Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has not undertaken a formal assessment of the deployment of FeNO testing in primary care settings in England. However, it continues to consider relevant evidence, guidance and learning from across the UK, including experience from England where appropriate, when considering the implementation of respiratory clinical guidance.

However, the Scottish Government is aware of developments in the use of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) testing across the UK and notes that FeNO testing is recommended within the updated joint British Thoracic Society (BTS), National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guideline on the diagnosis, monitoring and management of asthma. The guideline recommends the use of objective testing, including FeNO testing, to support asthma diagnosis and management.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-01604 on 22 July 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 immigration system, including the Seasonal Worker visa route, is reserved to the UK Government. The Scottish Government regularly engages with DEFRA, other UK Government departments and the devolved administrations on issues affecting seasonal agricultural workers in Scotland either directly as matters arise, or through participation in working groups, such as the Seasonal Worker Interest Group and the Devolved Governments Workforce Group, where matters relating to worker welfare and employment rights are discussed.

(a) Employment law and immigration policy are reserved matters. The UK Government regulates the employment rights of seasonal agricultural workers through employment legislation, visa conditions and relevant enforcement bodies. In Scotland, seasonal agricultural workers’ pay and conditions are also covered by the Agricultural Wages (Scotland) Act 1949 and annual Agricultural Wages Orders.

(b) Responsibility for enforcement of employment rights rests with the UK Government and its agencies. However, Scottish employers are increasingly dependent on migrant workers, who make a valuable contribution to Scotland's agricultural sector. The Scottish Government does not support an immigration system that increases the risk of forced labour or worker exploitation and continues to engage with stakeholders and UK Government counterparts on matters affecting the welfare and rights of seasonal agricultural workers in Scotland, including undertaking enforcement activity to ensure compliance with the terms of the Scottish Agricultural Wages Order relating to all agricultural workers in Scotland.

The National CLD Workforce Survey closed at the end of February 2026. The CLD Workforce Survey Report 2025-2026 was published on 30 June 2026 and can be accessed here - CLD Workforce Survey Report 2025-2026.

The Scottish Stroke Care Audit provides invaluable information that helps drive improvements in the delivery of stroke care, including hyperacute treatment such as thrombectomy.

The CLD Standards Council are leading a range of activity to progress recommendation 5.2 of the Independent Review of CLD to develop a CLD Workforce Plan. This includes establishing a Working Group with representation from across the CLD sector and undertaking a workforce needs survey.

The CLD Standards Council will present recommendations on the requirements of a workforce plan to the CLD Strategic Leadership Group (SLG) when the group reconvenes later in the year. Subject to approval, a workforce plan will be developed and circulated to the SLG for final approval in Autumn 2027, followed by implementation.

The Scottish Government’s has no current plans to introduce a phased transition requiring all locum consultant psychiatrist posts to be held by doctors on the General Medical Council (GMC) Specialist Register.

The Scottish Government’s role is to provide strategic leadership for NHS Scotland to ensure a sustainable NHS workforce. Operational matters relating to staffing including recruitment to specific specialities such as psychiatry, are the responsibility of individual NHS Boards and will depend on service needs, taking account of national, regional and local priorities.

NHS Boards are required to ensure that suitably qualified and competent staff are available in appropriate numbers to support safe, high-quality care and staff wellbeing, in line with the requirements of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019.

There are already established routes available for experienced doctors, including locums, to obtain specialist registration through the General Medical Council (GMC). NHS Boards should ensure that the staff they employ have access to appropriate training and development opportunities that align with their statutory workforce planning and service delivery responsibilities.

The Centre for Workforce Supply (CWS) hosted by Public Service Delivery Scotland provides national leadership on workforce supply, supporting NHS Boards with recruitment and retention initiatives in support of the mental health and wider workforce across Scotland.

The meeting planned to take place on the 29 April 2026, to discuss the formation of a short life working group to look at interventions for chronic pain, was cancelled to allow full consideration of the group’s remit, methodology, and membership.

The current transmission charging regime is a significant barrier to investment in Scotland’s renewable energy industry, with key projects such as the West of Orkney Wind Farm having stalled due to the impact of high and volatile charges.

The Scottish Government has developed a range of national guidance, including the Discharge Without Delay approach, which promotes multidisciplinary assessment, person-centred discharge planning and collaboration between health, social care, housing and homelessness services. This approach is reinforced by Scotland's homelessness prevention duties, which, when enacted, will require relevant public bodies to ask and act where a person is at risk of homelessness and ensure housing needs are considered as part of assessment and discharge planning.