Chamber and committees

Regulation of the medical profession is reserved to the UK Parliament and the Scottish Government does not hold this information.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12413 on 9 December 2022. 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 requested information on what percentage of NHS staff have been (a) full- and (b) part-time in each year since 1999 is not centrally held. Information on how many NHS Scotland Staff currently in post, broken down by (a) full time and (b) part-time in each year since 2012 can be found in the following link:

NHSScotland workforce | Turas Data Intelligence

The Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office invests through NHS Research Scotland in research infrastructure in Health Boards that allows them to host and participate in clinical research studies and trials. Health Boards make individual decisions about participating in the trials that are offered to them, subject to the trials that are already being supported within each Health Board, and the research expertise and capacity available to take on additional trials. Scottish Health Boards are continuing to participate in a number of trials of medicines for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19 disease, providing opportunities for their patient populations to enrol in these studies, although none currently include Evusheld. Should a trial sponsor organisation approach Scottish Health Boards about participating in a trial of Evusheld, participation would be considered by Health Boards with participation subject to the research expertise and capacity available.

As at 1 st October 2021, there were 922 GP Practices. This data was published on 14 th December 2021 – ( GP Workforce and practice list sizes 2011 - 2021 - Publications - Public Health Scotland ).

The Scottish Government does not hold figures for how many GP Practices have closed. However, the slight decrease in practice numbers shown in the report is largely driven by practice mergers and a trend towards larger practices with more GPs serving a larger number of patients.

The requested information is not centrally held. Data is published annually, by NHS Education for Scotland on the total medical agency spend by NHS Scotland Boards; and the total WTE hours and cost for Nursing and Midwifery bank and agency staff, but this data does not specify start dates. This information can be found on the following link: NHSScotland workforce | Turas Data Intelligence

The Scottish Government has no direct role in placement of students in accommodation or in the provision of student accommodation, whether that is university halls of residence, private purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) or private rented tenancies .

As such we do not hold information in respect of student accommodation buildings. The statistical information held in respect of new build starts and completions does not capture anything specifically on student accommodation.

This information is not held centrally.

Over £928,000 has been offered since Sept 2021 under the Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) to six separate projects that have invasive non-native species (INNS) management and control as a central priority for action. This figure includes a Galloway Fisheries Trust project entitled ‘Scottish Solway INNS Control and Knowledge Programme’ (£97,564), a Loch Lomond Fisheries Trust project entitled ‘Beyond the Endrick’ (£247,755) and a W L Farm project entitled ‘The Glen - Habitat Restoration’ (£126,740).

Three RSPB-led projects have also been funded on rainforest restoration (£180,000), the eradication of stoats from Orkney (£220,377) and the RSPB’s Biosecurity for LIFE project (£56,309) which is primarily focused on preventing INNS reaching islands rather than on eradication. I have included this last project for completeness and because preventing the establishment of INNS in areas where they are not present is also extremely important.

In the most recent call for applications to the NRF, a further five applications for projects involving INNS management and control have been received. Decisions have yet to be made concerning these and the successful projects will be announced in the coming months.

As autonomous institutions, universities are responsible for their own entry requirements and admissions policies, therefore the Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of eligible students resident in the UK that were not successful in gaining a place at Scottish medical school, or the reasons for these decisions by individual institutions. Higher education institutions can provide feedback, when requested, to anyone whose application to study has been unsuccessful.