Chamber and committees

Hospital at Home is an important part of our wider approach to improving patient flow and reducing pressure on acute hospital services, including Emergency Departments.

Emergency Department waiting times are influenced by a range of factors across the health and social care system, which is why we are taking a whole system approach to improvement work.

The evidence does show that Hospital at Home is supporting more people to receive acute-level care in their own homes, helping to avoid hospital admissions where this is clinically appropriate. In 2025-26, more than 17,000 people aged 65 and over received care through Hospital at Home, avoiding a hospital stay, while Public Health Scotland data shows continued growth in activity across Hospital at Home services.

Evaluation of Hospital at Home services is ongoing. The findings from Phase 1 were published in June and are available on the Scottish Government website. Phase 2 will focus on further analysis of Hospital at Home services, including their impact on key NHS Scotland performance indicators and wider system outcomes.

To date there has been no specific consideration given to the feasibility of making rapid adulterant screening test strips available alongside naloxone at community fire stations or other civic safe access points.

We are aware of both the potential benefits and limitations of rapid testing strips as harm reduction tools, including their role in supporting engagement and risk reduction, alongside recognised limitations relating to accuracy and false negative results. We are working with partners including Public Health Scotland and Healthcare Improvement Scotland to consider the evidence and inform appropriate Scottish guidance.

We remain committed to an evidence-based approach to harm reduction and to responding rapidly to changing drug trends, including through expanded naloxone provision and the development of drug-checking services.

We will be taking a national approach to ending smart phones in the school environment and there’s currently a consultation where rural views can be shared.

Supply lists are managed by each local authority, independently, and according to their needs as the employers of teachers. The Scottish Government has no control over these lists, and it is at the discretion of individual employers how they chose to advertise and manage their lists, in accordance with Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) ‘Code of Practice on Short Term Supply.’

Scottish Government officials are working with partners through the SNCT’s newly established ‘working group on short term supply’ to consider ways in which we can support improvements to supply across the country, which may include recommending measures to improve consistency in the way supply lists are managed and work is advertised across local authorities.

The Scottish Government does not procure buses. Bus services are predominantly provided by commercial operators, with local authorities and other public bodies procuring or supporting services where appropriate. As these organisations are autonomous contracting authorities, they are responsible for their own procurement activity and for determining the approach to individual procurements.

Where the Scottish Government provides support through subsidy schemes, including ScotZEB, funding arrangements must comply with the UK Subsidy Control Act 2022. The Act prohibits subsidies that are contingent on the use of domestic goods or services. Consequently, the location of manufacturing activity cannot be used as a preferential condition for the award of subsidy funding.

ScotZEB3 was assessed against published criteria focused on matters such as deliverability, market development and wider community benefits. The Scottish Government remains committed to supporting Scotland's economy, fair work and the transition to net zero through measures set out in the Programme for Government and through investment in sustainable public transport.

Hospital at Home is an important part of our wider programme to reduce pressure on acute hospitals and improve patient flow across the health and care system. However, we recognise that hospital occupancy and delayed discharge remain significant challenges, reflecting pressures across the whole system.

The Scottish Government has been clear that no one should remain in hospital when they no longer need to be there. Evidence from Healthcare Improvement Scotland shows that Hospital at Home helps prevent delays associated with patients remaining in hospital which is linked to poorer outcomes, including increased risk of hospital-acquired infection, reduced mobility and poorer wellbeing. By providing acute hospital-level care in a person's home, Hospital at Home can support timely discharge and reduce the need for prolonged hospital stays.

The recently published National Flow Plan 2026-2031 sets out a comprehensive programme of action to address these issues. Reducing delayed discharge is one of the Plan's key priorities, with a strengthened focus on Discharge Without Delay, Home First and Discharge to Assess approaches. These models support people to leave hospital as soon as they are clinically ready, with discharge planning beginning on day one of admission and health and social care services working together to ensure patients recover in the most appropriate setting.

Alongside this, we are expanding Hospital at Home, virtual care, online and telephone consultations, remote monitoring and care-at-home services. These alternatives to inpatient care will help ensure more people can receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time, reducing demand for hospital beds where clinically appropriate.

The Scottish Government regularly engages with the teaching profession, young people, parents and carers and other stakeholders on priorities relating to education in Scotland through strategic engagement and governance programmes, with their views listened to and acted upon.

NatureScot is leading work to help Scotland achieve the target of protecting and conserving 30% of land for nature by 2030 (known as 30 by 30). The first Nature30 sites were recognised in 2025, marking Scotland’s first new area-based conservation measure in decades and providing a voluntary mechanism to recognise the contribution of land managers and communities to nature recovery.

Following the launch of Nature30, NatureScot is working with a growing number of public, private and third sector and community landowner/managers to support Nature30 recognition. We expect significant growth in the area effectively managed for nature over the coming year, with momentum increasing towards 2030. We recognise that pace is critical and we will continue to work with NatureScot and others to help support delivery and encourage recognition of new sites.

30 by 30 will also be delivered through protected areas and NatureScot is continuing to work with landowners/managers to designate new sites as well as ensuring that existing ones are managed effectively.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-02949 on 17 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/questions-and-answers .

The Scottish Government has engaged with a range of stakeholders to plan and prepare for the implementation of the Act.

In April 2026, the Scottish Government established an Advisory Group to inform and coordinate this work. The answer to Parliamentary Question S7W-02739 on 21 September 2026 provides further detail on the membership of this group, which includes representatives from the residential outdoor education sector.

In addition:

• Scottish Government officials have been continuing to undertake visits to residential outdoor education providers and local authorities to explore different models of provision, including provision for pupils with complex and/or multiple support needs.
• In June 2026, Scottish Government and Education Scotland officials delivered a set of initial discussion sessions with school leaders to draw on their expertise and insights.
• The implementation of the Act was discussed at the Curriculum and Assessment Board in March 2026, which includes representation from teaching unions.

Scottish Ministers will make commencement regulations by 30 September 2027, in line with the provisions of the Act. Those commencement regulations will confirm the timeline for commencement of the Act and Ministers and officials will continue to engage with a range of stakeholders in relation to this work.

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.