification Programme.

These investments support improved reliability, capacity and passenger experience on services within Fife and between Fife and Scotland's major cities, and form part of the Scottish Government's wider approach to enhancing Scotland's railway network.

The Scottish Government is the co-ordinating authority for 21 (FMPs) which are under preparation currently. These will draw together policies regarding the management of identified fish stocks. As part of their ongoing preparation, independent advice has been commissioned from Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies (SNCBs) which has considered specific interactions between fisheries and Good Environmental Status (GES) descriptors and identified where management interventions can contribute to achieving GES.

Fisheries Management Plans are listed in the current UK Marine Strategy Part 3: 2025 UK Programme of Measures. The programme of measures was developed through collaboration amongst the UK government and devolved administrations with input from scientific experts and policy makers and drawing on the information set out in other parts of UKMS. A copy of the current programme of measures can be found at Marine Strategy part three: 2025 UK programme of measures.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-03607 on 6 October 2026. 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.