Chamber and committees

Farriery apprenticeship training was previously available in Scotland through Oatridge College (now Scotland’s Rural College). Provision ceased due to low demand and difficulties sustaining delivery.

Requests to create or amend a modern apprenticeship framework are assessed through Skills Development Scotland’s approval process and must demonstrate a clear need, supported by evidence of engagement with key sector stakeholders.

The Standards and Frameworks Group and the Apprenticeship Approval Group oversee apprenticeship framework development and approval. Funded apprenticeship places can only be allocated once a framework is approved and a contracted training provider is in place.

While the planning and operational delivery of services is a matter for each NHS Board, the Scottish Government has sought updates from NHS Highland about its proposed Post-Infection Recovery Service, as is the case for all Boards who have received funding for support for Long COVID, ME/CFS and similar conditions.

We understand that NHS Highland anticipates its regional Post-Infection Recovery Service for the North of Scotland becoming fully operational in April 2027. NHS Highland is best placed to provide further information on the service and its implementation.

The Scottish Government remains committed to ensuring that people with learning disabilities receive safe, effective and person-centred care whenever they access health services.

Pre-registration nursing education in Scotland is approved and regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). All approved nursing programmes must meet the NMC's Standards of Proficiency for Registered Nurses. These standards include proficiencies and skills which must be demonstrated by students prior to programme completion. Included as part of this are requirements which are specific to ensuring the needs of vulnerable individuals are met. This education and training, as regulated and approved by the NMC, is also monitored and quality assured by NMC.

Following registration, NHS Boards are responsible for ensuring that their staff have access to appropriate learning and development opportunities to support the delivery of safe and effective care and to meet local service needs. Registrants, in line with NMC requirements for revalidation and continuing on the NMC register, must also recognise their own responsibility and accountability for continuing professional development to ensure the currency, safety and efficacy of their practise; this is also central to The Code, a regulatory tool central to the way in which nurses must practise. This focuses on the requirements to prioritise people, practise effectively, preserve safety and promote professionalism and trust.

The Scottish Government is in regular contact with NHS Boards regarding the development of specialist services for people with Long COVID, ME/CFS and other similar conditions, including how Boards are using their share of the £4.5 million annual funding available to support these services.

Responsibility for workforce planning and recruitment rests with individual NHS Boards. NHS Boards are therefore best placed to determine staffing requirements and recruit the multidisciplinary workforce needed to meet local service needs.

The Scottish Government expects access to Hybrid Closed Loop technology to be maintained regardless of NHS Board structures. Eligibility for Hybrid Closed Loop technology is informed by national clinical guidance and individual clinical assessment, and those who are clinically suitable should continue to have access. The proposed transition from 14 territorial NHS Boards to two strategic NHS Boards will not alter the clinical criteria for access. Decisions regarding treatment will continue to be based on clinical need rather than geographical location, and these reforms are not expected to affect access for eligible patients.

The final Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 (CAFS2) delivery report will be published by the end of 2026. The report will summarise progress on delivering the actions set out in CAFS2 and give an overview of key achievements during the five year lifespan of the strategy.

The Independent Review of the Role of Incineration in the Waste Hierarchy in Scotland made it clear that Scotland does not need additional waste incineration facilities to treat our unavoidable and unrecyclable municipal residual waste, beyond those for which planning permission has already been granted, with very limited exceptions.

That is why the Scottish Government introduced restrictions on energy from waste (EfW) developments in National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), which came into effect on 13 February 2023.

A subsequent EfW capacity analysis, commissioned and published by Zero Waste Scotland (August 2026), has highlighted that there is limited headroom in the Scottish EfW fleet to provide the required contingency capacity for shutdowns, highlighting the need to continue to make progress on waste reduction and recycling.

Transitioning to a circular economy and reducing, reusing and recycling waste, remains a key Scottish Government priority. A range of measures are being progressed through Scotland's Circular Economy and Waste Route Map to help reduce the amount of residual waste requiring treatment, and support the transition to a more circular economy. These measures include the new household recycling Code of Practice, which will promote greater consistency in services to increase recycling and reduce waste.

Proposals for a long term air quality policy framework to succeed Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 are currently being developed by the Scottish Government. Further information on the proposals, including plans for consultation, will be announced in due course.

Good mental health underpins not just good health outcomes but can make the difference to someone being able to access and keep a job, their ability to focus and do well at school, and shape positive relationships throughout their life.

Our refreshed Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan sets out our priorities to improve mental health support and services over the next three years and is aligned to wider health system reform. It represents a joint commitment from national and local government to take action to meet different needs across a person’s life, regardless of where they live in Scotland. Mental health spending by NHS Scotland has more than doubled since 2006 to £1.6 billion in 2024-25 – reflecting the importance of providing good mental health support.

As part of wider NHS reform, the Scottish Government is focused on improving services for people through a more joined-up health and social care system, reducing fragmentation and ensuring care is planned around patient need rather than organisational boundaries.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of continuity of care for people receiving mental health treatment, including when moving between services or NHS Board areas. Our Core Mental Health Quality Standards emphasise the importance of strong links between primary and secondary care services, including supporting people when moving between or out of services.

Decisions about transferring care are based on individual clinical need. Where ongoing secondary mental health care is required, care can be transferred to the appropriate local service. Best clinical practice is for the transferring service to retain clinical responsibility until the person has engaged with the receiving team. This flexible approach supports person-centred care while recognising that individual needs and local service arrangements vary.

The Scottish Government's refreshed Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan sets out our priorities to improve mental health support and services over the next three years and is aligned to wider health system reform. It reflects a shared commitment across national and local government to meet people's needs, regardless of where they live in Scotland. As part of this work, we will publish a Mental Health and Wellbeing Blueprint by autumn 2027, which will set out the role of each part of the mental health and wellbeing system and support stronger collaboration across services.