Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has committed to a lung screening pilot in response to the outcomes from the Scottish Expert Advisory Group; this is expected to support the phased roll out of a national lung screening programme. A targeted lung screening programme will improve early detection, reduce health inequalities and support better outcomes for those at highest risk. The LungScot study generated valuable evidence and insights into identifying individuals at high risk of lung cancer, and its findings will help to guide the development of a national lung screening programme. A dedicated focus on some of the most deprived areas will be vital to inform the way a national programme is targeted and managed so that lung screening truly does tackle the unfair and unequal outcomes associated with lung cancer.

The Scottish Government has provided funding to Screening Oversight and Assurance Scotland (SOAS) to plan and oversee the pilot, and to begin preparations for a national roll out. A pilot will enable us to test a national delivery model, gain deeper insights into effective implementation strategies and explore alternative approaches to boost uptake and participation. It will also enable screening to begin earlier in areas experiencing the highest levels of socio-economic deprivation, as evidence shows these individuals are at higher risk of lung cancer and have higher mortality rates. We will continue collaborating with colleagues across the NHS and partner agencies to ensure the effective rollout of lung screening, while exploring ways to minimise the impact on services further along the treatment pathway. The details of the pilot are still under development and will be shared in due course.

The Scottish Government is grateful to Professor David Weller for his work on the LungScot study, which has provided valuable evidence and insights into identifying individuals at high risk of lung cancer. The findings of the study informed the work of the Scottish Expert Advisory Group for lung screening, of which Professor Weller was a valued member.

We acknowledge the importance and benefits of early diagnosis of lung screening, and recognise that evidence shows that lung screening can save lives. It is on this basis that we have announced a pilot for targeted lung screening in our Population Health Framework, published in June this year, as part of the work towards a phased roll out of a national targeted lung screening programme.

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine programme is having a huge impact on preventing cancers for those who have been vaccinated.

A study by PHS No cervical cancer cases detected in vaccinated women following HPV immunisation - News - Public Health Scotland shows that no cervical cancer cases have yet been detected in fully vaccinated girls who have received the first HPV vaccine dose at age 12-13 years, for those who entered the programme when it commenced in 2008. This demonstrates that HPV vaccination is a key step in preventing the development of cervical cancer and a cornerstone of the Scottish Government’s commitment to eliminating cervical cancer.

Human papillomaviruses not only cause cervical cancer, but can also cause other diseases, including anogenital, head and neck cancers and genital warts. To increase everyone’s protection against these diseases, the HPV vaccination offer was extended to all young people in 2019. HPV vaccination is also offered to gay and bisexual men in sexual health clinics.

Health Boards are working with Local Authority education partners to improve uptake of HPV and other vaccinations delivered in school settings. This includes the delivery of workshops and education sessions by vaccination teams to deepen both pupils’ and teachers’ understanding of the benefits of vaccination.

PHS, Health Boards and third sector partners work collaboratively to increase vaccination uptake, support those eligible for vaccination and address any inequalities through the Scottish Vaccination and Immunisation Programme (SVIP) Inequalities and Inclusion Group.

Following the UK National Screening Committee’s recommendation for a targeted lung cancer screening program, the Scottish Government established a Scottish Expert Advisory Group for lung screening to provide advice on the scoping, implementation, establishment and delivery of a targeted lung cancer screening programme within Scotland.

The group concluded that due to the complexities of rolling out a lung screening programme, which were also recognised by the UK NSC, it will take 7-10 years for a full programme to be implemented. Complexities include establishing necessary resources and infrastructure; developing a robust diagnostic pathway; and understanding the implications for wider health services, for example, as a result of incidental findings.

In our Population Health Plan, published in June, the Scottish Government announced a lung screening pilot, which will be developed by Screening Oversight and Assurance Scotland (SOAS). SOAS will also prepare for a phased implementation of targeted lung cancer screening.

Statistics on people prosecuted and convicted in Scottish courts, by main charge, are published as Criminal Proceedings in Scotland. The most recent data held by Criminal Proceedings in Scotland is for the year 2022-23. However, Criminal Proceedings in Scotland do not hold data on individuals arrested therefore we cannot determine if a condition or undertaking was breached from an original domestic abuse offence.

The Scottish Government is committed to delivering sustainable public services that continue to meet the needs of the people of Scotland. As set out in our Public Service Reform Strategy: Delivering for Scotland (June 2025), our approach to achieving £1 billion in annualised savings over the next five years is founded on improving efficiency, reducing duplication, and reforming how services are delivered — not on cutting frontline provision.

We are clear that this is not about reducing service provision or transferring services out of public hands. Rather, it is about ensuring that public services are delivered more effectively and efficiently. The strategy outlines a range of systemic reforms to secure these savings, including expanding shared services, simplifying the delivery landscape, scaling intelligent automation, and implementing digital solutions.

We have already delivered cash releasing and cash avoiding savings via our Single Scottish Estate, National Collaborative Procurement, Commercial Value for Money and digital programmes, which are securing cost avoiding and cash releasing savings. The programmes saved just over £320m over a two-year period to the end of 2024-25 , with further projected savings of nearly £300m over the following two financial years to the end of 2026-27.

We are committed to working closely with public bodies to drive this focus on system wide efficiency and are working towards an operational summit this year to drive that collaborative approach.

Statistics on people prosecuted and convicted in Scottish courts, by main charge, are published as Criminal Proceedings in Scotland. This includes people with a main charge of a bail-related offence. However, it is not possible to definitively link these offences to the original case where bail conditions were breached and therefore we cannot determine whether they represented a domestic abuse offence.

I will launch the Bus Infrastructure Fund in the coming weeks and will publish details once they have been finalised. In the meantime, my officials are in discussion with those voluntary Bus Partnerships that have submitted proposals to the fund. They also keeping COSLA, the Association of Transport Co-ordinating Officers and the Confederation of Passenger Transport updated.

In determining an application for a licence, NatureScot must consider whether the hunt is sustainable, in that it would not have an adverse effect on the conservation status of the species concerned, namely gannets.

In the case of the Guga Hunt licence issued this year, NatureScot have confirmed that a population viability analysis of the gannets at Sula Sgeir was completed and considered as part of their assessment prior to issuing the licence.

In issuing a licence to permit the taking of 500 gugas, NatureScot have concluded that this number will allow the gannet population to continue to recover and enable a sustainable future take. The previous licence issued in 2018 was for 2000 birds.

The current system requires a fundamental review to ensure equity, transparency and efficiency. Piloting, testing and evaluating possible new resourcing models will be essential. To gather evidence as to what would work best to deliver a reliable, high quality range of services within, and related to, secure care, the Scottish Government will consult in 2025-26 to assess viability and effectiveness of some of the proposed options.

Page 18 of the recently-published response to reimagining secure care confirms that position: The Scottish Government will work in partnership with Scotland Excel, secure providers and commissioning authorities to consult on and co-design a new national commissioning model that reflects our shared aspirations for the future of secure care. This process will consider potential changes in funding and commissioning arrangements to better serve the needs of children across Scotland.