Chamber and committees

At this early stage, we are not undertaking formal measurement of effectiveness. We are taking a phased approach to create a system that works nationally and to ensure that vital knowledge on how to deliver the transformative and complex change to multi-agency service delivery within the same setting, is gathered and analysed, ahead of national implementation from 2027.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00543 on 10 June 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.

Scottish Government does not provide guidance on prioritisation of enforcement activity to local authorities. It is for each local authority to manage its own day-to-day business, including decisions in relation to the delivery of statutory services locally.

Trading Standards Scotland (TSS) is the national team for trading standards in Scotland. The team is funded by UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and managed by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA). TSS has a duty to coordinate and enforce cross boundary and national casework.

The Scottish Government recognises the potential benefits of a single point of search across multiple pet microchip databases, which could provide quicker and more efficient access to information for enforcement agencies, veterinary professionals, and rehoming organisations.

We are supportive in principle of measures that enhance animal welfare and improve the effectiveness of existing systems, and officials continue to regularly engage constructively with Defra and the other devolved administration to progress this work.

The Scottish Government recognises that microchipping pets supports responsible ownership and helps reunite lost animals with their owners. It acknowledges the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission’s findings on the benefits for welfare and enforcement.

Officials are reviewing this recommendation alongside wider policy considerations, including impacts on owners, enforcement, and consistency with existing mandatory microchipping for dogs.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) sets recording requirements for sewage treatment works in accordance with its published technical guidance wat-g-065_permit_guide_municipal_sewage_treatment-_works.docx.

The recording and reporting requirements are included in authorisations on the basis of environmental risk, such as size of wastewater treatment works and proximity to sensitive receptors e.g. designated Bathing Waters.

The Urban Wastewater Treatment Regulations (Scotland) 1994 sets out the nature of the sampling and the frequency for qualifying works. The results of this sampling is published - https://www.gov.scot/publications/situation-compliance-report-disposal-urban-wastewater-sludge-scotland-2022/.

The Scottish Government are not currently making any considerations to establish an independent body to investigate complaints regarding the financial practices of adult social care providers.

Scotland has in place the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) which provides a well-established, fully independent route for complaints relating to adult social care services provided by the public sector.

When a person is self-funding their care this becomes a contractual matter between the individual and their care home. Families in Scotland can contact their local trading standards team who will investigate any breach of contract.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which is a statutory body and accountable to the UK Parliament, has guidance for care homes on deposits and fees. We expect all providers operating in Scotland to abide by the guidance clearly set out by the CMA.

The Scottish Government supports the development of a paediatric palliative care suite in Greater Glasgow and Clyde. We want to ensure that children and young people receive high quality palliative care and that their families and carers have flexible support, based on their individual needs, in a location that suits them.

‘Molly’s suite’ will build on the work done by young cancer patient Molly Cuddihy to ensure children and young people at the end of their life are properly supported and treated with dignity. Work to develop it is being led by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC), working in partnership with Children’s Hospices across Scotland (CHAS).

My officials have asked the Board for an update on progress, which I will share with the Member in due course.

As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), I have asked them to respond. Their replies are as follows:

Scottish Water will need time to review and respond to the Windrush Against Sewage Pollution (WASP) report once it is issued.

SEPA has publicly offered to meet the WASP group to discuss the evidence it has prepared in its draft Report and the work already under way to monitor and improve Scotland’s water environment further through River Basin Management Planning.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) carries out an annual programme of sewer network and wastewater site compliance assessment, proactively targeting higher risk sites and also maintaining a rolling programme of inspections across all authorised sites, to determine operator compliance, including sampling of sites and the environment.

SEPA also requires these operators to provide data returns and report incidents. Recorded data and site operations are assessed during SEPA inspections. In addition to compliance inspections, SEPA responds to Scottish Water pollution notifications and public reporting of pollution incidents.