Chamber and committees

The cervical screening HPV self-sampling pilot was launched on 23 March 2026 in GP practices serving some of the most deprived communities across four NHS Boards in Scotland. The pilot is scheduled to run until summer 2027, after which a formal evaluation will be undertaken to provide meaningful insights and evidence to inform future phases of HPV self-sampling implementation.

This is an operational matter for Skills Development Scotland (SDS) as they administer Modern Apprenticeships on behalf of the Scottish Government.

The decision to proceed with fortification of non-wholemeal wheat flour with folic acid is based on robust assessment of the available evidence. The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), which provides independent scientific advice to Ministers and risk assessments on nutrition and related health issues, recommended folic acid fortification following an extensive assessment of the evidence on folate and health. A wide range of impacts were considered, including in relation to cancer and cancer treatments. The reviews are available at:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/338892/SACN_Folate_and_Disease_Prevention_Report.pdf

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/637111/SACN_Update_on_folic_acid.pdf

The impact assessment for the policy is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5d020f3640f0b609ad3158a3/folic-acid-impact-assessment.pdf

Non-wholemeal wheat flour is already the established vehicle for mandatory fortification, as it is currently fortified with calcium, iron, niacin, and thiamine. It was agreed UK-wide to limit folic acid fortification to flour that is already fortified, so that individuals are able to avoid fortified flour if they choose to or need to. These individuals will continue to be able to consume wholemeal flour and other non-wheat products, including gluten-free products and soy and spelt flours.

The mandated level of folic acid fortification for non-wholemeal wheat flour minimises the risk of people exceeding the recommended upper level of folic acid intake whilst helping to ensure that there is around a 20% decrease in the number of pregnancies affected by neural tube defects in the UK each year. The level of fortification is based on scientific modelling by Food Standards Scotland: https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/sites/default/files/migration/downloads/STOCHASTIC_MODELLING_TO_ESTIMATE_THE_POTENTIAL_IMPACT_OF_FORTIFICATION_OF_FLOUR_WITH_FOLIC_ACID_IN_THE_UK_-_FINAL_REPORT_-_July_31_2017.pdf

The NHS provides guidance for individuals who may need to avoid folic acid, for example, due to specific medical conditions or interactions with medication. People in this situation are advised to seek advice from a healthcare professional.

The Scottish Government, together with the other UK nations, will monitor closely the impacts of fortification on health, including on the incidence of neural tube defects and on population health more widely.

Scottish Government welcomes the UK Government’s commitment to the impact economy. The PfG published earlier this month announced the development of a new Social Economy Strategy, enabling the future development of social enterprises and other forms of socially oriented business models. This work will be led by the Scottish Government's Economy Directorate, demonstrating Scottish Governments commitment to the social economy being at the heart of our wider economic growth. In developing the new social economy strategy Scottish Government will ensure that their is alignment with the Third Sector Partnership Agreement that is being progressed within SG communities.

Recipients of public funding associated with delivery of the Life Sciences Strategy for Scotland 2035 Vision are not required to demonstrate consideration of the 3Rs principles solely as a condition of that funding. The Strategy is intended to support growth, innovation and competitiveness across the life sciences sector. Any requirements relating to animal use in scientific procedures are governed separately under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of ensuring that tenement buildings are properly maintained. The five-yearly building inspections survey was one of the recommendations of the Scottish Parliament’s Working Group on tenement maintenance.

The Scottish Government has committed to reform the Tenement (Scotland) Act 2004 to better meet the needs of relevant owners and tenants to enable repairs, maintenance and enhancement of such properties.

My officials are currently undertaking further scoping work. I will be happy to update on progress once this work has concluded.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-02812 on 15 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.

Information on the number of people using Self-Directed Support (SDS) budgets for sport or physical activity is not collected or held centrally by the Scottish Government. Responsibility for the planning and delivery of integrated adult health and social care services rests locally with Integration Joint Boards and their partner authorities, which hold information relating to individual support arrangements. Accordingly, the Scottish Government is unable to provide a breakdown by local authority.

Fish farm escapes pose a risk to wild salmon populations through interbreeding (genetic introgression) and competition. Scotland’s regulatory framework is designed to minimise the risk of escapes and ensure that any potential environmental impacts are fully assessed through the consenting process.

While the Scottish Government has no current plans to take specific action in response to this paper, it builds on our first national assessment of introgression, published in 2023, by applying a new spatial analysis to quantify levels of introgression at both national and regional scales for the first time.

Research and monitoring of this kind are important for improving our understanding of the extent, distribution and trends of introgression in wild salmon populations over time, helping to inform the development of future policy and regulation. This includes the delivery of a new Technical Standard for Scottish Finfish Aquaculture in 2027-28.

Escapes of farmed fish are not in the interests of the sector, the environment or wider stakeholders, and we expect continued progress in reducing escape incidents.

Scottish Government have been informed by Veterinary Medicines Directorate that a special imports certificate is in place to allow stocks of BTV3 vaccine into the UK from the EU and this has allowed several million doses to be imported by the end of August 2026.

Scottish Government will continue to work closely with the other UK nations and with vaccine manufacturers to ensure vaccine supplies meet the increasing demand. Scottish Government encourage farmers and vets to start considering vaccination for next season to ensure that practices are ordering sufficient amounts of the vaccine.

The vaccine supply is demand based and as a result there is a delay in the supply being received when there is a large increase in demand, as has been seen in the previous few weeks.

Vaccination remains our best long-term defence, and keepers are being strongly encouraged to discuss this option with their vets and place vaccine orders now to ensure access to supplies.