Chamber and committees

The previous Cabinet Secretary for Transport acknowledged the importance of considering the opportunity to support the developing capability for domestic bus manufacturing at the July 2025 meeting of the UK Bus Expert Manufacturing Panel, which had its final meeting in March 2026. In addition, at meetings between Scottish and UK Government officials in January and March 2026, officials from Department for Business and Trade shared information about their plans to produce a bus demand pipeline publication and referenced UK policy in relation to social value.

The Scottish Stroke Care Audit collects data on the number of patients receiving thrombectomy ,the NHS Board in which treatment is provided, and the NHS Board to which they initially presented. The Scottish Government does not hold central data on the number of patients who may be eligible for, or benefit from, thrombectomy .However, the planning work being undertaken by Public Services Delivery Scotland will assess demand for thrombectomy services and any currently unmet need.

The Scottish Government does not hold or collect this data centrally. While Public Health Scotland publishes the total number of patients referred to specialist mental health services, it does not hold detail on the reason for referral, such as an eating disorder. The publications on waiting times for both CAMHS and Psychological Therapies each quarter can be found at Publications - Public Health Scotland. This includes information on referral activity across services.

We are continuing to deliver the recommendations from the National Review of Eating Disorder Services published in 2021, including publishing a National Specification for the Care and Treatment of Eating Disorders in Scotland in November 2024.

The Scottish Government asked NHS Boards in May 2025 to complete a self-assessment tool, scoring their delivery and implementation of the Specification across CAMHS and adult services. The responses provided further information on data collection and reporting. Officials are working with boards to understand how best to support them in this area of work.

Four adverts were created to increase public awareness of the government’s programme;

- Programme for Government – overall summary

- Programme for Government – Parental focus

- Programme for Government – Health focus

- Programme for Government - Net Zero focus

Each had a video and a static, so eight adverts in total.

In March 2026 we published the Democracy Matters: Route Map to Reform which provides a compelling vision for the future of community decision making and sets a direction of travel to grow the capacity of communities including Community Councils, and other critical community infrastructure.

As set out in the Programme for Government, we will build on this work and develop proposals over the next 3 months in conjunction with local government, and wider partners, to strengthen local democracy and reform our governance arrangements. I expect the role of Community Councils will be an important part of these discussions.

In September 2025, following a thorough review of options and in consideration of the economic value the Alexander Dennis workforce, skills base and manufacturing capability bring to Scotland, Scottish Ministers agreed to award a time limited and capped grant subsidy to Alexander Dennis in support of the company furlough scheme. Alexander Dennis accepted the terms and conditions of the grant offer, including the evidencing of contracts, before any payment from the Scottish Government could be made. The business has since changed its manufacturing plans for Scotland and consequently is unable to satisfy the agreed grant conditions. For this reason, the Scottish Government has not paid furlough support to Alexander Dennis.

We continue to work closely with the company to secure continuity of employment for the highly-skilled workers at Alexander Dennis, and the future of manufacturing in Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-03096 on 24 September 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.

The Scottish Government expects the same standards of behaviour of all people resident in Scotland.

Violence against women and girls is a fundamental violation of human rights and has no place in our vision for a safe, strong and successful Scotland. Equally Safe, Scotland’s strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls, recognises that such violence and abuse is not the preserve of one community but exists across Scotland. We must come together to tackle this blight on our society.

The Scottish Government has noted the UK Government guidance. As set out in the Programme for Government (PFG), The Scottish Government is investing in and delivering our community cohesion work programme, including Increasing investment in the Community Cohesion Fund to £500,000, which brings communities together and helps to build integration.

Warmer Homes Scotland is delivered through a managed service contract with our delivery partner, Warmworks, rather than through grant payments to households.

The data below relates to the current version of the scheme, which began in October 2023. Households interested in the scheme first contact Home Energy Scotland (HES), which carries out an initial eligibility assessment and refers potentially eligible households to Warmworks. Warmworks then undertakes a more detailed assessment of the property and household circumstances before confirming eligibility and progressing any installations.

The figures below show:

• the number of referrals received from Home Energy Scotland;
• the number of referrals that did not ultimately proceed to installation (including cases where households were found not to be eligible, technical issues prevented delivery, or the household chose not to continue); and
• the number of households where energy efficiency or heating installations were completed.

Please note that referrals do not always complete within the same financial year in which they are received. As a result, the figures in each column should not be compared directly.

The Scottish Government fully engages with the Audit Scotland’s National Fraud Initiative and encourages all public bodies, including Local Authorities, to do the same, to ensure the protection and recovery of taxpayers’ funds from fraud.

The Scottish Government has robust processes in place to prevent, detect and respond to fraud. We continue to enhance our counter fraud arrangements in line with the latest best practice.

We continue to focus on raising the awareness of fraud within our public sector organisations, fully participating in International Fraud Awareness week, and actively sharing information about the risks to public services, making sure that fraud awareness and prevention is embedded within public service delivery through training and staff development.

The Scottish Government has strengthened key partnerships, particularly with Police Scotland and the UK Government’s Public Sector Fraud Authority, giving confidence that we remain alert to the evolving threat of fraud, and well prepared to protect public services in Scotland.

Noting that Audit Scotland’s report highlights pensions spend, I have also asked the CEO of the Scottish Public Pensions Authority to respond. His response is as follows:- “SPPA is proactive in our work to ensure we have robust and effective counter-fraud measures in place. We are carefully considering the report to help inform this ongoing work.”